Ried Zieregg Kapelle Sauvignon Blanc Große STK Lage 2021 1500ml Magnum
A monumental South Styrian white wine of the highest complexity and ageing potential – a masterpiece from one of Austria's most renowned vineyard sites.
Bottler: Tement GmbH, Zieregg 13, A-8461 Ehrenhausen / Austria
In the glass
Colour
Luminous lemon yellow with vibrant green reflections
Nose
Exotic fruit (passion fruit, mango, grilled pineapple, apricot, peach) combined with multi-layered herbs (mint, coriander, thyme, lemon balm, chervil) as well as fine yeast and chalk notes
Palate
Dense, concentrated and powerful with perfect balance of fruit, minerality, spice and freshness; delicate texture, pleasant grip and seemingly endless length
Character
Majestic and multi-faceted, yet remarkably vibrant and invigorating – a serious, mature wine with enormous depth and terroir-driven elegance
Pairing
Grilled turbot with herb butter, lobster or scallops, aged goat's cheese with wild herb salad
Notes
30 months of spontaneous fermentation and maturation on fine lees in old oak barrels, unfiltered bottling; clay-loam on coral limestone at approximately 470m altitude; Magnum format for optimal maturation – ideal for long-term cellaring
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
Luminous lemon yellow with vibrant green reflections – clear, brilliant and of impressive depth. A wine that already reveals its inner tension in the glass.
Nose
The nose unfolds with remarkable complexity. Exotic fruit dominates initially: passion fruit, mango and grilled pineapple join ripe peach and apricot. Yet what truly distinguishes this wine is the cool spice that holds everything together – mint, coriander, thyme, lemon balm and chervil lend it an almost meditative-precise herbal dimension. Beneath this shimmers a yeasty, bread-like undertone from the extended ageing on fine lees, which gives the wine seriousness and depth. A hint of chalk and limestone rounds out the picture.
Palate
On the palate, the wine fulfils every high expectation. It builds initially with restraint – then unfolds orchestrally: dense, concentrated and of impressive energy, yet never heavy-handed. Fruit, minerality, spice and freshness play on equal terms. A subtle, invigorating sharpness provides definition and tension. The palate is carried by a creamy texture – the result of thirty months of yeast ageing – whilst the acidity provides liveliness and direction. With 14.0% alcohol, the wine nonetheless never feels weighty, but rather remarkably balanced and precise.
Finish
The finish is of seemingly infinite length – racy, delicate and characterised by a saline, mineral persistence that lingers long after the final sip.
Terroir & Origin
The parcel Kapelle lies within the renowned Grand Cru site Zieregg in South Styria, directly beneath a Carmelite chapel at approximately 470 metres elevation. The soil of heavy clay and loam on coral limestone lends the wine its characteristic minerality and depth. The approximately 18-year-old vines cultivate 1.48 hectares with around 7,000 plants – the youngest in the entire vineyard site.
Grape Variety & Vinification
Sauvignon Blanc, spontaneously fermented and subsequently aged thirty months on fine lees in old, small oak barrels. Bottled without filtration. An ageing regime that lends the wine complexity, texture and terroir depth, without sacrificing varietal precision. The magnum bottle (1,500 ml) guarantees slower, ideal maturation.
Food Pairing Recommendations
This monumental Sauvignon Blanc demands dishes of equal stature: lobster with tarragon beurre blanc, grilled turbot with herb butter, scallops on pea purée or a classic Viennese calf’s sweetbread. A mature goat’s cheese or a robust mountain cheese would also be worthy companions.
Special Characteristics
This wine in magnum format is an exceptional Sauvignon Blanc that pushes the boundaries of the variety. The vintage 2021 – characterised by a cool spring and an ideal late summer – provided Tement with crystal-clear, perfectly ripened fruit material. A wine for eternity, which will gain in complexity for many years to come.
