Sattlerhof Winery
„Wine needs at least one annual cycle in the cellar.“
Wilhelm Sattler
When it was first mentioned in a document in 1886, what is now the Sattlerhof in Gamlitz was a farm. To this day, it has developed into one of the top wineries in southern Styria, with an adjoining, award-winning gourmet restaurant and hotel. The family's inner attitude towards the product and their closeness to nature still result in a "rural" way of farming in the best sense of the word.
As early as the 1960s, Wilhelm Sattler Senior was already producing natural white wines, without residual sugar and without any enhancement. In doing so, he was the first in the region to virtually anticipate today's origin-emphasising wine style and "earned a lot of scorn" for it His son Willi now runs the winery, while his brother Hannes runs the adjoining restaurant. The idea of origin is of course still very much in evidence and the Sattlerhof is a member of the Association of Styrian Terroir and Classic Wine Estates.
Production takes place on around 32 hectares, 90 % of which is planted with white grape varieties. These include Welschriesling, Gelber Muskateller, Morillon, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. The "centrepiece", however, is the Sauvignon Blanc, which the Sattlers were one of the first Styrian wineries to bottle in the 2012 vintage.
Biodynamic methods are used to sustainably integrate viticulture into nature.
Flower strips, greening the areas between the rows of vines, in-house composting and grazing animals in the vineyard strengthen microorganisms, insects, the soil and the plants.
On the steep slopes, everything is done by hand with respect for nature: pruning, leaf removal, harvesting and selection. In the cellar, a "wine style of the highest precision is (strived for), which also likes to offend." The question of the type of vinification is decided anew for each vineyard with every harvest. "That's why some of our best wines require steel tanks and some wood." The aim is to mature the wines for at least one year. Perfectly structured wines mature for up to seven years before they are released onto the market.
© Photos: Sattlerhof
