Süd-Oststeiermark: Volcanic Slopes. Spicy Wines.
Many small wine-growing communities scattered throughout the Süd-Oststeiermark (South-East Styria) reflect the typicity of this wine-growing area. They are situated primarily on the slopes of extinct volcanoes, which characterise the landscape. Here, 1,300 hectares of vineyards are cultivated - all located around Klöch, St. Anna am Aigen and Straden. One grape variety has a special flair: the very aromatic Traminer; and it is sold mainly in the Buschenschanks, the small taverns in which wine-growers sell their own wines, often only for a limited period during the year.
For centuries, this was a heavily disputed borderland, of which many fortified castles and chateaux sitting up high on basalt cliff tops bear evidence. Today, the borders are open, and Riegersburg, Schloß Kapfenstein and 
other remarkable residences have become venues for an array of cultural events, many of which are related to food and wine. This wine-growing area, unlike any other, offers a particularly wide range of grapes: for white wines are Welschriesling, Chardonnay (called Morillon), Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Gelber Muskateller, the Traminer family, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling; red wines feature Zweigelt as well as other grapes, including St. Laurent or Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir). All of them possess spicy and mineral aromas, thanks to the special geological conditions of the area.
Four wine routes lead through the charming landscape - mostly rolling hills – here. A vinotheque providing a view over the entire Styrian region is situated in St. Anna am Aigen. And along the volcanic fault line are spas that tourists find to be perfect destinations. Apart from the few large estates, viticulture is generally a part-time job for wine-growers; their produce is sold mainly in the numerous Heurigen. The most important wine-growing villages are Bad Radkersburg, Feldbach, Gleisdorf, Hartberg, Kapfenstein, Klöch, Riegersburg, St. Peter, Straden, Tieschen and Weiz. In the north, at the Ringkogel, near Hartberg, are some of Austria´s highest vineyards, which lie at 650 meters above sea level. The weather reflects the contrast between a hot, dry Pannonian climate and humid, warm Mediterranean conditions. Many of the vines grow in warm soils comprising volcanic earth, basalt, sand, clay and weathered stone.
Wine Estates in the Wine Area Südoststeiermark
