Sattlerhof, Sauvignon Blanc Beerenauslese, Steiermark, Austria 2020

The Sattler brothers, Alexander (viticulture) and Andreas (winemaking) manage 35ha of organically farmed vineyards in South Styria, near the border with Slovenia. The 300 year-old farm has been in the family since 1887, and in the 1960s the family was among the first in the region to bottle quality dry whites under their own name. Towards the other end of the sweetness spectrum, this beerenauslese contains 30% botrytised fruit, picked during several passes through the vineyard. The wine has been fermented in stainless steel and aged on fine lees for eight months, with 116g/L residual sugar. Sprightly and fresh, there is nevertheless a generosity of soft, ripe peach and apricot stone fruit flavours, slightly honeyed, and golden barley sugar notes. Super drinkable.