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Styria
Styria
Frequently referred to as Austria's Tuscany, Styria is a southern Austrian region slap bang up against the Slovenian border; it is way off the beaten wine-track and has the most achingly beautiful contryside imaginable. Styria makes a wide range of wines from numerous grape varieties, but for me there are 2 vinous reasons to come here- Sauvignon Blanc, and Schilcher. With the greatest of respect to Sauvignon Blancs from France and New Zealand, for me the Styrian versions are the best on the planet. It seems I'm not the only one who thinks this; at a London trade fair, in a blind tasting of great Sauvignon Blancs from all over the world, four of the top ten turned out to be from Styria. Not bad for a little-known region. And Schilcher - a rosé made from the traditional indigenous Blauer Wildbacher grape, reputed to have been in cultivatiuon in Celtic times, which has pronouned acidity and freshness. The allure of this region is breathtaking; the beauty of the countryside, the lack of tourism, small local inns and the beautiful wines conspire to offer a wine-tourism destination par excellence.
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Sweet/Dessert Wines
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Alois & Ulrike Gross
, Weingut Gross
Ratsch-an-der-Weinstrasse, Südsteirmark
Our supplier in Southern Styria is the excellent Weingut Gross. This 50 hectare estate lies directly on the Ratscher Nussberg, one of the finest vineyards of South Styria, set amongst the rolling South Styrian wine country along the Austrian-Slovenian border. The range produced here is typically regional, and includes grape varieties such as Welschriesling, Muskateller, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Morillon (Styrian for Chardonnay), Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer. Gross makes two distinct ranges, which differ considerably in style and vinification methods. The first is the varietally characteristic light and fruit-driven "Steirische Klassik" range, and the other the fully ripe wines with distinctive aromas and complexity, from the single vineyards of Nussberg, Sulz, Kittenberg and Gamitzberg. The Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer single vineyard wines are of particular interest; in the hands of winemaker Alois Gross they make distinctive, complex and sumptuous wines. These physiologically mature single vineyard wines impress year after year with individually distinct vintage aromas thanks to their respective soil composition and micro-climatic characteristics.
Southern Styria (Südsteiermark) - White Wines
Welschriesling 2006
Kittenberg
Alois Gross
Weingut Gross
Ratsch-an-der-Weinstrasse
Ref: 435016
*
An extremely pale yellow - almost water-white - with an initially restrained nose with minerals and white stone fruits. On the palate it is warm and rich, with green orchard fruit and a nice crisp acidity. Good length, quite dry. This wine seemed to open up noticeably during our tasting session, by the end of which I wrote down "quite a big wine". To summarise, a lovely example of Welschriesling with typical Styrian regionality - and the ever-present Alois Gross mineral underpinning.
Price:
£9.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Gewürztraminer 2003
Gamitzberg
Alois Gross
Weingut Gross
Ratsch-an-der-Weinstrasse
Ref: 435005
* *
A pale golden yellow, with a complex warming nose of pepper, spice, marzipan, wisteria, and ground Jamaican allspice. Masses of fruit on the palate - including grapefruit - supported on a solid mineral base. Again somewhat spicy, with cinnamon and pepper on the long warming finish. This is quite a complex wine, but where all the elements integrate well to provide a harmonious drinking experience, and for me this is one of the highlights of the Gross range. Really more of a wine for food, this would work well with lightly spiced dishes such as Thai or Malaysian.
Price:
£18.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Sauvignon Blanc Steirische Klassik 2004
Alois Gross
Weingut Gross
Ratsch-an-der-Weinstrasse
Ref: 435000
*
Very pale green-gold, with a ose of mineral, lychees, cracked peapods, and newly-mown grass. On the palate this wine is bright and has zesty acidity, with green orchard fruit and lychees. A very refreshing wine equally suitable as an apéritif or with food; seafood dishes would be ideal but this would also partner very lightly spiced dishes.
Available December 2005
Price:
£13.50
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Sauvignon Blanc 2004
Sulz
Alois Gross
Weingut Gross
Ratsch-an-der-Weinstrasse
Ref: 435001
* *
A stunning expression of Sauvignon Blanc; an extremely pale yellow, the nose seems initially restrained yet complex with lychees, cracked peapods, and green grassy aromas, with a stony mineral supportive bed; on the palate there is plenty of fruit, some pepper, lots of lychees, melon, and some green apple, all spun together into a tightly knit whole that works incredibly well. A creamy texture with a long finish which is dry and mineral. Exceptional stuff.
Available December 2005
Price:
£17.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Sauvignon Blanc 2003
Nussberg
Alois Gross
Weingut Gross
Ratsch-an-der-Weinstrasse
Ref: 435002
* *
TN in preparation.
Available December 2005
Price:
£21.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Southern Styria (Südsteiermark) - Sweet/Dessert Wines
Gewürztraminer Eiswein 2002 37.5cl
Alois Gross
Weingut Gross
Ratsch-an-der-Weinstrasse
Ref: 435008S
* *
TN in preparation.
Available December 2005
Price:
£22.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Gewürztraminer Trockenbeerenauslese 2002 37.5cl
Alois Gross
Weingut Gross
Ratsch-an-der-Weinstrasse
Ref: 435009S
* *
A pale burnished golden-yellow, with a soft botrytis nose, this wine is immensely rich, with a complex palate of toffee, caramel, grapefruit with hints of orange peel, passion fruit, and hazlenuts. Incredible length, sweet and sumptuous, with marzipan flavours and a pleasing lick of spice in the finish.
Available December 2005
Price:
£24.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Franz & Christine Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz, Weststeirmark
Franz & Christine Strohmeier's "Wein and Sektmanufaktur Strohmeier" has 9 hectares of vines in the Lestein vineyard, set in idyllic countryside with a panoramic view of St. Stefan and the surrounding Schilcher country. Soils are sandy loam. Apart from small experimental plantings of Morillon (Chardonnay), Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Blanc, just about everything here is focused on the indigenous Blauer Wildbacher grape, from which they produce an extraordinary range of wines of quite distinct character. Blauer Wildbacher is grown principally in Western Styria, where vines thrive at altitudes of up to 600 metres. It can be quite a tricky grape to grow; although not demanding in terms of soil type, it is prone to rot and is a late ripener, so is best suited to warm aerated sites. The range includes reds, Schilcher rosé, various sparkling wines, and in some years sweet dessert wines. The sparklers are of particular interest ; the grapes are processed carefully, with minimal mechanical treatment, and undergo malolacctic fermentation and aging on the lees, bringing about a tremendous freshness.
West Styria (Weststeiermark) - Schilcher
Schilcher Klassik 2006
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435013
Light salmon pink, with an orange tinge. Delicate aromas of strawberries and other red berry fruit, on the palate quite racy yet with creamy texture and with flavours of strawberries and red berries; a hint of citrus zest. Very fresh, drink chilled on its own or with salads, grilled meats, or lightly spiced dishes.
New stocks now arrived.
Price:
£8.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Schilcher Lestoa' 2005
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435014
This is a Schilcher made from grapes grown in the best parts of the Ried Lestein, with very late, selective picking and longer maturation - in wood rather than stainless steel as is used for the classic Schilcher. "Lestoa'" is a local dialect for "Ried Lestein". The result is a softer lower acid wine, more rounded and with lots of ripe fruit.
New stocks now arrived.
Price:
£10.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
West Styria (Weststeirmark) - Red Wines
Blauer Wildbacher 2002
Neuberg
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435007
This wine posed a bit of a problem when writing the tasting note as it seemed to me to be dry yet with a hint of sweetness at the same time.....
A dark ruby red with an appealing dry nose of dusty, spicy red berry fruits. On the palate there is plenty of crunchy bramble & very ripe red berry fruit, again spicy, an earthiness, a savoury edge, along with a slightly creamy texture. Good length, and - here's the tricky bit - with a dusty dry finish, yet with a slightly sweet note at the very end. A most unusual wine - lovely with food - for me this worked well with a spicy Moroccan tagine - but would be good with most meat dishes, especially more flavoursome ones. Serve around 14-15 degrees C. Should breathe for an hour.
Available now.
Price:
£11.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Blauer Wildbacher 2003
Lestoa
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435018
TN in preparation.
Available now.
Price:
£16.50
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
West Styria (Weststeirmark) - Sparkling Wines
Sauvignon Blanc Sekt
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435019
A dry Sauvignon Blanc Sekt, which has undergone secondary fermentation in the bottle, as per the Champagne method. The wine rested on the lees for 18 months prior to disgorgement. Extremely fruity, with good body, a fine mousse, and excellent length. A lovely and most unusual wine.
Available now.
Price:
£16.00
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Strohmeier Schilcher Sekt Brut
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435010
Matured on the lees, with 100% malolactic fermentation in bottle to soften the acidity. Méthode traditionelle. Light salmon pink, with an incredibly fresh nose - masses of fruit, strawberries, red berry fruit. A lovely mousse with a good creamy texture, and excellent length. A real rarity in the UK.
New stocks now arrived.
Price:
£12.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Strohmeier Rot Sekt Brut
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435011
A lovely deep garnet red, with spice, pepper, and lots of fruit on the nose, all reflected on the palate. Lovely foaming mousse, with plenty of brambles, spice, and red berry fruit on the palate. A most unusual and lovely wine.
New stocks now arrived.
Price:
£12.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
West Styria (Weststeirmark) - Sweet Wines
Beerenauslese "Ganz a Siassa" 2005 37.5cl
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435015
TN in preparation.
Available early October 2007
Price:
£18.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Trockenbeerenauslese "Ganz a Siassa" 2002 37.5cl
Franz & Christina Strohmeier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435012S
"A Siassa" is simply local dialect for "Sweet". This is an absolutely fascinating wine - a rare TBA made from 100% Blauer Wildbacher. It is only made in a few years when climatic conditions are right for Botrytis, and even then in only tiny quantities - typically just a few hundred (half) bottles. Our allocation is very very small indeed.
A light pale red, with a powerful nose of strawberries and red berry fruit. On the palate it is rich and sumptuous, extremely sweet without being cloying. Huge viscosity, and intensely concentrated red berry and strawberry flavours; a great well of richness with a finish that just goes on forever. Absolutely fantastic stuff, probably the highlight of the entire Strohmeier range.
Available early December 2005
Price:
£24.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
Artisanal Pumpkin Seed Oil
Pumpkin Seed Oil 250ml
Familie Strohmaier
St. Stefan/Stainz
Weststeiermark
Ref: 435017
What is it?
Styrian pumpkin seed oil is a traditional speciality from the Austrian province of Styria. The seeds are scooped rom the pumpkin, washed, roasted, and finally mashed and pressed, yielding the oil. The best oils are made by hand. It's the product of a particular kind of pumpkin, smaller than those we get in the UK, and green with yellow stripes rather than orange. Due to its quite unique taste it's the perfect refinement for a wide range of dishes. It's also considered a valuable contribution to a healthy diet. The high quality and authenticity of this special oil are carefully monitored using a stringent Quality Assurance system. Only products that meet all of the quality standards are allowed to bear the "Styrian pumpkin seed oil" band.
What It Tastes Like and How It's Used
At its best, it tastes like an essence of the seed - dark, intense, viscous; a little goes a long way. In Austria it is used as a condiment; you dip your bread in it, you can use it in salad dressings (in which case you mix it with some extra-virgin olive oil if you find the flavour too powerful); there are doubtless many other uses.
Storing and Handling
The oil is a natural product and therefore needs careful treatment. It is best stored at approx. 15 °C. If you decide to store your pumpkin seed oil in the fridge, we recommend that you take it out a few minutes prior to dressing your salads. In this way, the oil can adjust to room temperature and develop its full aroma. If the oil is overheated it goes rancid. Shelf-life if stored properly is about a year from bottling.
Seed oil stains
There's no need to panic if a few drops of seed oil have fallen on your white blouse or shirt: here, nature takes a hand in removing the stains. The stains simply need to be exposed to direct sunlight and the green colour will fade away completely.
Price:
£5.95
Including VAT at 17.5%
Quantity:
