Firmenich Sudsteiermark Sauvignon Blanc 2023

The Land

Austria's most distinctive Sauvignon Blanc does not come from the Danube at all, but from the steep, forested hills of Südsteiermark on the Slovenian border. Weingut Firmenich farms around Wielitsch near Ehrenhausen, on the South Styrian Wine Route, with its top vineyards, Steinberg and Zieregg, at 400 to 500 meters. The ground here is calcareous, the remains of a long-vanished sea that once covered the region, and the family describes it as coral limestone. That limestone is the reason this Sauvignon Blanc from Styria tastes the way it does: it gives the wine structure and a faint saltiness that pulls it away from the overtly tropical New World style. Altitude and the cool nights of these hills keep the aromatics fresh.

The Wine

The Firmenich Südsteiermark Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is 100% Sauvignon Blanc bottled at the regional tier of the Südsteiermark DAC, the entry to a ladder that climbs through village wines to single-vineyard Ried bottlings. Firmenich gives its single-vineyard Ried Zieregg Sauvignon two years in barrique; this regional wine is the brisker, fruit-forward introduction to the range, made with the same minimal-intervention approach. Expect gooseberry, grapefruit, elderflower and green pepper on the nose, a juicy, mid-weight body with bright acidity, and a stony, lightly saline finish that traces back to the limestone. Styrian Sauvignon Blanc of this kind tends to drink well for two to four years after the vintage, so the 2023 is in its window now.

The People

The Firmenich family has been growing grapes in Südsteiermark for five generations. Johannes Firmenich runs the cellar today from the Steinberghof, the estate's home on the Steinberg, which also houses a Buschenschank with panoramic views over the vines. The family's historic Eckberg property, Casa Firmenich, once the childhood home of Uli Firmenich, now holds a Buschenschank and a boutique hotel as well. The estate carries Sustainable Austria certification, and in the cellar the goal is minimal intervention so the limestone shows through. Wine is only part of the story: the family also runs a distillery that produces STIN Styrian Gin.

Food Pairing

Go local first: Styrian Backhendl, breaded fried chicken, with a potato salad dressed in pumpkin seed oil and cider vinegar; the acidity cuts the crust and the wine's green edge meets the nutty oil. Fresh goat cheese over spring peas, mint and lemon zest mirrors the herbaceous side. A halibut ceviche with lime, red onion and cilantro plays to the citrus and salinity, and grilled branzino with salsa verde works for the same reason. Keep a bottle cold for the first warm evening on the patio.