Sauvignon Blanc Ried Edelschuh – from Weingut Wohlmuth
The Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Ried Edelschuh 2019 is a remarkable, dry white wine from the "Lage", or as the Austrians say "Riede", Edelschuh in Styria, Austria.
The Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh from Weingut Wohlmuth is an opulent representative of its grape variety, on the palate it shows ripe aromas of yellow fruits, gooseberry, exotic lychee and pineapple, subtle extract sweetness, a delicate acid structure and always a striking slate spice, a wonderfully cool minerality, finesse and precision. The Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh is a wine with a unique, unmistakable character; it is incredibly dense and finely woven, elegant and mineral, and possesses a great arc of tension. Here, the brilliant interplay of grape variety, soil, location and winemaker's craft, which has a 200-year-old tradition at the Wohlmuths, is revealed in its full glory. With a little air in a large glass, the Sauvignon Blanc opens up more and more and reveals its great aging potential.
Sauvignon Blanc – from the Edelschuh site
The Sauvignon Blanc vines grow on extremely steep vineyard slopes planted on slate soils. Influenced by the Illyrian climate, which brings warm winds from the Mediterranean and cool winds from the northern Alps to Kitzeck in Southern Styria, and with a great deal of manual labor on the steep slopes, which requires admirable local ties, white wines with an unmistakable, complex fruit expression are produced.
The "Lage" or "Riede" Edelschuh is one of the best sites in Southern Styria; as early as 1322, this noble site was known as such. The vineyard is located at 460-530m above sea level and is extremely steep with a 73-90% gradient. The soils consist of Paleozoic, red and blue-black, quartzite-rich slate. The vines are between 30-50 years old. Wines with a very delicate acid structure and high extract density are produced from this warm site. The 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 Riede Edelschuh, which is completely south-facing, there is a visible slate wall. With the 2018 vintage, this special site, which produces complex wines of pronounced minerality and elegance, was classified as the first STK (Steirische Klassik - Styrian Classic).
The grapes for this Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh are harvested very late in selective hand-picking; a short maceration time and very slow and gentle pressing, as well as spontaneous fermentation in 500l used wooden barrels, preserve fragrance and fruit. The subsequent aging on fine lees for more than 12 months ensures a full mouthfeel and a delicate creaminess.
a Rieden wine and its values
- 13.0 % vol. alcohol
- 6.0 g/l acidity
- 1.5 g/l residual sugar