Kapellenweingarten Sauvignon Blanc from Sattlerhof, sourced from the family's highest vineyard
Kapellenweingarten Sauvignon Blanc from the Sattlerhof winery comes from a vineyard situated nearly 600 meters above sea level, clinging to a hilltop with a 70 percent incline. Starting with the 2021 vintage, the winery has been certified biodynamic, and this bottle is among the first of those.
Kapellenweingarten Sauvignon Blanc is the dry single-vineyard wine from the Sattler family's largest site, which stretches across two basins, swinging from the south through the east and back to the south. Alexander Sattler harvests here later than elsewhere, as the high altitude delays ripening. Even in late summer, the nights remain cool, giving the grapes time.
Cool fruit and a salty edge
Within the family, the vineyard is considered the alpine site, and that is exactly how the wine presents itself. It is bright, taut, and linear without becoming thin, and the coolness in its fragrance is always a step ahead of the ambient room temperature.
On the palate, it gains the saltiness for which the calcareous gravel soils of this site are known. It lies beneath the fruit like a foundation, holding the wine upright. As a result, it resonates longer than its slender stature would suggest.
This single-vineyard wine tastes dry—rounded rather than angular—and with air in the glass, it becomes broader rather than louder. Give it half an hour, and it opens up noticeably, which is why a bowl-shaped glass provides more pleasure here than a narrow one.
A wine for fish and young vegetables
Pan-seared fish is the first pairing that comes to mind, such as trout, zander, or a piece of char with a light sauce. Young vegetables also harmonize well with this type of freshness. Steamed asparagus belongs here, as do oven-roasted fennel or raw sugar snap peas.
Young goat cheese and a wild herb salad offer a lighter alternative if the evening is already proving to be indulgent. For a festive menu, the wine acts as the cool voice in the choir, allowing the dishes to shine.
The 2018 vintage from the same vineyard shows the matured side by comparison, tasting broader, calmer, and less urgent. Two bottles side-by-side tell the story of this site more clearly than any description. The difference becomes immediately audible in the glass, without anyone needing to explain it.
Sheep, chapels, and a farmhouse in the middle
In the middle of the vineyard stands an old farmhouse with its stables, and in winter, up to 50 sheep graze the entire area between the vine rows. Eight chapels and crosses are also located there, and they have given the vineyard its name.
The soil is a highly leached conglomerate of gravel and lime, which forces the vines to fight for every nutrient. This austerity keeps yields low and drives the roots deep. In the end, it leaves a stony, pithy note in the wine.
The entire family portfolio can be found at Weingut Sattlerhof, which also includes their local wines from Gamlitz. Those looking to explore beyond this specific vineyard will find what they need among our dry white wines or under Austria's offerings.
Kapellenweingarten Sauvignon Blanc – a wine and its values
- Origin: Wine from Austria
- Growing region: Southern Styria DAC
- Quality level: Single-vineyard wine (Riedenwein)
- Site: Ried Kapellenweingarten
- Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
- 13% vol. alcohol
- contains sulfites
- vegan
- biodynamically certified by Lacon
Organic inspection body AT-BIO-402 – Austrian Agriculture