{"title":"Werlitsch","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eEwald Tscheppe has been farming his land in Styria, Austria since he was just 26 years old, making him one of the earliest producers in the region to fully commit to biodynamic viticulture.  At Werlitsch, wine is not made. It is grown.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eThe estate’s nine hectares sit near the Slovenian border, where steep, arid slopes give way to flatter ground, creating a mosaic of microclimates and soil types. These challenging hillsides are largely inaccessible to tractors, so every grape is harvested by hand. Ewald works primarily with Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, and Morillon, the local name for Chardonnay. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eIn the cellar, the philosophy is one of radical non-intervention: wines ferment with wild yeasts in wooden barrels, without temperature control, and are bottled only when ready, sometimes after years of maturation on their lees. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eThe flagship Ex Vero series, its name meaning “from truth,” has earned a devoted following in natural wine bars and Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide. These are wines that ask nothing of you except patience and attention.\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"welschriesling-vom-opok","title":"Welschriesling vom Opok","description":"\u003cp\u003e100% Welschriesling. In the cellar, the grapes are manually destemmed and spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts in large open oak vats, then aged for 18 months in 300-litre oak barrels. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vines are around 30 years old, planted on the Opok marl soils of Südsteiermark , a limestone-rich clay that is one of the most distinctive and mineral-driven terroirs in all of Austria. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nose has hints of flint and chalk, giving way to subtle fruit: apricot, yellow apple, bergamot, and reminiscences of fresh hay and meadow herbs.  On the palate it is precise and taut, with the kind of bright, saline acidity that Opok soils seem to imprint on every wine grown in them. Herbal and creamy elements emerge, reminiscent of sourdough bread, with a faint natural effervescence that gives the wine its lively, almost electric energy. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the name, Welschriesling has no relation to Riesling: it is a gentler, more restrained variety, and in Ewald’s hands it becomes something quietly extraordinary. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eServe it cool with oysters, grilled asparagus, freshwater fish, or a simple plate of charcuterie.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Werlitsch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57317802639737,"sku":"WS3124S","price":29.9,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0277\/1271\/6899\/files\/WerlitschWelchriesling.png?v=1779721710"},{"product_id":"morillon-vom-opok","title":"Morillon vom Opok","description":"\u003cp\u003e100% Morillon (it's the Styrian name for Chardonnay). After harvest, the grapes are macerated on the skins for a few days, then pressed and spontaneously fermented in large open wooden vats. The wine then rests on its fine lees for 12 to 18 months in large barrels before bottling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nose is dense and richly textured with an earthy touch: quince, white peach, thyme, limestone minerality, brioche, and pale yellow apple, with a chamomile note drifting underneath.  On the palate, a beautiful tension develops between a salty pull and a white-blossomed, pale-fruited creaminess.  The structure is sleek rather than heavy, with a long, crystalline finish that lingers well after the glass is empty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe palate is linear and pure, mineral and crystalline, with good acidity  that keeps the wine alive and focused from start to finish. This is a Chardonnay for those who find most Chardonnay too much: no new oak, no butter, no performance. Just place, patience, and an extraordinary sense of restraint.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePair it with shellfish, lobster, white truffle dishes, grilled river fish, or simply a good piece of aged comté.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Werlitsch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57317890130297,"sku":"WW3125S","price":31.5,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0277\/1271\/6899\/files\/WerlitschMorillon.png?v=1779721679"},{"product_id":"sauvignon-blanc-vom-opok","title":"Sauvignon Blanc vom Opok","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e100% 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSüdsteiermark 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePair it with grilled asparagus, scallops, goat’s cheese, or a whole roasted sea bass. A bottle worth seeking out.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Werlitsch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57317927682425,"sku":"WW3126S","price":31.5,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0277\/1271\/6899\/files\/WerlitschSauvignonBlanc.png?v=1779721654"},{"product_id":"ex-vero-ii","title":"Ex Vero II","description":"\u003cp\u003e65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Morillon (Chardonnay). The grapes are crushed and left to macerate for a few days until spontaneous fermentation is underway, then aged on the lees in old, large oak barrels for two years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the mid-point of the slope where the soils have an even distribution of clay and Opok, the limestone-rich marl that defines this corner of Südsteiermark.  Ex Vero II and Ex Vero III almost exclusively come from sections of the hill where the vines grow on the poorest parts of the rock, where it is almost impossible to work with any form of tractors or machinery.  Everything is done by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEx Vero means “out of the truth” in Latin, and there is no better phrase to describe what Ewald and Brigitte Tscheppe do at Werlitsch. The Ex Vero range is the heart of the estate, and Ex Vero II sits at its centre in every sense: geographically, in terms of complexity, and in the quiet confidence it carries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nose is lean, fresh and mineral-driven, with flint and wet stone, pear skin, tart green apple and a thread of exotic spice.  On the palate the wine is precise and tightly wound, with the mid-slope Opok soils giving it a crystalline edge and a long, saline finish that lingers with real authority. Crisp like Chablis and crunchy like Sancerre, this is sharp, angular and perfectly calibrated. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the table it shines alongside oysters, crab, whole roasted fish, or dishes built around white truffle and aged hard cheese.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery rare.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Werlitsch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57318018023801,"sku":"WW3127S","price":39.5,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0277\/1271\/6899\/files\/WerlitschExVeroII.png?v=1779721632"},{"product_id":"ex-vero-iii","title":"Ex Vero III","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe blend is Sauvignon Blanc and Morillon sourced exclusively from the uppermost, steepest and most meagre soils of the vineyards surrounding the Werlitsch winery , where pure Opok bedrock dominates and no tractor can reach. Every vine, every bunch, every decision made by hand. The grapes are left on the skins for a few days, then pressed and left to ferment spontaneously in large open wood barrels. Two years of ageing on the fine lees are followed by a further year in bottle before release. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf Ex Vero II is the heart of the estate, Ex Vero III is its soul. This is Werlitsch at its most uncompromising: the summit of the hill, the poorest rock, the most demanding viticulture, and the most profound wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nose is punchy and elemental: petrol, matchstick and smoke, followed by bruised orchard fruit, grapefruit zest, pomelo pith, rosemary stem and smoked hay. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the palate the wine is taut and searingly precise, with a depth and tension that separates it from anything else in the range. The acidity is electric, the mineral drive relentless, and the finish seems to go on indefinitely. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt captures the essence of the land, the craftsmanship of the Tscheppe family, and the magic of the unrepeatable. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the table, it belongs alongside the most complex dishes you can put in front of it: wild game, aged mountain cheese, black truffle, or a perfectly roasted bird.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExceptionally rare.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Werlitsch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57318058918265,"sku":"WW3128S","price":55.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0277\/1271\/6899\/files\/WerlitschExVeroIII.png?v=1779721597"},{"product_id":"gluck","title":"Glück","description":"\u003cp\u003eSauvignon Blanc and Morillon blend grown on chalk, clay and marl soils from vines averaging 30 years old.  Destemmed and fermented in open cask for between two to three weeks,  then aged for 24 months on the lees in used oak barrels.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlück means happiness in German, and it is hard to argue with the name after a glass of this. It is one of the most distinctive bottles Ewald and Brigitte Tscheppe produce: an orange wine of real depth and personality, released in a clay bottle that is as much a statement of intent as a practical choice. Ewald says: “As they were made in clay, he wanted them to stay in clay. That was the idea, but we also realised that the clay bottles influence the wines in a positive way.” \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe colour is a deep golden amber. The nose offers great depth, with notes of lychee, honey, hazelnut and stewed apricot. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the palate there is ripe pear, dried herbs, salty minerality, dense structure and deep tension. The extended skin contact gives the wine a gentle grip and a warmth that sets it clearly apart from the more tightly wound Ex Vero range. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn ideal vintages only, Ewald and Brigitte produce skin-contact wines such as Glück.  This makes it genuinely scarce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA wine to share slowly, with food: slow-roasted pork, aged mountain cheeses, roasted root vegetables, or anything with a satisfying richness that can meet the wine’s texture head on.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Werlitsch","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57318090735993,"sku":"WW3129S","price":42.5,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0277\/1271\/6899\/files\/WerlitschGluck.png?v=1779721576"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0277\/1271\/6899\/collections\/Werlitsch-Collection.jpg?v=1779699262","url":"https:\/\/invinositis.com\/collections\/werlitsch\/cl-75-cl.oembed","provider":"in vino sitis","version":"1.0","type":"link"}