What an accolade for the Styrian wine elite: Styria was the host country of the great Sauvignon Selection by CBM, in which the best of the best wines from all over the world compete for the Sauvignon World Championship. And the white and green winemakers won three of the four coveted trophies!
Winning the lottery once is nothing short of a miracle and must be unbelievable – and then twice! “Yes, it feels similar to me right now,” smiles Reinhard Muster, winemaker from Gamlitz. On Thursday he was named world champion in the most important international competition for the best Sauvignon. And for the second time. The competition, which the wine world is looking at with wide eyes, took place this year (for the second time after 2018) in Styria, in Leibnitz. 1285 winemakers from 27 countries sent their flagship wines into the race, making the CMB the most important and largest Sauvignon competition in the world. And the jury with producers, journalists and experts also comes from 24 countries. Blind tastings were carried out in the morning – and in the afternoon they were proudly taken to the most beautiful corners of Styria. “For example, we were allowed to ring the bell in Seggau Abbey as an exception – which normally only happens when a bishop dies,” smiles Wein Steiermark boss Stefan Potzinger. “The people went home with great impressions.” “We never expected such high quality,” said a Brazilian wine expert from the jury. And: “Host qualities, the country and the events have been brought to perfection here,” praised a member from Finland. Tenor: “It wouldn’t be easy to find a bad Sauvignon in Styria.” There was only one thing missing so far: the big international one Stage. But that’s definitely over! Because: 156 Styrian wines were submitted. And at 42 percent, almost every second person took home an award. But that’s not all: “There are four really important, outstanding awards, including the world champion,” explains expert Stefan Potzinger. And three of them actually went to Styria! The Schmölzer winery won the Tonnellerie Sylvain Trophy, which honors the best wine matured in oak barrels, with the Schmölzer Sauvignon Blanc Kitzeck-Sausal Privat 2019. Frauwallner, the successful winemakers from the Vulkanland, were awarded “Sweet Revelation” for their outstanding Sauvignon Blanc Ried Stradener Rosenberg awarded 2017. And: The Muster winery from Gamlitz took the cake with the best Sauvignon in the competition and won the world championship title. Their Sauvignon Blanc Grubthal 2020, produced in Gamlitz, impressed the judges with its elegance, length, complexity and impressive pineapple notes. What a success – and even second for patterns. “I am totally surprised and overwhelmed,” said Reinhard Muster, describing his first impression. “Especially since I was only ‘lured’ to the award by Stefan Potzinger under the pretext of bringing my wines to the tasting.” Already in 2018, he, who “produces wine in the slipstream of the big names”, won the prize in the industry most valuable award. “After that I didn’t take part at all because I thought that winning once was the crowning glory anyway, what else should come after that?” Making wine is mental work Well, the second award this year. Why is his wine so good? “I also work a lot with my head when it comes to the craft of winemaking,” is his analysis. “I ‘think’ the wine, imagine exactly what it should look like, what requirements it should fulfill. And I don’t deviate from this idea, this idea, even an inch. That’s my secret to success.” And that the Sauvignon challenges him: “It’s not called the diva for nothing, this wine is moody, sometimes grumpy, temperamental. He is my great love.” By the way, wine is grown on 100 hectares at Muster. This success puts Styria, which has the declared goal of becoming the world leader in Sauvignon, firmly on the big stage. Demand is likely to explode. Although, as one jury member said humorously: “The Styrians are smart and drink their wonderful Sauvignon themselves – there isn’t that much left to export!”
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