Tement

Viticulture with passion - Tement Winery

The story of the Tement Winery is - like so many winery stories - a family story. "Families are the sum of their individuals and their personal experiences," as can be seen from the winery's website. True to this motto, each member of the Tement family has his or her own role in the winery, and they complement each other wonderfully. Manfred took over his parents' business at an early age after his father's untimely death, and later met Heidi, who also became involved. Their sons Armin and  Stefan have also grown into viticulture. And the fourth generation is already in the starting blocks.

The history of the Tement winery

in 1959, Josef and Edina Tement founded their small winery on the Zieregg and Grassnitzberg vineyards, with just 2 hectares of vines and a Buschenschank. When the father died unexpectedly and much too early in 1976, son Manfred took over the business at the age of just 16. On weekdays he studied at the wine and fruit growing school in Klosterneuburg, and on weekends he and his mother Edina ran the Tement winery, which at that time was supported financially solely by the Buschenschank. At that time, the winery was not yet making a profit.

in 1982 Manfred met his wife Heidi, who from then on actively contributed to the history of the Tement Winery. in 1986, their first son, Armin Manfred Josef, saw the light of day. That is the year in which Manfred also starts the cooperation with his fellow winemakers Gross, Polz and Sattler, which in later years develops into the association of "STK - die Steirischen Terroir- und Klassikweingüter".

in 1991 Manfred and Heidi's second son, Stefan Josef Martin, is born. The winery is now financially self-supporting, for the first time they sell 100 bottles of wine a day, the Buschenschank is closed in order to let all manpower flow into the winery. The renowned magazine "Der Feinschmecker" names Tement's Sauvignon Blanc the "world's best Sauvignon Blanc", which finally brings the winery international recognition.

in 1999, the new cellar at Zieregg is built. The modern multi-story building is integrated into the landscape and provides an impressive panoramic view of the neighboring vineyards of southern & eastern Styria as well as the adjacent Slovenian vineyards in Ciringa (Slovenian for "Zieregg").

in 2005, son Armin completes his apprenticeship, completes various internships at home and abroad, and then joins the local business. in 2008, father Manfred hands over responsibility for production to him. They also begin to cultivate the vineyards in a natural way and convert the first 10 hectares to organic farming. Further areas follow successively. In addition, the areas of the neighboring Ciringa vineyard, acquired the year before, are planted with Sauvignon Blanc. With Domaine Ciringa, a new winery is born.

in 2010, son Stefan completes his training at the Silberberg wine school and also joins his parents' business. He is considered a tinkerer and technician with an unconventional way of working and thinking, who actively contributes to the continuous development of the winery.

in 2011 Armin met his wife Monika. in 2012, mother Heidi realizes a long-cherished dream with the first of a total of six exclusively furnished "Winzarei Chalets" on Zieregg. At the end of October of the same year, Armin's son Johann Josef Manfred, the first representative of the fourth generation, sees the light of day.

in 2015, the Tement Winery has its entire vineyards, totaling 100 hectares, officially certified as organic. In addition, the next eight Winzarei chalets are opened at the Ciringa Menhard site. Then, in November, Armin and Monika's daughter Josefine Magdalena will be born.

in 2018, the conversion is then completed and the Tement Winery is officially certified as an organic winery. From 2019, the vineyards on the Slovenian side will follow.

in 2019, the international jury of the "50 Best Vineyards of the World" will rank the Tement Winery 15th among the most worth seeing wineries in the world.

And the history of the Tement Winery is successfully continued.

The Tement vineyards

• Ried Zieregg
• Ried Ciringa
• Ried Grassnitzberg
• Wielitschberg vineyard
• Ried Sulz
• Ottenberg reedbed
• Reed Rossberg
• Steinbach Fürst reedbed
• Reed Sernau King
• Ried Hochkittenberg

The STK Wineries

The aim of the 12 STK wineries is to vinify wines of unmistakable character and to bring out what is typical from the terroir of top sites. The group emerged from the group of "Styrian Classic Winegrowers", which was founded in 1986. in 1993, the group coined the term "Steirische Klassik" for fresh and fruity white wines made from typical Styrian grape varieties. Today, the "STK" quality mark on the capsule or label stands for the classification of site wines. The quality seal stands for explicitly Styrian wines and is a protected trademark of the wineries Frauwallner, Gross, Lackner-Tinnacher, Wolfgang Maitz, Neumeister, Erich & Walter Polz, Erwin Sabathi, Hannes Sabathi, Sattlerhof, Tement, Winkler-Hermaden and Wohlmuth.