Hints of lanolin and spice from both oak and acacia barrels (a few of them new in this instance) as well as blond tobacco and Szechuan pepper tinge the honeydew melon and green bean of Brundlmayer's lush and glycerin-rich yet refreshing 2010 Gruner Veltliner Lamm, which as usual represents his last-picked Gruner Veltliner. Herb and fruit pip bitterness add pointed persistence to the finish, though it will hopefully more fully integrate into the fabric and fruit of the wine with another year or so (and hence before it appears in the U.S. market). At least half a dozen years of interest seem assured. 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

The 2006 Gruner Veltliner Lamm – still in tank last summer, when I last tasted it – smells of resin, incense, brown spices, rhubarb preserves, and walnuts. Creamy, glycerin rich, and subtly suggestive of sweetness, it still preserves clarity and permits a glimpse of fascinating, shimmering mineral character that will shine even more brightly with a few years of bottle age. Enveloping richness, alluring spice, and elusive minerality are allied in the finish with low-toned coffee-mocha and tobacco shadings. Brundlmayer has recently released a trio of nobly sweet Gruner Veltliner from the 2004 vintage, and while I have not always been completely convinced by his approach to this genre – often perceiving extraneous wood and caramel – these are impressive wines by any measure.In 2006, Willi Brundlmayer really displayed mastery of his sites. While their fruits all ripened to high potential alcohol such as we have become used to in most vintages at this estate, this was by and large without detrimental effects, and the wines display clarity and refinement without heat or bitterness.Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300