We're thrilled to announce that our annual allocation of the ace Austrian wines of Andreas and Elisabeth has arrived.
Andreas and Elisabeth Tscheppe are making top quality, highly sought after examples of natural wine in Styria, a stunning mountainous region in the south of Austria, close to the Slovenia border. The Tscheppe's vineyard sites are gorgeously terraced and are bursting with life as a consequence of their deep commitment to holistic, biodynamic farming: butterflies, dragonflies and beetles are just a few of the creatures you will find while walking through these vines, and they are all represented on the labels of the wines.
The Tscheppes works only with white grapes, some of which are fermented with the skins to produce orange wines. All the winemaking involves a minimum of 18 months time in barrel for the wines to integrate with oxygen and come into their own before being bottled. These are tightly-wound and hugely memorable wines befitting of their global reputation, and we are thrilled to have received a small parcel of four special cuvées.
A first for us this year, Segelfalter is Gelber Muskateller (Muscat) planted on south and southeast facing terraces at around 500m above sea level. An intriguing, floral nose of chamomile, jasmine and citrus blossom leads onto a savoury and textured palate combining tropical and stone fruit flavours with a fine minerality.
Schwalbenschwanz (Swallow-Tail) - £66
100% Goldmuskateller (gold Muscat) from the Krepskogel vineyard where the grapes from the Blue Dragonfly also grow. Fermented on skins and aged in 500L oak barrels, this has exotic, floral nose of jasmine, honeysuckle, apricot and melon. Layered and exquisitely textured on the palate with great concentration and more floral character.
Grüne Libelle (Green Dragonfly) Plus - £56