Ried Saffran® Chardonnay 2017 STK Ried

Single Vineyard Saffran Chardonnay 2017 Cru STK

Grape variety:
Chardonnay
Vintage:
2017
Awards:
94 A LA CARTE, 93 FALSTAFF, 92 PARKER, 17 GAULT MILLAU points
Alcohol content:
13,5%vol
Total acid:
5,0g/l
Residual suggar:
0,3g/l
Vinification:
harvested by hand, spontaneously fermented with natural yeasts
Maturation:
18 months in small oak barrels
Drinking maturity:
15 years and longer
Bottle closure:
nature cork/organic cork, sorted by hand
Categorisation:
STK Ried (Cru STK)
Wine-growing area/ single vineyard :
Single Vineyard Saffran
Local orientation:
an entirely south-facing site with an inclination from 30% up to 45%
Sea level:
415m–470m
Wine-growing region:
Southern Styria
Description of the wine:
scents of ground stone, chalky; fine smoked and roasted aromas; delicate, fruity character on the palate, smooth texture with a polish and intensity; salty minerality and sensual fruit flavours; an enormously impressive concentration with a harmonious finale
Food recommendation:
beef-consommé, strong essences, warm appetizers, pumpkin, porcini mushrooms, morels, truffle(-noodles), polenta, shellfish and crustaceans (lobster), veal and beef, pan-fried goose liver; goes well with hearty dishes
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Categorisation:

The Single Vineyard Saffran is a monopole vineyard of Erwin Sabathi. This vineyard is exclusively planted with the grape variety Chardonnay. Due to the clayier soil structure (in comparison to the soil structure of the Single Vineyard Pössnitzberg), wines with an extremely independent character flourish there. Therefore, the Single Vineyard Saffran is especially predestined for the grape variety Chardonnay. Due to the interaction of the soil structure and of the climatic factors, this single vineyard is unique and these Chardonnay wines are very authentic. Our wine from the Single Vineyard Saffran, classified as Cru STK, is delicately mineral, enormously salty on the palate, shows a tight structure and has a high ageing potential. The harvest yield is limited to a maximum of 45 hectolitres. Cru STK wines are allowed to be offered for sale at the earliest on 1st of May after 6 months of maturation. In our case, Ried Saffran Chardonnay remains much longer in the barrels and is offered for sale at the earliest after 18 months of maturation, as well as our Grand Cru STK wines.

Wine-growing area/ single vineyard:

A breezy climate, an entirely south-facing site and a clayey soil account for grand, deep terroir wines - laborious and intensive manual work provided. The Single Vineyard Saffran is the highest part of this slope and therefore the breeziest zone of this area.
This single vineyard has a wine-growing tradition for centuries and also an enormous historical significance for our winery. Hans Saffran (the former owner of the farmstead “Trutschelhof” and of the nowadays Single Vineyard Saffran), was in 1729 also one of the previous owners of the property Pössnitz 48, where our winery is today.
In 2014 Erwin Sabathi acquired the vineyard of the former Trutschelhof and is now in possession of the monopole vineyard "Saffran". The name "Saffran" is used in memory of Hans Saffran and honours a very historical winemaking tradition. This explains the naming of this single vineyard, which is not based on the spice saffron.

Climate:

As an exposed site, especially as the highest and uppermost part of this grape slope, the Single Vineyard Saffran is very breezy. The slightly cooler climate avoids heat accumulations, so that temperature differences between day and night are low. These factors characterise a Chardonnay with a very strong and independent character.

Soil:

It consists of clayey fine-silty, mostly green-greyish marl clay or argillaceous schist with low deposits of sand. Striking for this very chalky soil is the humous topsoil, which is formed by weathering. It is a dense soil with a high water retention capacity.

“Eine Monopollage mit jahrhunderterlanger Weinbautradition.”

“A monopole vineyard with a wine-growing tradition for centuries.”