Bründlmayer Riesling Ried Zöbinger Heiligenstein Alte Reben 1ÖTW, Kamptal 2011

The Bründlmayer family name has become synonymous with reliable, top-quality Austrian winemaking, quite simply making some of the very best wines the country has to offer. At the turn of the millennium, Decanter magazine cited winemaker Willi Bründlmayer among the 50 most likely people to change the face of the world of wine in the coming decades, demonstrating the esteem in which he is held at home and abroad in wine circles.

The treasured Bründlmayer vineyards are situated in Langenlois, in the Kamptal region to the north west of Vienna, where the mostly terraced vines run along the edge of the Danube. The soils vary greatly in type from sandstone-rich to marine clay with different varieties planted accordingly. All vineyards are tended on ecologically sound lines with no herbicides of any kind used and great importance is placed on training the vines according to vineyard site, for example just over ground level to ensure that the grapes benefit from soil heat after the sun has set, assisting the ripening of the fruit.

White varieties dominate here with grüner veltliner and riesling the most planted. There is also chardonnay and pinot blanc, and some red grapes including cabernets and pinot noir.

The range of wines here is extensive and The Society generally lists one or two, particularly those more suitable for immediate drinking. Our Exhibition label Grüner Veltliner also hails from Bründlmayer and is produced from a number of different terraced vineyards which contribute different properties. The result is a wine that is approachable when young but has the balance to mature for a few years in bottle and is hugely adaptable with food.