NV Willi Brundlmayer - Sekt Brut Rose

The Brundlmayer NV Brut Rose Disg. 08/2013 L1508 represents – as usual for this bottling – a blend of Pinot Noir, Zweigelt und St. Laurent. It leads with high-toned notes of kirsch and almond extract mingled with pungent yeastiness, anticipating the tart-edged red berry tone on a brisk and interactive palate with stone, salt, cherry pit and smoky black tea serving for counterpoint. This finishes with fine persistence and ought to serve well over the coming year or two. (An October disgorgement in magnum was inexplicably less generous or interesting, but won’t be commercially disgorged, I was told, for close to another year.) “Two thousand twelve is a perfect vintage,” enthuses Willi Brundlmayer, “with great high points but high quality throughout,” and I am certainly not going to dispute that the collection in question commences at an unusually high level even by his extremely well-established standards. Incidentally, Brundlmayer relates that he has only in recent years been laying away portions of his most important wines sealed with screw caps (a form of closure that he has been utilizing for some time in his tasting room but only recently begun marketing) and wants a few more years of experience in comparing these with natural cork bottlings before considering any major change in his routine. Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300