Fischer, Vulkanland Steiermark

St. Anna am Aigen

Klaus und Bernhard Fischer

A Newcomer from forgotten lands. With the village and single-vineyard wines of the Fischers, we are finally turning our eye on the Styrian Vulkanland.

Here in the southeast of Styria, nestled between the outliers of the Eisenberg and the South Styrian hills, we find ourselves in St. Anna am Aigen. Just a stone throw from the Slovenian border and beyond it, the equally historic winegrowing region of Podravje, the Drautal (more precisely, the subregion of Prekmurje, north of the Mur River, which also flows through Graz). Further west, around Maribor, we find the Štajerska, or Untersteiermark.

When we speak of the Vulkanland, we should be aware of its diversity and complexity. So, obviously, a few words about the terroir! Complicated as it is. And that’s not just due to the sheer size of southeastern Styria. Alongside the obvious volcanic influences, we also find a significant amount of limestone deposits—traces left behind by the Pannonian Sea (Paratethys), which receded as the Alps rose. So, alongside volcanic weathered rock, basalt and tuff, we also find shell limestone and sandstone.

Talking climate, St. Anna is shielded from the cooler winds of southern Styria by the Stradner Kogl to the west. From the south and east, warmer Pannonian and Mediterranean influences can make their way in. So the climate here, in southeastern Styria can generally be described as milder—and warmer in the summer months.

All of this has long made the region an attractive and convenient place for viticulture. No surprise that the vine has found its place here—especially within small family farms. In fact, the roughly 1,600 hectares of vineyards are divided among 1,200 producers. That’s an average of just over one hectare per farm/winery! (For reference: South Styria counts 2,500 hectares, divided among 600 producers.) Not unlike the Aargau region, which we recently introduced through Tom Litwan.

So too, did Klaus and Bernhard Fischer grow up on their family's mixed operation farm. A traditional setup: crop farming, livestock, plus this small vineyard with just one hectare under vine. As the next generation gradually took over, having collected insights from their time in Klosterneuburg, New Zealand and South Africa, the farm began to evolve into a serious winery.

A gradual expansion to four hectares followed, with old parcels on the Stradenberg. The Fischers passion for biodiversity and quality led them to organic certification in 2015. A minimalist mindset and a clear self-image began to take shape.

Today, every vine is tended by hand - from winter pruning to canopy management and the harvest itself. In the cellar, fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts, nothing added or taken away, except a minimal dose of sulfites. The wines spend extended time on full and fine lees and are free to undergo malolactic fermentation in their old barrels.

What we find in the glass is a clear result of this minimalist, patient yet focused guidance in the cellar—allowing the influence of the vineyard to come through all the more clearly. Klaus puts it well: “Wine is (...) always the combination of grape and human.”

Morillon “St. Anna” village

For the Fischers, Morillon (Chardonnay) is the flagship grape. This is where it all began. A selection from the family vineyard, the Schemming, at 320 to 380 meters elevation. Basalt soils dominate in the village wine. The volcanic rock wonderfully reflects the freshness of the vineyard; the vines are bursting with energy and grow wildly.

In the cellar, fermentation is spontaneous, followed by 12 months of aging on the full lees in three oak barrels, from small to large. Clarity, minerality, herbaceousness and a playful edge.

Sauvignon Blanc “St. Anna” village

Village wine from sparse calcareous sandstone. Half a hectare of Sauvignon grows on the most limestone-rich parcel of the Schemming. It’s spontaneously fermented, then rests for a year in large wooden vats and steel tanks, first on full lees, then on fine lees. Unfiltered and gently bottled. This mindfullness and finesse are a good reflection of the wine itself!

Morillon Ried Schemming

The family vineyard, an eastern arm of the Stradner Kogel. These Morillon vines were planted in 2000, their roots go deep into the sparse calcareous sandstone. This intensity is carefully followed in the cellar, with a 20-month aging period in small oak barrels, one-third of which are new.

Precise, saline, creamy, with a delicately playful reduction and herbal notes. Beneath it lies a yellow-fruit richness, lots of stone fruit, a charmful synergy with that cool edge.

Ried Stradenberg “Alte Reben” Reserve

As the name suggests, the Ried Stradenberg lies behind St. Anna, towards Straden, on a forested hillside with a stunning southeast-facing slope. The soil is shaped by the typical volcanic deposits, basalt and tuff with occasional gaps of marine sediments.

In 2019, the Fischers were able to take over 2.5 hectares here, planted with a mix of grape varieties, hence this blend. Pinot Blanc, Welschriesling, Pinot Gris, all planted in 1989. The grapes are partially macerated to bring out the aromatic richness of the Burgundian varieties, which pairs beautifully with the precision and edge of the Welschriesling. This makes the wine super exciting and individual, despite its typical aging on the full lees in old wood—in this case, a relaxed 36 months!

Riesling Ried Stradenberg

A smoky, austere Riesling from an old parcel on the volcanic Stradner Kogel. Half a hectare of Riesling was planted here in 1999. Elevage for a year on full lees in large (750L) wooden barrels.

The 2023 vintage is beautifully rounded off with just a touch of residual sugar, giving the wine a joyful fruity side. Intense stone fruit - loads of apricot and peach - with some pear, fresh fresh fresh!