Maria and Sepp Muster Erde 2019
Type: Orange Wine
Country: Austria
Region: Steiermark
Grape Variety: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Viticulture: Natural Wine | Biodynamic | Certified Organic
Climate: Mediterranean with continental influences
Terroir: 25-year-old vines planted in limestone and clayey silt soils and grow on steep hills
Winemaking: When the grapes have been harvested manually, half are destemmed in the winery and the Muster Erde vinification process begins in 600-litre wooden barrels with native yeasts. The grapes remain with their skins for about 9 months and then they are transferred into wooden oval tanks where they remain for 20 months. The wine is finally bottled without clarifying, filtering or adding sulphites.
Color: Beautiful amber
Nose: Aromas of white fruit, citrus and salty notes
Palate: Ripe fruit with marked tannins, lively acidity and a very mineral finish
About the Winery:
Sepp & Maria Muster are a highly esteemed wine-producing couple in the Styria region of Austria. Together, they make up one of the five member-producers in the group Schmecke das Leben – “taste the life” – composed of five natural winemakers in Styria with a collective vision of respect for nature and creating wines that express their origins.
Their vineyards are farmed sustainably, and mainly Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay (locally called Morillon), Gelber Muskateller, and Zweigelt are grown. The couple’s winemaking philosophy is heavily rooted in respect for the earth, soil, and nature – to trust it rather than overrule it. This is also reflected on the labels of their wine, which are paintings of a late friend of theirs and are abstract expressions of the earth, sky, and grape. Sepp & Maria Muster is best known for its expressive and complex white wines, including Graf Morillon, Erde, and Sauvignon Blanc Vom Opok (the ‘Opok’ refers to the limestone, clay, and silt soil).
