- 2002 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Steinmassel - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (3/15/2026)
I bought three bottles of this on release. The first was drunk with a dear friend at dinner the day after the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2004.The second the week after the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007. This bottle was buried in the cellar, and unearthed when I was hunting for something else.
All the signs were terrible. The capsule was bloated, and there was a trail of goop alone the side of the bottle. But when I cut the capsule the cork was clean. No signs of seepage. Must have been the bottle of Prüm Auslese up above in the racks.
First pour, and the aromatics are more youthful than expected, but still complex. Lightly singed lemon peel, white peach, sage, and a clear note of petrichor - classic aged, but in no way old, dry Riesling. One thing that struck me was that the vibrance and penetrating character of the aromatics never dulled as I sampled the wine before, during, and after dinner. So often that initial rush is muted as the senses become accustomed, but not here.
Bone dry but still with fresh fruit “sweetness” the palate showed a firmness in the mid-palate, that initially felt austere, but then fanned out, peacock tail-esque to a bright and kaleidoscopic finish. Remarkable 24 year old wine. Wish I had another bottle or two, as it seems to have years left to go.