Weingut Bründlmayer

Langenlois, Kamptal
www.bruendlmayer.com

Vineyard area: 75 ha (165 acres), 33% G. Veltliner, 25% Riesling, 12% Pinot Noir, 7% Zweigelt, 7% St. Laurent, 6% Chardonnay
Soils: primary rock with mica-schist
Best sites: Heiligenstein, Steinmassel, Lamm
Production: 30,000 cases
Average yield: 40 hl/ha

Langenloiser Steinmassel Riesling 2004

Alc.: 12.5%
Vinification: slow pressing of up to 8 hours duration or prolonged skin contact over night. Fermentation is done in stainless steel and maturation is completed on 5-10% of the lees.

Pale lemon color. Youthful nose with a medium intensity of citrus and minerality, flint stone and pear fruit. Dry palate, high acidity, medium body and alcohol. Medium intensity of citrus, pear and minerality. Medium length.

Strikingly refreshing aromas, like taking a deep breath on a cold winter day. The palate is crystalline, with marked minerality and very pure citrus fruit. I decanted a second glass and let it sit for a half hour. The nose clearly gained some apple notes and the flinty character emerged even more. Similarly, the palate lost some of the citrus character and showed more stone fruit. The acidity is clearly still dominating, though. It's not out of balance, but I think that this wine still needs a couple of years to reach its peak. If you don't want to wait, drink it now with shellfish.