Hannes Sabathi - Ried Kranachberg Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Vintage: 2017
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: Südsteiermark DAC
Vineyard Designation: Ried Kranachberg STK Grosse Lage
Sulphur (SO2): 95 ppm
Sugar: Dry
Acid: 5.8 g/L
Production Size: 5,000 btls
Altitude: 550m (1804.5ft)
Vineyard Age: 17-27 Years
Residual Sugar: 0.9 g/L
Tannin: None
Alcohol: 13%

Kranachberg is the name of the basin-shaped single vineyard with South-west exposure at 500 meters. The soil here consists of permeable pebbly sand, with no limestone content, and delivers fresh and salty minerality like nothing else. The wine's aromatic intensity is also a result of an expanded canopy needed to shield the grapes from a steeper angle of inclanation to the sun. This protects the grapes from sunburn and also increases photosynthesis to give the grapes that tropical ripeness. All grapes were hand harvested as dictated by the landscape.

Soil Type(s): chalky base with sand and loam, facing south

Just prior to harvesting the entire vineyard, Hannes Sabathi picks a few bunches early and crushes them into small fermenters that he has strategically placed throughout each vineyard. The native yeasts found in those vineyards then inoculate each batch and those batches are used to inoculate the rest of the vineyard. This means each single vineyard wine is inoculated with only the yeasts indigenous to itself! The grapes are cold-soaked for 10-15 hours and a the native yeast fermentation takes place in barrel, with a bit of battonage throughout. The wine is matured for 18 months in 1500L barrels (75%) and 225L new barriques (25%).

The wine year 2017 began as it should begin - beautiful, cold winter days with temperatures down to - 17 ° Celsius (-2 °F), which allowed the floor to freeze. There was a moment of potential disaster in the spring from a frosty night at the end of April, but fortunately it came without major impact to the vineyards due to the lateness of the season. Budding and flowering followed the normal growing cycle and due to the hot and dry summer, the early varieties were ready to harvest at the beginning of September. The wine's aromatic intensity is also a result of an expanded canopy needed to shield the grapes from a steeper angle of inclanation to the sun. This protects the grapes from sunburn and also increases photosynthesis to give the grapes that tropical ripeness.

The Kranachberg Sauvignon Blanc is equivalent to a Grand Cru level wine in Burgundy or an Grosse Lage in German VDP classification. There are only 53 Grosse Lagen in Styria. It has flavor similarities to all three great styles in the world; the aromatic intensity of New Zealand, the structure of France, and the ripeness/exotic fruit of Napa.

Sturgeon, Sea Bass, Chicken, Pork, Scallops, Escargot, Basil, Asian Citrus, Pad Thai, Tea Leaf Salad, Mint, Mango, Lime, Sour Cream & Onion Chips

• Japanese, Thai, Burmese, Indian, French, Tropical Seafood, Austrian, Scandinavian, American