30. June 2019

W&W

Vineyard Skoff Original

This post is also available in: Deutsch (German)

Weingut Skoff Original

In 1984, Walter Skoff took over the two-hectare vineyard from his father, and has been running it now with nearly 60 acres in the fourth generation.

For decades, Walter Skoff has masterfully enlarged and continuously optimized the winery with knowledge and understanding of its own vineyards and wines. Today, his wines are among the best and most successful on international terrain.

Worldchampion Sauvignon Blanc 2015

At the largest and most recognized Sauvignon Blanc wine competition – the “Concours Mondial du Sauvignon 2017 in Bordeaux”, the “Kranachberg Sauvignon Blanc 2015” was named the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world by the winery Skoff Original – one of the biggest awards so far for Walter Skoff.

Kranachberg is one of the best Styrian vineyards ever. The wine of this top location has an optimal mix of soil, location and climate.

Location & grape varieties

The 13 locations of the Skoff family are located within a radius of 15 kilometers around the winery. The best known locations are Hochsulz, Obegg, Kranachberg and Grassnitzberg. The majority of the vineyard, namely 92 percent, is planted with white grape varieties, of which 40 percent Sauvignon Blanc.

Position classification

Different layers with the same care bring different qualities, where you can see that certain vineyards produce higher quality wines than others each year.

You can define good locations based on some known parameters, but ultimately it is the complex interplay of all the factors – the terroir – that makes a location and the vinified wine special.

Top location Hochsulz

Sauvignon Blanc is grown in the location of Hochsulz.

The harvest

The most difficult, however the most important decisions of the wine grower is the choice of the optimal harvest time. Due to the steep slope, the reading of the physiological ripe grapes exclusively by hand in three to five harvest rounds.

Through the selective grape harvest each grape is harvested at the optimal time and remains on the stick hang until she has reached the perfect maturity.

In good weather the harvest takes about 4-5 weeks.

The place where wine becomes art

For Walter Skoff it is especially important that the wines develop their own character and personality. Every wine should express its special quality and become a masterpiece.

For this, patience, attention to detail and above all knowledge and experience are the essentials. A cellar extension took place in 1997.

Sauvignon Blanc Stoan 2015

Walter Skoff is also breaking new ground in wine making, such as in granite cask.

For the Sauvigon Blanc Stoan in 2015, grapes were harvested of the highest physiological maturity from the top location Hochsulz, which captivates due to their special mineral limestone ground.

The fermentation and the removal in the stone barrel (granite) supports this mineral and offers a particularly pronounced fruitiness, which can be seen both in the nose and on the palate.

Food recommendation: fits excellent with savory and spicy dishes, as well as with grilled meat, pasta or risotto.

Skoff Original hospitality and culinary arts

It is a unique one experience to enjoy the wines at their place of origin.

That’s why we have took a long weekend and visited the winery.

In the middle of the mountain, between grapevines and a breathtaking scenery make it easy, to relax body and soul.

The terrace offers a fabulous view of the South Styrian wine country, where we were served home-made culinary delights from the region.

Beef Tatar

The beef tartare stood out through the inlaid walnut (cut into very thin slices).

sheep cheese

Served with red onions, seed oil and white balsamic vinegar.

fried beef and onions in gravy

You simply can not get past the traditional Austrian cuisine (the roast beef comes from Biorind).

Walter White Insider

If you order a “Walter White” as a guest, you will be served a light and fruity wine. We recommend the fried chicken with potato salad with pumpkin seed oil.

apricot pancakes

For the classic dessert, pancakes with apricot jam and fresh berries, a sauvignon blanc (Trockenbeerenauslese 2015) was perfect.

Incidentally, around 1890, the name pancake appears for the first time in the Viennese cookbooks.

The day we closed with relish with a grape brandy .

Distillery

In addition to the ripe fruits from their own cultivation, the pomace cake is distilled in November under the personal supervision of Walter Skoff. Meticulously, he pays attention to the lead. Under the watchful eye of the distiller, outstanding pomace brandies emerge.

Guesthouse Tscheppe

The Inn is known and heard in the region to the customers of Skoff Original. International attention was paid to it by the wedding celebration of the Austrian Foreign Minister in 2018 and by Vladimir Putin, who was one of the guests.

Philosophy of wine

“Wine is life, our Life is wine. “This sentence reflects tradition and passion of the Skoff family.

The experience is passed on from generation after generation and forms the well-kept secret, which Skoff Original makes their wines so special.

For the future we wish the friendly family Skoff and the young wine growers all the best. It was a great time with you!

Info

From Munich it is about 500 km to Eckberg. After about five hours you are at the winery Skoff.
A trip to the romantic and second largest city in Austria, Graz, offers itself. The drive takes about 45 minutes. Graz is right on the border with Slovenia.
More than 700k bottles of wine are produced each year
Employees: All year 20, to the harvest 80
Over the past 30 years, the masterpieces have received over 800 awards. There were more than 300 gold medals.
Terroir means the combination of all conditions that influence the vine and thus the grape in its development. When creating the layer classification, the terroir of the individual layer is in the foreground.
Even our private chef Chriz is now a fan of Skoff wines

Quote Walter Skoff: “Diversity is the key factor for great wines”