Hannes Sabathi - Klassic Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: Südsteiermark DAC
Sulphur (SO2): 80 ppm
Sugar: Dry
Acid: 6.4 g/L
Production Size: 50,000 btls
Altitude: 350-550m (1158-1804ft)
Vineyard Age: 3-15 years
Residual Sugar: 1.1 g/L
Tannin: None
Alcohol %: 13

This year began with a long winter with a lot of snow and rain. The grapes were nearly perfect with a nice fruitiness and good acidity. Overall the yields were 1/3 less than average, but the quality was excellent! All in all 2021 was a great vintage with good ripeness, a pronounced freshness and huge flavor variety. All grapes were hand harvested as dictated by the landscape.

Soil Type(s): limestone, gravel, chalk, loam

Fermentation took place with the use of native yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The wine was then matured in neutral barrels on their full lees without sulfur addition for 6 months. Before being bottled, the wine are fined one last time through a rocky substance called kieselguhr trapping any left solids in the micro-crystalline rock structure. The resulting wines are absolutely flawless with diamond-like brilliance to the eye.

Grapes are grown organically on the sides of steep mountain slopes in the southern corner of the country. Styria (Steiermark) produces just 5% of Austria's wine, but even that number is impressive considering just a generation or two ago there was almost no grapes being grown here. In the past, people tried to plant grapes on the flat valley lands. Due to the humidity, these had bad rot problems. After the anti-freeze scandal of the mid 80s, folks began experimenting in the region. This led to vineyards being planted on mountain slopes at high elevation to combat humidity. A strong focus on international grapes has led Sauvignon Blanc to especially stand out here. The Klassic Sauvignon Blanc is equivalent to a Regional level wine in Burgundy or a Gutswein in German VDP classification.

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