The Franz Strohmeier Philosophy

The Strohmeier family cultivates Blauer Wildbacher in any variety provided by nature – Schilcher wine, red wine, sweet wine, sparkling wine, … – based entirely upon what the weather brings each year.
Over three decades, during which the Strohmeiers have gained experience with the Blauer Wildbacher grape, they have always endeavoured to tend their vineyards as close to nature and environmentally consciously as possible. No herbicides and insecticides have ever been used. However, due to the highly moist and warm climate of West Styria, the use of synthetic fungicides had been regarded as unavoidable – the missing link to organic growing.

In Franz Strohmeier’s words:
Let me give you an example as to why we have decided to follow the organic path:
Fungi are very useful organisms in nature. By degrading organic substances, they recycle dead plant material into new nutrients for the growth of plants. Especially in the soil, fungi are extremely important for a sound food chain cycle.
I admit to having long overlooked that the cycle of nature links all plant parts – above or below ground – with themselves and with the environment. Consequently, an antifungal agent that is sprayed on a leaf, via the plant’s root, will also combat the fungi encountered in the soil, where they have to fulfil vital functions. Such plant protection measurements will, therefore, decrease the vitality of the soil. The plant’s susceptibility to diseases and pests will, on the other hand, increase because of the lacking availability of nutrients and vital elements.
All this will entail an increase in fungal infestation, and additional plant protection will be applied to alleviate the signs of such an infestation. An integrated approach will get to the bottom of the causes rather than treat symptoms.

To avoid any dependence on chemical treatments from the very beginning, tests were made in our new plantings from 2003 by spraying tea and flower extracts rather than synthetic fungicides. These tests turned out to be highly promising, thus paving the way for organic farming even in the existing plantings.
After having studied Rudolf Steiner´s “Spiritual-Scientific Foundations for Success in Farming“, I started working in tune with cosmic rhythms. Subsequent comparisons of the growing seasons 2003 to 2007 with all the experiences gained from earlier operations opened up completely new perspectives on how to successfully grow our cultural asset “wine”.

Today, preparations made according to Steiner’s indications have become an essential part of our integrated vineyard management. They stimulate life in soil and influence growth and ripening conditions. It is a homeopathic treatment of our vines to enhance their physiological ripeness year after year.

A new consciousness for so-called “pests” has emerged. These are, in fact, frequent indicators of disbalances in the vineyards, as already briefly outlined above by way of fungi. Thus, they are a help rather than a “pest”. Many causes will become aware by persistent observations and exchanges of experience with like-minded vintners or farmers. Wein & Sektmanufaktur Strohmeier’s operations have been under the control of “Austria Bio Garantie“ since 2006.

In the cellar, we practice “attended vinification”:
The grapes are picked by hand. The juice or must starts fermenting automatically. A number of microorganisms will develop lively wines full of character. “To give them time” is an important factor. During vinfication, the style of a wine is only determined by the coordination of maceration times, cask aging periods, and constant tastings to find out the optimum times for racking and bottling.

It is our long-term goal to keep agriculture sustainable and productive on its own.

Wildbacher and its Diversity

Every year, weather conditions will determine the wines to be vinified from Blauer Wildbacher. The autumn of 2002, for instance, was ideal for the production of sweet wines (Trockenbeerenauslese at 42.4° Brix), in 2003 high degrees of ripeness with perfectly sound grapes and low acidity were achieved – especially suitable for reds, and 2004 with its slightly delayed growing season became a classic Schilcher year.
2005 and 2006 yielded crops varying from Schilcher to red wine to Beerenauslese qualities.
2007 was an excellent year with extremely long hang times: early budbreak, start of flowering end of May, start of harvest mid-September. An Auslese was picked from our single vineyard Mitteregg in Bad Gams as early as on 20th October.
The harvest was completed on 21st November 2007 with perfectly ripe Wildbacher grapes at around 25° Brix for Lestoa´ ROT  and „A Siassa“ as well as a Beerenauslese for our Schilcher “Ganz a Siassa“.

Strohmeier´s Wildbacher-styles at a glance:

Schilcher: The Strohmeier Schilcher is characterized by a ripe and mild acidity with sustained fruitiness supported by a strongly mineral structure.

Single-vineyard Schilchers: Grapes are sourced from old plantings and picked late in the season at extremely low yields. Extended aging in wooden casks produces harmonious Schilchers that make perfect food partners.

Prädikat Wines (sweet wines): Ausleses are crafted from sound and fully ripe grapes. If the year is up to it, even Trockenbeerenausleses are made of botrytized grapes. The high sugar levels offset by a crisp acidity make these wines lively and layered.

Red wines: Wildbacher vines carry small bunches with small berries, which – in hot years – produce very intense reds, in terms of both fruit and tannins. These have huge aging potentials.

Sparkling Wines: By careful grape processing – as little mechanical treatment as possible and aging on the lees – a balanced base blend is obtained. The second fermentation is carried out in bottles with lees aging for several months. Disgorgement takes place in our own sparkling-wine cellar.

Pomace brandy: From the pomace of our premium batches, a strong, expansive and distinctive brandy is distilled.

Schilcher (a brief survey)
Schilcher is a wine about which a lot of stories have grown up, starting from a mistaken identity or blend with ungrafted wines, which is why it was also known as a “brutal drop“ or “hedge crasher“, to positive effects which are attributed to this wine, such as its aphrodisiac or tonic effect.
Even today, there are many people who believe that Blauer Wildbacher is an ungrafted vine, and hence of American origin. Yet, there is no doubt about Wildbacher ranking among the oldest grape varieties cultivated in Central Europe, one of its parents being the medieval Heunischrebe, the other one being unknown.
Pips from funerary objects found in hill graves of the Celts in West Styria are the oldest proof of the presence of this grape. The first written records mentioning Schilcher were, however, only found in 1580, in a wine book written by the Viennese Johann Rasch.
Schilcher has retained a certain myth till today, which is probably to be attributed to its colour, on the one hand. On the other hand, there have always been balancing acts between Schilcher offering itself as an earthy, rustic wine and Schilcher winning fame by its superb quality. Thus, in 1938, Schilcher reached a ripeness of almost 24° Brix, and the legendary 1947 was even more mature. Single bottles of this rarity are still available for tastings and proof of the outstanding quality and longevity of Schilchers.
Wine lovers and experts are amazed when tasting old Schilchers back to 1938…