The winery is located in the municipality of Straden at the foot of the Saziani mountain in the wine-growing region of Vulkanland Steiermark (Austria). The "Saziani" estate, which until then had been managed by the province of Styria, was taken over by Rupert Neumeister in 1971 and combined with his own vineyards. From 1981 onwards, the estate was run by Albert and Anna Neumeister. Since the 2009 vintage, son Christoph Neumeister has been in charge. A new modern wine cellar built in steps into the hillside was opened in 1998, as well as a new barrel cellar and tasting rooms in 2003. The restaurant Saziani Stub'n and the hotel "Schlafgut" Saziani are run in close connection with the winery.
The estate's own vineyards cover 30 hectares of vineyards, which are spread over countless small and very small vineyards on steep slopes in the Klausen and Steintal vineyards (First STK vineyards), Moarfeitl and Saziani (Great STK vineyards) as well as Buchberg, Silberberg, Weissenberg and Ingerl. In addition, grapes from 4 hectares are delivered by contract producers. The white wine varieties Sauvignon Blanc, Gelber Muskateller, Welschriesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Morillon (Chardonnay) and Traminer, as well as the red wine varieties Zweigelt and Pinot Noir are cultivated and processed. Since 2013, all vineyards have been cultivated according to the certified rules of organic viticulture. This includes the renunciation of artificial fertilisers and herbicides, pest control by means of predatory mites and paraffin oil, as well as a strongly reduced use of fungicides through rigorous foliage work.
The selective harvest is carried out in several tranches with the aim of physiologically ripe grapes, which are hand-picked in small 20 kg boxes. The final quality control is carried out by hand on a shaking desk. In the cellar, gravity is used for the most gentle processing. Before pressing, there is an extended maceration period for all varieties, and the subsequent fermentation is exclusively spontaneous. Depending on the type of wine, the wines are matured in stainless steel tanks, in traditional large wooden bar rels or in barriques with intensive yeast contact. No fining or fine filtration is used, and the use of sulphur is very late and minimal. The wines are marketed in the lines Gebietsweine, Ortsweine, Erste STK Lage and Große STK Lage. Around 140,000 bottles of wine are produced annually. Bottle-fermented sparkling wine, grape juice, noble brandies, vinegar, grape seed oil and verjus are also produced. The winery is a member of the winegrowers' associations Steirische Terroir & Klassikweingüter and Winzer Vulkanland.
Pictures: © Neumeister
