Morillon Muschelkalk 2024

In the 1980s, Manfred Tement did something that no one else in Southern Styria was doing at the time: he took the soil seriously. Morillon Muschelkalk 2024 carries on this tradition to this day, now in the hands of Armin and Stefan. The wine comes from four vineyards that are legendary in their own right: Zieregg, Sulz, Wielitsch, and Ortenberg. Limestone reefs—no joke—a real sea from millions of years ago, now fossilized and full of shells that no fish sees anymore, but which give Morillon all the more flavor. Morillon is simply the Styrian word for Chardonnay, for those who didn’t know. But behind the name lies no ordinary Chardonnay. It grows sparingly, roots deeply, and that is precisely where it draws its strength. Aged 18 months on the lees in used barrels—no new wood to dominate the palate. On the palate, it’s salty, fresh, with a reduction that stimulates the senses. This isn’t a wine to drink casually. The Tement Winery conjures up a Morillon that demands attention—and deserves it.