A metaphorically cooling as well as alluringly-scented impression of lilac, mint, and fresh lime from Brundlmayer's 2010 Riesling Heiligenstein sets the stage for a generously juicy, apple-, lime-, melon-, and red raspberry-informed as well as persistently-perfumed palate performance. An active, invigorating sense of stony, crystalline, subtly smoky mineral impingement lingers fascinatingly, even as it calls for the next sip. It's been a long while since there has been a Brundlmayer bottling of this cru that displays such delicacy, nor would you find any better example of this site's characteristic floral and mineral blandishments in a riper vintage. This elegant yet extract-rich beauty ought to be worth pursuing for at least 8-10 years. (But that's a conservative estimate. I enjoyed the 1994 last year from my cellar and again this year from Brundlmayer's; and in its sense of levity, refreshment, and transparency to haunting floral and subtly mineral notes it reminded me of this 2010. "It was closed-up for years," observes Brundlmayer of the 1994, "which I don't consider unusual for Heiligenstein.") Despite the relatively short crop in 2010, Brundlmayer notes that volumes were not inordinately impacted at the upper level of his portfolio, and that he expects as usual, if not more so, to take time with the release of the top Gruner Veltliner. (Brundlmayer is also among the very few Austrian growers to - largely for the benefit of his foreign customers - re-release selected wines after they have had a number of years in bottle; and he releases virtually no reds until they have enjoyed significant bottle age.) For now though, 2010 seems to be a collection that reflects its vintage's challenges and in which Riesling from the Heiligenstein is clearly the star. Brundlmayer's 2009s - the whites, at least - are more uniformly excellent. (He won-t begin showing me 2009 reds until next June.) What's more, some sort of miracle, the like of which I have never before witnessed at this address, seems to have taken place under the auspices of noble rot (and those sweet 2009s should come our way in the next year or two). The high quality and fascination of Brundlmayer's diverse sparkling cuvees is worth once again noting, even if I have omitted publishing detailed notes and small-lot designations for what are always officially non-vintage wines. It's also worth singling-out an all"2007 cuvee of Pinot and Chardonnay with a bit of Gruner Veltliner that was bottled Extra Brut "-though believe, me," notes Brundlmayer, "we try-out nearly every sort of dosage and were surprised that this performed better without" - a wine whose combination of herbal, vegetal, nutty, and mineral tones offers subtly delicious -food- for thought.Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300
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