Bründlmayer Ried Käferberg Erste Lage Grüner Veltliner 2018

Bründlmayer Ried Käferberg is one of Langenlois’s most prized sites, sitting high on the slope where the soil turns into a complex mixture of primary rock (crystalline schist) and clay. In a warm, generous vintage like 2018, this unique terroir acted as a crucial cooling element, preserving the tension that makes Willi Bründlmayer’s wines so legendary.

This isn’t your average back-porch Grüner. This is a powerful, structural powerhouse that leans into the savory, mineral side of the variety. It’s deeply concentrated–classic 2018 ripeness of apple and stone fruit but wrapped around a core of vibrating acidity and salty minerals. Long, phenolic, and incredibly savory on the finish with a grip that suggests it will evolve beautifully for another decade.

In 2018, many producers struggled with softness, but Bründlmayer utilized the wind-swept elevation of this Erste Lage (Premier Cru) site to maintain a chiseled, architectural frame.