Natural wines from Styria

Since the beginning of the 2000s, natural wines have been produced in the approx. 7000 hectare wine region of Styria, which have gained great popularity in recent years, especially internationally. Winegrowers such as Werlitsch, Muster, Tauss, Strohmeier and Karl Schnabel were early advocates of sustainable viticulture and are thus natural wine pioneers in this field - first and foremost the value community "Schmecke das Leben" and Otto and Beate Knaus, who were founding members of Bio Steiermark.

Styrian natural wines are known for their aroma and juiciness, for their spiciness and their incomparable minerality. They are wines that are extremely determined by their origin, by the temperate, low-wind, high-rainfall overall climate that allows for any number of microclimates. The region is characterised by weathered volcanic rock soils, soils of solid rock such as slate and gneiss, soils on limestone, on gravel and conglomerate, on sand and sandstone and the well-known Opok.

The best-known grape varieties include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Muskateller, Welschriesling and for some years now, the potential of red grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt has also been recognised.

Franz & Christine Strohmeier and Alice & Roland Tauss were pioneers of organic and biodynamic viticulture, respectively, at the beginning of the new millennium, when the organically farmed vineyards in Austria was just 2 to 3 percent. The Tauss and Strohmeier wineries belong to the community "Schmecke das Leben" (alongside Werlitsch, Muster and Tscheppe), whose path leads them to explore a holistic understanding of nature.

Building on the ideas and guidelines of biodynamics, the winemakers engage in an intensive dialogue about new ways and insights regarding the careful handling of nature and sustainable winemaking. As a group they share their knowledge in handling and use synergies. No pure yeasts, no or only minimal use of sulphur, no fining-a striving for quality that has long been present among top winemakers.

Styrian Natural wines can be found in the best wine lists around the world.

Over the years, the number of organic and biodynamic wineries has increased enormously. New, younger wineries include Karl Schnabel's Ermihof, Hartmut Aubell’s Rebenhof on the southern Styrian wine route, Jasmin and Daniel Jaunegg on the Eichberg, Kaariegel and Warger Hack in Kitzeck and many others. 

The Weingut Tement is one of the best-known wineries in Styria and was founded back in the 1980s. When Manfred Tement's father died prematurely in the 1990s, new standards for sustainable viticulture were set and the first successes were not long in coming. Today, the sons Armin and Stefan Tement lead the winery into the modern age.