Tement

From Family Estate to Flagship of South Styria

The winery's story begins in 1959, when Josef Tement senior acquired two hectares of vineyard land with his wife Edina. His early death in 1976 forced the then 25-year-old Manfred Tement to take over responsibility. What followed was one of the most remarkable success stories in Austrian viticulture.

Manfred Tement recognised early on the potential of Sauvignon Blanc in the limestone-rich soils of South Styria. In 1986, he founded Steirische Klassik (STK) together with like-minded winemakers – a quality initiative that brought international recognition to Styrian white wines. The neighbouring Sattlerhof winery is also among the STK founding members and, together with Tement, shapes the face of the region.

Zieregg: One Vineyard, Four Faces

The Zieregg is the heart of the winery. This Grand Cru vineyard site extends across both sides of the Austrian-Slovenian border and is divided into four distinct parcels: the Kapelle with its oldest vines and distinctive wayside shrine, the Kår with particularly limestone-rich subsoil, the Steilriegel with slopes of up to 70 per cent, and the classic Zieregg as the core of the vineyard site.

On the Slovenian side, the family manages a further 20 hectares under the name Ciringa. The Ciringa Fosilni Breg impressively demonstrates how the same handwriting expresses itself on different terroirs. The Zieregg Kapelle, by contrast, represents the quintessence of the Austrian side.

Biodynamics as a Logical Consequence

The conversion to biodynamic viticulture began in 2017 and was completed in 2022 with Demeter certification. For Tement, this was not a fashionable about-turn, but rather the logical development of a philosophy that has always placed the soil at its centre. Membership in Respekt-BIODYN underscores this commitment.

In the cellar, restraint prevails. Spontaneous fermentation, extended ageing on lees and the careful use of large wooden casks define the style. The result is wines of remarkable tension between fruit and minerality, between accessibility and depth.

Three Generations, One Vision

With Armin (in the business since 2005) and Stefan (since 2010), the third generation is already at work at the winery. Armin is responsible for viticulture and the cellar, Stefan focuses on sales and the Gut Pössnitzberg wine hotel. The sons bring fresh impetus without questioning the fundamental principles of their father.

The entry-level wines – above all the precise Kalk & Kreide – make the Tement style accessible. The vineyard site wines then reveal the full range of the terroir. And at the very top are those rare bottlings that prove Sauvignon Blanc in South Styria can achieve an expressiveness that challenges even the finest Loire wines.