02 November 2016

Sauvignon Blanc Τerroir games: Tement and Ciringa

Few years ago Weingut Tement planted some Sauvignon Blanc vines in Slovenia next to their flagship single - vineyard Zieregg in Styria, Austria. Τhat used to be one cru before the first Wolrd War and now stands as a case study of comparing the more or less same terroir that extends in two countries, yet vinified by the same producer under two different brands - Ciringa in Slovenia and Tement in Austria.

While Tement Zieregg produces deep complex and smoky Sauvignon Blanc, neighbourhood Slovenian site vinified under the Domaine Ciringa brand produces vibrant, mineralic and salty wines. How can this be explained?

The concept of terroir gives much credit to the soil; Armin Tement, responsible of farming and winemaking explains that in all two Grand Crus the mother or main soil is a twenty million years old coral reef from the sea called shell limestone. In combination with the limestone rocks there is also cambisol, marl and clay. So soil composition looks pretty much the same depending on each parcel of the crus. Exposure, altitude and aspect are similar as well so perhaps the overriding factor that determines the style of the wine is the age of vines; in Zieregg the vines are more than 35 years old while in Ciringa they were only planted in 2006. Armin Tement comments that these are very young vines but with great future.

Having recently tasted these two wines side by side - unfortunately from different vintages 2013 and 2012 - I have to say that these are marvellous expressions of Sauvignon Blanc, multi dimensional, terroir - driven gems with plenty of character. Fosilni Breg costs around 15 euros while Zieregg about three times more but is a wine of another level.

As explained above Fosilni Breg (means fossils mountain) is the Slovenian part of Zieregg that matures in just 10% neutral big casks on the lees for 12-18 months. The 2013 vintage showed a crystalline, salty palate precision and excellent citrus and stone fruit definition. Elegant on the palate with just 12.5% abv it is delicious now but will reward a couple of years of extra ageing. 91/100

Ciringa

Zieregg on the other hand is a terroir on steep slopes planted with old vines. Perhaps limestones is more dominant here giving extra structure to the wine. The wine when compared to Ciringa is on the antipodes smoky and bigger but not heavy. It needs time and more patience, yet manages to preserve a mineral core along nuances of herbs and sage. Fruit is riper leaning more to the tropical fruit spectrum. Great potential to evolve as the 2012 was just a baby (matures only in big old oak casks for up to 30 months on the lees). 93+/100