Opok

Opok 2022

Region: Austria, Styria

Grape: Welschriesling, Gelber Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, Morillon

Color: White

Limited availability. A representative producer from the holy land of Styria.

A sophisticated, clear taste with juicy fruit flavors of high-quality citrus, truly expressing the minerality of the OPOK soil. It's delicious to drink fresh now, and it will surely become even more mellow and delicious with aging.

Produced mainly from vigorous young white grapevines, mostly around 20 years old, grown in the calcareous "Opok" soil characteristic of this region. The grape varietal composition and ratios change every year, with grapes from the most vigorous vines being selected from the first harvest each year.

Fermented in wooden barrels, racked after approximately 10 months, and aged for approximately 12 months in wooden barrels (approx. 2400L capacity).

【Producer Information】

This producer can be considered a key player in Styria, which has become a globally popular wine region.
He is also a member of "Schmeck das Leben," a group of sharp-minded winemakers in the region, including Andreas Tscheppe, Werlitsch, and Strohmeier, who share a common philosophy. They are close like family and constantly gather to exchange ideas.

In Leutschach, near the Slovenian border in Southern Styria, Austria, lies the winery of Maria and Sepp Muster. The family has been involved with grapes since their parents acquired the vineyards in 1978, a site with records dating back to the 18th century. Sepp, who grew up observing vineyard work firsthand, studied winemaking theory and gained experience at various domaines before joining the family business in 1990.
A 1994 accident shifted his perspective on life, eventually leading him to discover biodynamic farming and implement it in the vineyards.

The vineyards are located on hillsides where cool air and warm Mediterranean influences intersect, featuring calcareous marl soil (Opok soil). The vines are cultivated in a natural state, with utmost importance placed on maintaining the vitality of the soil and plants. In the cellar, winemaking primarily involves fermentation with wild yeasts and aging in wooden barrels, avoiding excessive intervention and taking a long time. For them, wine is not something to be managed by numbers but a living, constantly evolving entity.
Instead of taking center stage, they step back and quietly observe the workings of the land and life. They believe that from this approach, the true individuality of the wine emerges.