Ortsweine of the Vulkanland Steiermark

In Vulkanland Steiermark there are nine DAC-Ortswein districts. From north to south, they are:

Oststeiermark

The Ortswein district Oststeiermark makes up the northern part of Vulkanland.

LANDSCAPE
Basically, the grapes coming from volcanic soils here are always a bit riper because of the omnipresent heat, but even in the Vulkanland, the coolness rising from the surroundings at night provides the desirable freshness in the wines, as is the case throughout the Steiermark.

AREA UNDER VINES
325 hectares

PRIMARY VARIETIES
Sauvignon Blanc & Weißburgunder

SOILS
Weathered volcanic rock (basalt & tuff); sedimentary soils (gravel, sand & clay); schist (northern area).

Riegersburg

The Ortswein district Riegersburg is situated in the middle of Vulkanland.

LANDSCAPE
The Riegersburg – an 11th-century fortification, built & rebuilt over the centuries – dominates the region that reaches out above it in an imposing manner. The Ortswein district surrounding the castle is located in the middle of the Vulkanland and is bordered on the south by the Raab Valley and to the north by the Feistritz Valley. Due to the steeply sloping hillsides traversed by streams and rivers, numerous vineyards favoured with unique microclimates are found here.

AREA UNDER VINES
298 hectares

PRIMARY VARIETIES
Sauvignon Blanc & Weißburgunder

SOILS
Predominantly soils on sedimentary stone (sandy gravel [alluvial deposits], silt & clay [marine sediments]); weathered volcanic rock (primarily tuff).

Gleichenberg

The Ortswein district Gleichenberg is situated at the centre of Vulkanland.

Kapfenstein

The Ortswein district Kapfenstein is dominated by the high plateau of the extinct Kapfensteiner volcano.

St. Anna

The Ortswein district Sankt Anna is located close to one of the largest extinct volcanoes in the region.

Straden

The Ortswein district Straden is situated in the southern half of the winegrowing region Vulkanland.

St. Peter

The Ortswein district Sankt Peter is situated in the southwest of the winegrowing region Vulkanland.

Tieschen

LANDSCAPE
The vineyards are located around the Steintal on slopes that are spurs of extinct volcanoes, facing the village of Tieschen. The Ortswein region is characterised by a diverse, hilly agricultural landscape with a variety of soil types.

AREA UNDER VINES
97 hectares

PRIMARY VARIETIES
Sauvignon Blanc & the Pinot family

SOILS
Predominantly weathered volcanic rock (basalt and tuff); sedimentary soils (gravel, sand & clay).

Klöch

LANDSCAPE
The vineyards are grouped around an extinct volcano, today’s Klöchberg, on the plateaus and the slopes of the predominantly volcanic environment. Centres of winegrowing are the vineyards Klöchberg and Hochwarth.

AREA UNDER VINES
179 hectares

PRIMARY VARIETIES
Sauvignon Blanc & Traminer

SOILS
Predominantly weathered volcanic rock (basalt in particular, but also tuff with inclusions of various sizes), quite ferrous in places.