The winery is located in the municipality of Gamlitz in the wine-growing region of southern Styria (Austria). The history of the traditional Sabathi farm dates back to 1860, but the business was run as a mixed farm for more than a hundred years. After training at the viticultural college Silberberg, Hannes Sabathi joined the business, which has been run by him and his wife Karin since 1998.
Vineyards
Hannes Sabathi's passion for characterful, terroir-emphasised wines was awakened while travelling in Burgundy, France. According to the winery's philosophy, the wines should reflect "an ideal synthesis of terroir (soil character), vintage and varietal typicity". Hannes Sabathi is also known as "The Sabathi with the roots". This refers on the one hand to the visual appearance of the labels, but also to the great importance he attaches to the soil (original quote: "Great soil, great wine"). The vineyards cover 70 hectares of vines in the Jägerberg and Kranachberg Kreuz vineyards in the municipality of Gamlitz, as well as Loren, Supanek Hube, Czamillonberg and Graf Woraczicky on the Pössnitzberg in the municipality of Leutschach.
The white wine varieties Sauvignon Blanc, Morillon,Pinot Blanc,Pinot Gris, Welschriesling, Gelber Muskateller, Riesling and Scheurebe are cultivated to 95%, with the red wine varieties Blauer Zweigelt and St. Laurent on the small remainder. The vineyards are cultivated in a natural, environmentally conscious manner. The entire cultivation and production is carried out according to the certified criteria of Nachhaltig Austria.
Vinification
The wines are vinified in accordance with the regulations of the Styrian Terroir & Classic Wine Estates. According to the DACorigin system, they are divided into 4 categories: regional wine, area wine, local wine and vineyard wine. Under the designation "Reserve", grapes are only harvested in the best years from selected Sauvignon Blanc vines from the best and oldest vineyards with the highest ripeness and matured for a very long time in used 500-litre barrels. The local wines are not bottled before 18 months, the single vineyard wines not before 30 months. Frizzante (Zweigelt Rosé and Muskateller), bottle-fermented sparkling wine and the typical Styrian pumpkin seed oil are also produced.
Graz - Kehlberg
In 2013, Hannes Sabathi revitalised vineyards on the Kehlberg in the Styrian capital of Graz, which are part of the Weststeiermark wine-growing region. The varieties Gelber Muskateller, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc are cultivated on 4.5 hectares and the wines are marketed under "Grazer Stadtwein FALTER EGO".
