shine

SHINE 2021

Region: Styria, Austria

Grape: Sauvignon Blanc

Category: White

Franz's artwork is now in its third year of release.
At a wine event I attended in France in 2023, buyers from around the world were amazed by its deliciousness.
Because the number of units produced was so small, he turned down most offers.
It's just a miracle that it's here.
Please open it on a special day.

[Producer information]
Head of family: Franz Stromeyer

Originally, Franz's father grew grapes, but he did not make wine and instead sold the grapes to an agricultural cooperative.
After graduating from brewing school, he returned to Steins and began making wine, with 1989 being his first vintage.
What I learned at school was basic wine-making methods, and it's a classic wine that's far from natural.
Since 2000, the vineyards have gradually been converted to organic farming, the amount of sulfites has been gradually reduced, and in 2005 the first sparkling wine was produced without added sulfites.

As a child, Franz often rode on the tractor with his father and helped out in the fields.
After spraying pesticides, he had a severe headache even when wearing a mask, and felt that pesticides were not suitable for his body.
He thought that not using pesticides would be better for his own health and that of his family, and that was what prompted him to start organic farming.

Styria is located in the southeast of Austria and is one of the coolest wine-producing regions in the country.
Cold winds constantly blow from the 2000m Alpine mountains, making this a high-altitude area with the latest harvest in Austria.
Franz's home in the village of Sankt Stefan is about a 30-minute drive from Graz, Austria's second largest city, and about 40 km from the Slovenian border.
He owns a total of four fields: a 3-hectare field inherited from his father near his home, and three other fields in an area called Badgum.
The fields where the local variety Blauerwirtbacher was planted in 1975 are barely pruned and are completely uncultivated.
It's a jungle that everyone will be amazed by...
The energy of being one with nature is reflected directly in the wine.

With a total production of 30,000 bottles expected in 2022, exports are currently reaching 35 countries, and the brand's popularity overseas is only growing (15 years ago, it was exported to only two countries).

The former top sommelier at NOMA, which has been ranked number one in the world's best restaurants many times, is also a big fan and friend of Franz.
He even stayed at Franz's house for about three months.
At the 2023 French wine event "Dives Bouteil," Franz's booth was constantly packed with people, demonstrating its overwhelming popularity.
The staff working at the top wineries in the Jura region also looked up to Franz and tasted his wines with great respect...

*For more detailed information, please see our brewery visit report.