Wohlmuth Ried Edelschuh – Sauvignon Blanc from the finest Styrian vineyard
The Wohlmuth Ried Edelschuh Sauvignon Blanc 2022 is a remarkable, dry white wine from the vineyard site, or "Riede" as the Austrians call it, known as Edelschuh in Styria, Austria.
The Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh from the Wohlmuth winery is an opulent representative of its grape variety. On the palate, it reveals ripe aromatics of yellow tropical fruits, gooseberry, nuances of cassis, a hint of blossom honey, and grapefruit zest. A wine with medium body, subtle extract sweetness, and a finesse-rich arc of acidity. And the distinctive slate spice always resonates, providing wonderfully cool minerality, delicacy, and precision. The Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh is a wine with unmistakable character; it is immensely dense and finely textured, elegant and mineral, possessing a great arc of tension and excellent length. Here, the brilliant interplay of grape variety, soil, location, and winemaking craft—which boasts a 200-year tradition at the Wohlmuths—is shown in its full splendor. With some air in a large glass, the Sauvignon Blanc opens up more and more, revealing its great aging potential.
Sauvignon Blanc – from the Edelschuh vineyard
The Sauvignon Blanc vines grow on absolutely steep vineyard slopes planted in slate soils. Influenced by the Illyrian climate, which brings warm winds from the Mediterranean and cool winds from the Alps to the north down to Kitzeck in Southern Styria, and through much manual labor on the steep slopes—which requires an admirable attachment to the homeland—white wines with an unmistakable, complex fruit profile are created.
The location or "Riede" Edelschuh is one of the best sites in Southern Styria; this "noble" vineyard was already known as such in 1322. The vineyard is located at an altitude of 460–530m and is extremely steep, with a gradient of 73–90%. The soils consist of Paleozoic red and blue-black, quartzite-rich slate. The vines are between 30 and 50 years old. This warm site produces wines with a very delicate acid structure and high extract density. This historic site is so steep that it can only be cultivated by hand, sometimes only with the help of a winch. At the upper edge of the barren Edelschuh slope, which is oriented entirely toward the south, lies a visible slate wall. With the 2018 vintage, this special site, which produces multi-layered wines of pronounced minerality and elegance, was classified as Erste STK (Steirische Klassik).
The grapes for this Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh are harvested very late in selective hand-picking. A short period of skin contact, a very slow and gentle pressing, and spontaneous fermentation in 500l used wooden barrels preserve fragrance and fruit. The subsequent maturation on the fine lees for more than 12 months provides a full mouthfeel and a fine creaminess.
The 2022 vintage is accompanied by an image by Laura Stadtegger, who views the characteristics of her pictures as existing in the movement between real and imaginary worlds. Inspired by myths and archetypes, she sees her art as messages that concern people worldwide. The artist, born in 1984 and originally from Graz, completed her studies in applied arts at the University of Vienna, with a year abroad at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She subsequently lived in Amsterdam for a time before moving her studio to Munich in 2011.
a single-vineyard wine and its values
- Origin: Wine from Austria
- Region: Southern Styria
- Single-vineyard wine: Ried Edelschuh
- Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
- vegan
- 13.0% vol. alcohol
- 6.9 g/l acidity
- 1.1 g/l residual sugar