Morillon Pfarrweingarten – 2019

Sattlerhof Morillon Pfarrweingarten, a Chardonnay from the warmest vineyard site

Morillon Pfarrweingarten from Weingut Sattlerhof is the winery’s Chardonnay from their monopoly vineyard, fermented and aged for 18 months on fine lees in barriques. Morillon is the name used for Chardonnay in Styria, and this particular wine holds the top classification as a Große STK Ried.

Morillon Pfarrweingarten is the dry single-vineyard wine from a plot not far from the center of Gamlitz, which slopes from south to east at an altitude of 380 meters above sea level. With a 90 percent gradient, it is the steepest site belonging to the Sattler family and simultaneously one of the warmest vineyards in all of Southern Styria, where old vines root deep into the limestone.

Roasted nuances, yellow tropical fruit, and delicate coconut

The aroma begins delicately spicy, with a hint of roasted notes and a nutty undertone, the kind that only wood and time can achieve together. Above this lie yellow tropical fruits, rich and ripe, without any hint of sweetness.

On the palate, the Chardonnay is both complex and elegant, carried by a fine extract sweetness that gives it a rounded feel. The finish reveals delicate coconut and pineapple. Beneath this remains a fine minerality, which gives the wine its great length.

Despite its fullness, it is dry, and the 2019 vintage will be in its prime until 2033 and beyond. Decanting is recommended if you open it today, as it unfolds noticeably with air, revealing its calm, broad side.

Braised veal, goose, and fine pâtés

The winery itself mentions braised veal dishes first, and the wine confirms this in the glass, as its fullness stands up to long cooking times. Goose, lamb, and beef are equally suitable companions, as are duck and fine pâtés with a touch of sweetness in the jelly. Even a piece of mature mountain cheese holds its own, provided it isn’t too salty and allows the wine to take center stage.

In the winery’s own kitchen, Markus Sattler cooks in exactly this direction—using braising pots, stocks, and patience rather than high heat. A wine like this needs a dish that has taken as much time as the wine itself.

Those looking for a younger, lighter interpretation of the same grape variety will find it in the Morillon Gamlitz as a village wine. The Pfarrweingarten, by contrast, remains the grand performance—the bottle for the Sunday roast and the special occasion menu.

A coral reef with a ninety percent slope

Eighteen million years ago, a coral reef grew here, not far from the shores of the ancient sea that once stretched across what is now the Pannonian Basin. What remained was coral limestone, along with Opok—a Tertiary soil of clay and marl—and a thin layer of sand on top.

According to historical records, the family replanted this slope, and it has belonged to them alone ever since. This makes the Pfarrweingarten a vineyard cultivated by no one else, which is rare in Southern Styria. The vineyard is considered to have a salty character, which is reflected in the wine as a mineral vein beneath the yellow fruit.

It was fermented and aged in 225- and 300-liter barriques, first and second fill, so that the wood supports rather than overwhelms. You can see what else comes from Sernau on the Weingut Sattlerhof page; those who wish to browse further can visit the white wines or wine from Austria.

Morillon Pfarrweingarten – a wine and its values

• Origin: Wine from Austria
• Region: Südsteiermark DAC
• Quality level: Riedenwein, Große STK Ried
• Vineyard site: Ried Pfarrweingarten
• Grape variety: Chardonnay, known as Morillon in Styria
• 13.5% vol. alcohol
• 5.7 g/l acidity
• 1.1 g/l residual sugar
• Aging: Barrique
• Prime until: 2033
• 96 points Falstaff
• 97+ points A la Carte
• 92 points James Suckling
• 19/20 points Gault&Millau
• 4 stars Vinum
• contains sulfites
• vegan
• organically certified by Lacon

Organic control body AT-BIO-402 – Austrian Agriculture