100% Sauvignon Blanc. Skin contact for a few days before press and than large oak barrels for 18 months. Limestone-rich clay soil locally known as Opok.
Südsteiermark is one of the great homes of Sauvignon Blanc, and Ewald Tscheppe makes a version that has almost nothing in common with the grape’s more famous expressions.
The result bears little trace of the variety’s typical aromatic fingerprint. In its place is a dense and compelling nose of concentrated flint and wet stone, fallen fruit, meadow herbs and fresh earth,  with the extended lees ageing adding a brioche richness that grounds everything without weighing it down.
On the palate it is taut and lively, with lime, gooseberry, wet stone and a hint of herbal spice,  carried by the kind of precise, mineral-driven acidity that only Opok soils seem to produce. The finish is long, saline and crystalline.
This is a complex, precise Sauvignon Blanc with a smoky minerality and nuanced herbal notes  that will surprise anyone coming to it with preconceptions about the grape.
Pair it with grilled asparagus, scallops, goat’s cheese, or a whole roasted sea bass. A bottle worth seeking out.
