Ried Pössnitzberger Kapelle® Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Große STK Ried




The Single Vineyard Pössnitzberg is predestined as a great white wine terroir. Due to the interaction of the soil structure and of the climatic factors this single vineyard is unique. These Sauvignon Blanc wines are very authentic. The grapes for “Single Vineyard Pössnitzberger Kapelle Sauvignon Blanc” are from a special vineyard on the Pössnitzberg, a vineyard with a small, old chapel (“Kapelle” means chapel). In the sixties, Karl Rengo, the former landowner of this special vineyard already named his wines “Pössnitzberger Kapelle”. Our wines from Pössnitzberg, classified as “Große STK Ried” (Grand Cru STK site), are delicately mineral, very salty on the palate and show a tight structure and high ageing potential. The harvest yield is limited to a maximum of 45 hectolitres. Grand Cru STK wines are allowed to be offered for sale at the earliest on the 1st of May after 18 months of maturation.
Steepness and extremely chalky soils account for grand, deep terroir wines - laborious and intensive manual work provided. The Single Vineyard Pössnitzberg is the most southern single vineyard in Styria and is very important for our winery. In the fifties our grandfather Johann Sabathi recognised the potential of the site Pössnitzberg and acquired the first core of this precious vineyard. This extremely steep and rocky single vineyard benefits from partly very old vines and deep roots. Due to an inclination of 75% this vineyard needs to be cultivated almost by hand.
Warm winds coming up from Slovenian valleys meet cool air streams from the Koralpe Mountains in the west.
These extreme temperature differences cause a spicy and multi-faceted aroma spectrum.
From the geological point of view the Pössnitzberg is located within the southwestern Styrian sea basin. Approximately 16 million years ago some 1000 meters of mighty marine sediments accumulated. Geologists describe these fine marine sediments as “Styrian Schlier”. It consists of chalky fine-sandy, mostly green-greyish marl clay or argillaceous schist with deposits of sand, fossils of leaves and gloss carbon residues. These scarce and very chalky soils, called “Opok” (chalky marl), are characterised by a humous topsoil formed by weathering, which often does not exceed a height of 20 centimeters, and firm sedimentary rocks.
„Was für ein Bouquet!“ „Der Gaumen ist ein Finessenpaket sondergleichen, die Säure ist perfekt eingebunden, der Fluss seidig. Er zeigt in seiner Art gar eine gewisse Adstringenz, was das enorme Lagerungspotential unterstützt und dokumentiert. Dies ist kein überlauter, oder gar marktschreierischer Sauvignon-Blanc-Kompetitionswein für Blindproben, sondern ein äusserst präziser Weltklassewein in dieser Rebsorten-Sparte. Ein önologisches Violinenkonzert für die ganz grosse Oper! Das war ein bewegender Schluck einer neuen Austria-Ikone!“
“What a bouquet!“ “A great finesse on the palate, a perfect embedded acid, a silky flow. Presenting a way of astringency, that supports and demonstrates the very high aging potential. This is not a loud or blatant Sauvignon Blanc competition wine for blind tastings, it is a highly rigorous world class wine in this segment of grape variety. An oenological violin concerto for the very high opera! This was an emotional sip presented by a new Austria-Icon!”
„Man spürt die Konzentration nicht, so fein ist sie verwoben. Im langen Finale dicht, tief, harmonisch. Kein lauter Wein. Potential für dreißig Jahre.“
“You can´t feel the concentration, it is so intimately interwoven. In the long finale tight, deep, harmonious. Not a loud wine. Potential for thirty years.”
„Dieser Wein ist der Ausdruck des steirischen Sauvignon Blancs in Perfektion: Holunderblüte, Cassis, tiefe Würze, kühle Frucht und eine engmaschige Struktur, die man sonst nur von der Loire kennt. Die Länge im Abgang und die Eleganz im Finish sind perfekt. Ein absolut großer Wein dieser Rebsorte.“
“This wine is the expression of the Styrian Sauvignon Blanc in perfection: elderflower, cassis, deep spiciness, cool fruit and a tight-knit structure, usually known only from the Loire. The length and the elegance in the finish are perfect. An absolute great wine of this grape variety.”
“Full-bodied, rich and elegant on the palate, this is a concentrated, powerful and very persistent wine with a good structure but also lots of power that numbs the palate a bit at the moment. And in fact, it is highly complex and elegant, very promising and juicy in the finish.”