Weingut Werlitsch
| Region | Styria (Austria) |
|---|---|
| Foundation Year | 2004 |
| Vineyard hectares | 8 |
| Annual production | 20.000 bt |
| Address | Glanz 75 - 8463 Glanz an der Weinstraße (AT) |
| Oenologist | Ewald Tscheppe |
Embracing the holistic biodynamic vision with dedication and sincerity, Weingut Werlitsch emerges as a faithful interpreter of Styria, the wine region of southeastern Austria. At the helm of the winery, officially founded in 2004, are the spouses Ewald and Brigitte Tscheppe, creators of wines with an unconventional style. Ewald learned the secrets of the trade from his parents and, after graduating from the School of Enology and Viticulture in Silberberg, took over the reins of the family Weingut, located in the Glanz an der Weinstraße area, bordering Slovenia, in the southernmost part of Styria.
The grape varieties cultivated by Weingut Werlitsch include exclusively white berry varieties such as Muskateller, Welschriesling, Traminer, Sauvignon Blanc, and Morillon, the latter considered the most important variety in Styria, genetically identical to Chardonnay. The rows, spread over a total of 8 hectares, are cultivated under certified organic and biodynamic regimes, using only copper and sulfur in phytosanitary control and organic preparations to stimulate plant defenses. Also crucial for the character of the wines is the soil matrix, consisting in certain subzones of calcareous marl alternating with sandy sediments and marine deposits, known as "Opok," and in others of marl rich in limestone and gypsum, called "Kalkmergel." The winemaking approach adopted by the Tscheppe couple is highly minimalist, with fermentations occurring entirely spontaneously in wooden containers of various sizes, often accompanied by prolonged macerations on the skins. Aging also takes place in wood, and the wines are finally bottled without undergoing any clarification or filtration.
Specialized in the production of macerated white wines, the biodynamic reality Weingut Werlitsch offers interpretations of the territory with an absolutely original identity, far from the standardizations that the market often imposes. These are wines endowed with a solid mineral backbone, mostly derived from blends of the various grapes cultivated by the winery.