Many people primarily consider Welschriesling and Sauvignon Blanc when they hear the word “Styria”, but Morillon is also a must-try. This name stands for none other than the Chardonnay grape variety.
There are numerous stories about the origin of the word. One story says that it originates from the French village of the same name, from which Styrians once brought the grapevines. However, 387 hectares of this grape are planted in Styria today – only a fraction of the 210,00 hectares of Chardonnay that are cultivated worldwide. But it is worth trying out Morillon.
We had a very juicy and delicate example of this variety in our glasses these days—the Ried Sulz 2017 from Weingut Tement. Since 1997, Tement has been cultivating Morillon vines on the chalky marl soil of this south-southwest facing site. Fresh acidity and ripe stone fruit aromas stand out. Quince, pear, meadow flowers and subtle herbal notes define the bouquet and taste. Maturation on the lees for up to 18 months in small used barrels gives it additional richness on the palate, making it an excellent food companion.
