Muster Erde 2021

Sepp and Maria Muster farm a ten-hectare estate in Styria, in southern Austria, which they took over in 2000 and converted to biodynamics on land that had never seen herbicide or pesticide. The vineyards sit on schist and limestone soils in a cool, green, high-rainfall region, where the steep slopes and long growing season give slow ripening and firm acidity. Erde is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay made with extended skin contact, fermenting the white grapes on their skins for a long maceration. That process extracts tannin, colour and phenolic compounds, giving the wine the amber tone, savoury depth and structural grip that mark this end of the orange spectrum. Ageing in wood allows a slow oxygen exchange that softens the tannin and builds a nutty, oxidative complexity. The colour is deep amber. The nose shows apricot, orange peel, dried herbs and honey, with a walnut and earthy undertone. The palate is dry and broad, the skin tannin firm and the finish long, saline and savoury. Serve at 14 to 16 degrees in a wide glass, decanting if young. It pairs with roast pork, chicken and aged hard cheeses.