Southern Styria

With 2.300 hectares of vineyards under cultivation, this is the largest contiguous viticulture area in Styria; it covers the western part of the district of Leibnitz to the Mur River.

The ‘South Styrian wine region’ produces some of the best-quality white wines in the province and each town or village has its own typical wine in which it takes justifiable pride. The main varieties are Welschriesling and the Sauvignon blanc that here is called Muskat-Sylvaner and is seldom grown elsewhere in Austria. Then there are Weißburgunder and Morillon (Chardonnay), the early-ripening Müller-Thurgau and Traminer and Gewürztraminer. Muskateller is yet another specialty of the region.

The steepest and highest-lying vineyards in Styria are located in the Sausal with its main town of Kitzeck. The steep, dry slaty soil produces a Rheinriesling of exceptional quality, but the Müller-Thurgau, Welschriesling, Weißburgunder and other wines grown here are also to be recommended.

Grapes are grown up to an altitude of 564 m in southern Styria. The mild climate and the steep, stony slopes facing south provide the natural prerequisites for good quality.

Poplars and chestnut trees create an atmosphere reminiscent of southern Europe. The peacefulness of the hilly landscape is only broken by the clattering of the Styrian windmill known as a Klapotetz.

The Südsteirische Weinstraße, which in part runs along the border to Slovenia, is lined with vineyards that are especially pleasant to visit in autumn, when the countryside is at its most colourful. The young, incompletely fermented must called Sturm is tasty with roasted chestnuts. In addition to the Südsteirische Weinstraße there are the Sausaler Weinstraße and Rebenlandstraße.

The Vintners’ School in Silberberg has made a nature trail featuring all the Styrian grape varieties. Wine museums in Kitzeck and Gamlitz show the history of wine making and first wine gallery has been opened in Leutschach.