The best wines from Südoststeiermark in Austria

Südoststeiermark (Southeast Styria) is a small, very hilly Austrian wine district. The vineyards are located on the flanks of the many mountain peaks. They were once volcanoes. The fertile, volcanic soil gives the wines from Südoststeiermark a recognizable, mineral character.

In the Middle Ages, Styria was a border region. A large number of old castles and fortresses, once built to guard the border, still adorn the beautiful landscape. They are surrounded by centuries-old vineyards.

With 1,400 hectares of vineyards, Südost-Steiermark is one of the smallest wine districts in Austria. You will not quickly come across the wines in the Netherlands. Most are sold in Buschenschanken or directly from the cellar. But a very small part is exported. That is a pity, because beautiful wines are made from a wonderful diversity of grapes.

The most important whites are Welschriesling, Chardonnay, Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Gelber Muskateller, Traminer, Sauvignon Blanc and even Riesling. Zweigelt is the most important blue grape of the district. They are all recognizable by their mineral character, which is caused by the volcanic soil with a lot of basalt, sand, clay and rock. But here, in the far southeast of Austria, the influence of the Mediterranean also plays a role.

The beautiful landscape of Südoststeiermark, with its picturesque mountain villages, is worth a visit. In the villages of St. Anna and Aigen you will find wine shops where you can taste the wines from the region. You can also visit the many buschenschanken in one of the beautiful wine villages such as Bad Radkersburg, Feldbach, Gleisdorf, Klöch or Riegersburg.