Morillon Gamlitz from Sattlerhof takes root in crystalline quartz sand
Morillon Gamlitz from the Sattlerhof winery is a dry Chardonnay from Southern Styria, whose vines grow on crystalline quartz sand with mica. The 2022 vintage carries the coolness of the nights within it, remaining bright, linear, and pleasantly understated.
Morillon Gamlitz is the "Ortswein" (village wine) of the Sattler family from the Southern Styrian town of Gamlitz, and Morillon has remained the traditional local name for Chardonnay there. On menus across the country, both terms appear side by side, yet they always refer to the same grape variety. What characterizes this bottle, however, is less the variety than the soil in which it was grown.
Lemon zest, pear, and a cool core
The nose opens with freshly grated lemon zest, followed by yellow pear and a hint of almond. None of these elements push forward; everything remains slightly below room temperature.
On the palate, the Chardonnay is dry and linear, with a freshness that rises from the soil rather than the fruit. The spice of Southern Styria accompanies it, salty, bright, and almost stony. In this context, "dry" does not mean austere, but clear, because the wine lacks nothing that it wouldn't be better off without.
This wine is never in a rush, releasing its aromas in the order in which they grew. After a few years in the bottle, the 2022 vintage has gained composure without losing any of its tension.
Dry Chardonnay with veal and mushrooms
Roast veal in a light sauce is one ideal pairing, mushroom risotto another; both bring out the nutty side you might already anticipate from the nose. A pan-seared arctic char also stands up well to the cool demeanor of this Chardonnay.
Alexander Sattler and his brother manage 33 hectares of vineyards, and a significant portion is so steep that all work must be done on foot. For the wine in the glass, this means one thing above all: time.
The Southern Styrian origin hierarchy consists of three levels, and a village wine must come entirely from the vineyards of the named municipality. The Weißburgunder Gamlitz, which interprets the same slopes in a milder and rounder way, offers the same village-level style in a different grape variety.
Crystalline quartz sand with mica on steep slopes
The vineyards in and around Gamlitz rise from 350 to 450 meters above sea level, and beneath the vines lie crystalline quartz sands mixed with mica. This sand stores little water, forcing the vines to root deeper than they might prefer.
The mica within is the mineral that flashes silver in the sunlight, belonging to the region's crystalline bedrock. Soils of this kind rarely give a wine fullness, but instead provide contour and a cool, salty length.
Above the slopes, the nights are noticeably cooler than down in the valley, which is why the grapes retain their acidity while sugar levels rise slowly. The 15- to 35-year-old vines handle this fluctuation well. A look at the Sattlerhof winery's range is just as worthwhile as a browse through our white wines and Austrian wines.
Morillon Gamlitz – a wine and its values
- Origin: Wine from Austria
- Region: Südsteiermark DAC
- Quality level: Ortswein Gamlitz
- Grape variety: Morillon, Chardonnay
- 13.0% vol. alcohol
- Contains sulfites
- Vegan
- Biodynamically certified by Lacon
Organic inspection body AT-BIO-402 – Austrian Agriculture