Christoph Neumeister leads a Straden estate producing Sauvignon Blanc, Weissburgunder and Gelber Muskateller village wines.
The producer
Neumeister's three Straden whites carry sharply differentiated profiles. The current Sauvignon Blanc combines cassis, red pepper and gooseberry with perilla and Thai basil. Weissburgunder moves through macadamia, sesame and pear to quince, fig and nut bread. Gelber Muskateller opens with ginger, yuzu and rosemary blossom before grapefruit, rose blossom, lychee and coriander seed.
Known for
Straden village white wines
Notable facts
Christoph Neumeister took over from his father, Albert, in 2006 at the age of 25.
Sauvignon Blanc Straden is a village wine from Vulkanland Steiermark DAC.
The current Weissburgunder Straden has a sinewy, supple body and a long, structured finish.
The current Gelber Muskateller Straden has a juicy-fruited palate and a stimulating finish.
From the atlas
Weingut Neumeister
A Straden estate led by Christoph Neumeister, farming steep vineyards by hand and producing spontaneously fermented white wines.
At A Glance
Region
Vulkanland Steiermark, Austria
Base
Kronnersdorf 147, 8345 Straden
Winegrower
Christoph Neumeister
Vineyard area
30 hectares
Farming
Organic
The Producer
Christoph Neumeister took over from his father, Albert, in 2006, when he was 25. He represents the family's third generation of winegrowers in Straden. The estate has farmed organically since 2013, with Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder and Morillon among its varieties.
All wines ferment spontaneously. Fruit and wine move by gravity from harvest through bottling, and Christoph favours well-used oak for ageing.
Place
The estate's vineyards lie across numerous steep hillsides around Straden at elevations of 340 to 380 metres. Machinery is largely impractical on these inclines, so harvest and every other vineyard task are completed by hand.
Wines
The current Sauvignon Blanc Straden is a village wine from Vulkanland Steiermark DAC. After two days of skin maceration, it spends most of a year on fine lees in used oak casks holding 500 to 2,500 litres. Cassis, red pepper, anise and gooseberry lead into perilla, blackcurrant and Thai basil. The texture is airy yet concentrated, with a spicy, juicy and saline finish.
The current Weissburgunder Straden receives brief skin contact, fermentation in stainless steel and large old wooden casks, and eight months on lees. Macadamia, sesame, pear and linden blossom precede a sinewy, supple body with quince, fig, dandelion and nut bread. The finish is structured, easy-drinking and long.
The current Gelber Muskateller Straden receives up to 18 hours of skin contact, fermentation in stainless steel and large old wooden casks, and eight months on lees. Ginger, yuzu, rosemary blossom and lavender introduce a juicy-fruited palate of grapefruit, rose blossom, lychee and coriander seed, followed by a stimulating finish.