Weingut Bründlmayer G. V. Ried Lamm Erste Lage 2021

Ried Lamm lies in the Kamp Valley, at the heart of the Kamptal near Langenlois in Lower Austria. This plot, classified as Erste Lage, occupies a renowned slope exposed to the region's continental influences and to cooler currents coming down from the Waldviertel. Its deep loess soils, mixed with clay and limestone components, encourage slow, even ripening of the Grüner Veltliner. The vineyard produces wines that are at once broad, spicy and taut, their natural power balanced by the freshness characteristic of the Kamptal.

The grapes are harvested by hand and carefully selected, then given a short maceration before gentle pressing. Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks, followed by ageing on fine lees in large used Austrian oak casks.

This wine reveals notes of ripe pear, yellow apple and citrus zest, complemented by hints of dried flowers, white pepper, blond tobacco and wet stone. The whole evolves towards a delicately herbaceous and saline expression, with a subtle touch of honey. On the palate, the wine is dense and creamy, supported by precise acidity that brings lift. The long, mineral and spicy finish asserts the depth of the terroir.

Over the past ten years and more, Austrian viticulture has made a huge leap in wine quality. Today, Austrian winegrowers no longer produce cheap wines for mass consumption, but refined and complex wines. 65% of Austria's wine is white. Broadly speaking, Austrian wines are more powerful and richer than those of their German neighbour. The great national grape, and the most widely planted, is Grüner Veltliner (a native white variety). Red wine production continues to grow in volume as well as in intensity and quality. In Burgenland above all, producers make the most of an original mix of local grape varieties (blaufränkisch, saint-laurent, zweigelt) and French ones (cabernet-sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir). Austria's climate is essentially continental, with cold winters and hot summers. The country is subject to 4 main influences: to the east, continental influences from Pannonia; to the west, Atlantic influences, but also cold winds from the north; and to the south, Mediterranean influences. The Danube, winding languidly through many vineyards, brings numerous microclimates to them.