Ried Sulz Weisser Burgunder, Erste STK Lage 2021

Wine Description for Ried Sulz Weisser Burgunder Erste STK Lage 2021 by Tement

Colour & Appearance

Luminous straw yellow with warm golden reflections – a wine that already hints at its 30-month maturation on yeast in the glass.

Nose

Remarkably open and multi-layered for a Pinot Blanc of this provenance. The nose combines chopped almonds and fresh yeast plait with a whisper of marzipan and delicate icing sugar. Shining through is the characteristic red apple skin – textured, nostalgic, unmistakable. White currant, ripe pear and mirabelle plum round out the fruit spectrum. Spice comes from cardamom and cinnamon, freshness from garden cress, lemon balm and sage. Those with patience will discover white pepper and coriander seed. A gentle elegance is lent by apple and almond blossoms.

Palate

Clear, taut and of striking precision. The acidity is remarkably high for a Pinot Blanc – and here it is unmistakably a quality hallmark. Not a trace of softness, no breadth: this wine lives from its linear, chalky structure. The fruit moves within the yellow-red spectrum, dominated by the once again present apple skin spice. The juiciness is controlled, yet the drinking flow is enormous – carried by a pronounced herbal intensity. A Pinot Blanc that demands and rewards.

Finish

Long, mineral, with lingering herbal spice and a cool, chalky aftertaste. The acidity carries the wine far into the finish – here the potential for further maturation becomes apparent.

Terroir & Origin

The Ried Sulz is the ancestral home of Pinot Blanc at Tement – a warm, enclosed basin vineyard site in South Styria at 400 to 473 metres elevation. The vines stand on calcareous marl and loamy sandy soils at 35% slope gradient, facing south-southwest. The cool, damp 2021 vintage delayed ripening before an ideal high summer delivered crystal-clear, perfectly ripened fruit.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pinot Blanc (Weisser Burgunder), naturally fermented and subsequently aged 30 months on fine lees in large, neutral oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered – a maturation that creates depth, texture and that characteristic nutty-yeasty complexity that sets this wine apart from the crowd.

Food Pairing Recommendations

The chalky precision and vibrant acidity make this wine the ideal companion for scallops with herb butter, turbot on fennel purée or calf sweetbreads with lemon jus. It also unfolds its full potential with aged alpine cheese or white truffle.

Special Features

An Erste STK Lage – the highest classification level of the Styrian Terroir & Klassik Winegrowers. Not a wine for quick enjoyment, but a Pinot Blanc for the connoisseur, which will gain further depth with additional cellar maturation.