Weingut Brundlmayer

History

Willi Bründlmayer never intended to make wine from the start. In his youth, he had other plans, but the need to preserve his family's estate led him to return to Langenlois.

Even now, 40 years later, he still runs this estate. This long tenure explains the consistency of the estate. Everything, from the vineyard portfolio to the tiered product line and the gradual expansion into sparkling wines and Burgundy varieties, has been achieved smoothly under the guidance of a single person.

He no longer works alone. Edwige Bründlmayer, Thomas Klinger, and Andreas Wickhoff, one of the few Masters of Wine involved in Austrian wine production, now share the responsibility of running the winery. It remains a family-run business, and Weingut Bründlmayer makes it quite clear that wine itself, not the label, is the core of the operation.

The vineyards

Bründlmayer cultivates approximately 80 hectares of vineyards, most of which are within easy reach of Langenlois. None of them are far away. The estate manages nine named rieds (individual vineyard plots), each of which occupies its location for its own distinct reasons.

- Ried Heiligenstein, located in Zöbing: This terraced slope faces south to southwest and, with a gradient of approximately 13 degrees, is the steepest of the plots here. The Riesling variety is planted at elevations ranging from 230 to 345 meters.
- Ried Lamm: Located on the southeastern slope of the Heiligenstein hill, it is situated in the low-lying area at an elevation of 215-285 meters and faces south, planted with Grüner Veltliner
- Ried Käferberg: Located in the high-altitude area between 310 and 345 meters, facing southeast and sheltered from the wind, planted with Grüner Veltliner
- Ried Loiserberg and Ried Berg Vogelsang: Adjacent to each other, extending up to an elevation of 380 meters; mainly Grüner Veltliner, and Loiserberg includes a portion of Riesling
- Ried Spiegel: A nearly flat area at an elevation of approximately 260-270 meters, sloping toward the east-southeast; planted with Grüner Veltliner
- Ried Steinmassl and Ried Steinberg: Both are Riesling terrain; Steinberg includes a small portion of Chardonnay
- Ried Dechant: Southeast, 265-320 meters; again, Grüner Veltliner

Locals generally believe the name comes from the convex, dome-like shape of the 300-meter-high hill, which they liken to a mirror held aloft toward the sky.

Hot days, cold forest air

The Kamptal here is shaped by two factors. To the northwest lie the densely forested hills of Waldviertel, which block the cold winds blowing from that direction. Additionally, the valley itself acts as a passageway. After sunset, the cool forest air flows down along Kamp into the basin surrounding Langenlois, a place the locals call the Arena.

Consequently, the stony terraces heat up during the day but cool down rapidly at night. Thanks to these temperature fluctuations, the vineyards on these slopes, Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, are able to maintain their acidity and aromatic character without the wine becoming heavy or dull.

The differences between each vineyard are not theoretical but very real. Ried Lamm, situated at the foot of Heiligenstein, is one of the warmest areas in the entire growing region, and this is reflected in the wine's flavor profile. Located at an elevation of approximately 380 meters, Loiserberg and Berg Vogelsang experience strong winds and extreme temperature fluctuations, which slow down the ripening process. Berg Vogelsang is exposed to more wind than Loiserberg, which is situated on a gentle south-to-southeast-facing slope.

Zöbinger Heiligenstein is geologically unique within this group; its history is preserved solely on this one section of the mountainside, and its topography is unlike anything found elsewhere in the surrounding area.

The grapes

Grüner Veltliner is the main variety grown in this vineyard and is planted on most of the plots in relatively flat or moderately sloping areas. The next most important variety is Riesling, which is cultivated on the steep, rocky slopes of Heiligenstein, along with Steinmassl and Steinberg.

- Grüner Veltliner: The primary variety, derived from Lamm, Käferberg, Spiegel, Dechant, Berg Vogelsang, and others
- Riesling: Cultivated in terraced vineyards and on the steepest slopes
- The Chardonnay and Burgundy lines: In Bründlmayer, these are treated as specialty products rather than secondary varieties.
- Reds: Includes Pinot Noir; these are varieties that have long been of interest to the family.

Willi Bründlmayer described producing high-quality red wine in these climatic borderlands as a special challenge, and that is a candid assessment. Kamptal is not an area especially renowned for red wine. Nevertheless, this winery produces red wine, and Stephen Brook assessed the results as surprisingly successful.

Three levels, one logic

Bründlmayer categorizes its wines by grade, and this classification is not merely a marketing tool. The basic varietal wines are designed to clearly identify the grape variety and growing region. The classic single-vineyard wines showcase the harmony between the soil and the fruit. Next come the Reserve wines and the November wines, produced from the most famous Ried and featuring late-harvested grapes with intense flavors, which fully reveal the characteristics of their respective vineyards.

Willi Bründlmayer describes winemaking as fully understanding the natural product born from living soil, so that the transformation from vine to grape, juice, and wine flows like a melody. Simply put, this means not interfering with the process.

Chardonnay undergoes oak barrel fermentation, which is one of the reasons this wine has earned its reputation. Sparkling wine is not an afterthought but a vital part of the operation, and the winery's bottled sparkling wines, including Brut Rosé, are featured alongside the still wine lineup. In high-sugar vintages, ice wine is also produced.

There is also a non-alcoholic line based on verjus, a green juice made from early-harvested, unripe grapes. While this is unusual for a winery of this stature, as they explain, it is not merely a gimmick.

Lamm, Käferberg and the wider range

Two Grüner Veltliners are largely responsible for this winery's international reputation.

Lamm 1 Lage Grüner Veltliner Kamptal Reserve is produced in the south-facing lowlands at the foot of Heiligenstein, one of the warmest sites in the region. As a Reserve-rated wine, it belongs to the highest tier, featuring a rich body and suitability for long-term aging.

Käferberg Grüner Veltliner 1 Lage ÖTW is produced in higher, more sheltered areas. The designation 1ÖTW refers to Erste Lage, which is a First Growth-style classification for vineyards whose quality has been proven over a long period of time.

Apart from these two classifications, the range is very broad. Riesling from Ried Steinmassl also holds the same Erste Lage classification. Grüner Veltliner, Ried Berg Vogelsang, and Ried Dechant are produced under the Kamptal DAC category, while more accessible options include Kamptal Terrassen and Langenlois Alte Reben, the latter of which is produced from old vines. Add to this the Chardonnay, Zweigelt rosé, Pinot Noir, Sekt, and even ice wine, and you'll have a good grasp of most of the lineup.

These wines can be tasted and purchased directly at the winery, and they are also available at Heurigenhof Bründlmayer, a family-run wine bar located at Langenlois.