Bruno Landauer Merlot Ruster Spätlese 2024

From the slopes of Rust, in Burgenland, this Merlot benefits from a terroir particularly well suited to sweet wines. The vineyards, set on the sunny hills around Lake Neusiedl, enjoy a microclimate where Pannonian, Mediterranean and continental influences meet. The limestone soils, mixed with primary rock and quartz, give the wine lovely finesse and a distinctive aromatic expression. This setting, combined with long autumn ripening, allows the Merlot to reach remarkable concentration while retaining a balancing freshness.

The grapes are picked late, several weeks after the main harvest, once the berries have reached full ripeness. The winemaking relies on a fermentation that stops naturally, retaining some of the residual sugar and giving birth to this sweet red wine. The estate thus seeks a particularly fruity and aromatic expression, without favouring an oaky style. This Spätlese, made from late-harvested grapes, is an original interpretation of Merlot, geared more towards freshness, deliciousness and fruit intensity.

This wine reveals notes of ripe plum, blackberry, black cherry and blackcurrant, accompanied by hints of violet, candied fruit and a delicate touch of caramel. On the palate, the texture is sweet, dense and generously fruity, with a velvety texture that coats the palate. The natural sweetness is balanced by enough freshness to keep the whole lively. The long, indulgent finish extends the flavours of black fruit and gives this cuvée a profile as original as it is appealing.

For more than ten years, Austrian viticulture has made an enormous leap in terms of wine quality. Today, Austrian winemakers no longer produce cheap wines for mass consumption, but refined and complex wines. Austria produces 65% white wines. From a fairly global point of view, Austrian wines are more powerful and richer than those of its German neighbor. The great national grape variety and the most widely planted is Grüner Veltliner (native white grape variety). Red wine production continues to increase in volume, intensity and quality. Especially in Burgenland, producers make the most of an original grape variety combining local (Blaufränkisch, Saint-Laurent, Zweigelt) and French (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir) grape varieties.



Austria's climate is predominantly continental with cold winters and warm summers. The country is subject to 4 main influences. To the east, continental influences coming from Pannonia, to the west Atlantic influences but also cold winds coming from the north and to the south Mediterranean influences. The Danube, which meanders languorously through many vineyards, brings numerous microclimates to the vineyards.