2021 Neumeister 'Gemischter Satz' White Blend Vulkanland Steiermark

Winemaker Notes:  This is a lovely aromatic blend of typical Austrian white grapes. The aromas are floral and citrusy. The palate is dry, gently floral, and driven by brisk acidity. It is light bodied with a crystalline minerality and clean finish. Drink this with sushi, asparagus quiche, fried artichokes.

Neumeister is a family owned and operated winery dating back three generations. They are located in Styria, this extreme winegrowing region occupies the southeast corner of Austria, with its eastern edge flanking the Burgenland’s western edge. Styria, or Steiermark in German, divides into three winegrowing areas, many vineyards are planted on what were once volcanos (vulkane). It occupies just ten percent of all Austrian wine by volume. In the southeast corner of Vulkanland Steiermark, close to where Slovenia’s northwest corner meets Hungary’s southwest corner, third-generation winegrower Christoph Neumeister farms 30 hectares of vines spread over numerous steep hillsides around his hometown of Straden, planted at altitudes of 340 to 380 meters above sea level. Soils here are diverse, with volcanic basalt, sandy loam, chalky limestone, and sandstone all influencing the characteristics of the grapes grown on these slopes, most of which exceed 65% in gradient. Vulkanland Steiermark’s climate is cold and windy; wind from the Alps clashes with warm breezes from the Adriatic Sea to the south and Hungary’s plains to the east brining frequent and high precipitation and hailstorms. The high diurnal shifts during summer extend the growing season.

When he was just 25 years old, Christoph Neumeister took over the estate from his father Albert in 2006 and obtained organic certification in 2013.