Winemaker Notes
A sharp, bright Sauvignon Blanc. Aromas of melon and peach waft from the glass. Pronounced acidity on the palate, with a green apple character and crisp, slate-like minerality. A lengthy finish with notes of gooseberry and lemon curd.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Wohlmuth's 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Ried Steinriegl 1STK shows very clear, fresh, bright and aromatic fruit with floral, white flower aromas as well as plum and peach (peel) notes. Dense and rich in the mouth, this is a supple yet fresh, balanced and elegant Sauvignon with great finesse and extract-sweet fruit. This is long-lasting and grippy on the finish, always stimulating and packs the alcohol better than the 2021 Riesling Dr. Wunsch manages. This is arguably the finest Steinriegel Sauvignon I've had in eight years.
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James Suckling
Stunning nose of European and Thai basil with a wealth of pink grapefruit and ripe melon. Vibrant and concentrated, with wonderful silkiness on the mid-palate, followed by fine and invigorating minerality that doesn’t want to stop. Such a long and filigree finish, it takes your breath away!
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Wine Enthusiast
In this classic wine, herb, grapefruit and lemon-zest notes are carried by a great, stony undertow. The long, detailed finish has mouthwatering acidity and a lingering herb note.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Appreciated for superior wines made from indigenous varieties, Austria should be on the radar of any curious wine drinker. A rather cool and dry wine growing region, this country produces wine that is quintessentially European in style: food-friendly with racy acidity, moderate alcohol and fresh fruit flavors.
Austria’s viticultural history is rich and vast, dating back to Celtic tribes with first written record of winemaking starting with the Romans. But the 20th century brought Austria a series of winemaking obstacles, namely the plunder of both world wars, as well as its own self-imposed quality breach. In the mid 1980s, after a handful of shameless vintners were found to have added diethylene glycol (a toxic substance) to their sweet wines to imitate the unctuous qualities imparted by botrytis, Austria’s credibility as a wine-producing country was compromised. While no one was harmed, the incident forced the country to rebound and recover stronger than ever. By the 1990s, Austria was back on the playing field with exports and today is prized globally for its quality standards and dedication to purity and excellence.
Grüner Veltliner, known for its racy acidity and herbal, peppery aromatics, is Austria's most important white variety, comprising nearly a third of Austrian plantings. Riesling in Austria is high in quality but not quantity, planted on less than 5% of the country’s vineyard land. Austrian Rieslings are almost always dry and are full of bright citrus flavors and good acidity. Red varietal wines include the tart and peppery Zweigelt, spicy and dense Blaufränkisch and juicy Saint Laurent. These red varieties are also sometimes blended.