Pittnauer St Laurent Alte Reben 2006

12.5% abv. Gols, Burgenland

If you can find this wine, buy it. I don't think anyone is making better Sankt Laurent in Burgenland than Gerhard & Brigitte Pittnauer. The 2006 vintage was a warm one so if you picked at the right moment (sooner rather than later) - which Pittnauer most certainly did - you could make brilliant wine. Medium to dark ruby in the glass with orange bricking on the rim. Deep, earthy aromas of cedar, spicy oak and dark fruit, mostly a rustic mélange of mulberry and blackcurrants.  A splash of cranberry livens things up but the appearance of subtle mocha notes lingering underneath the fruit is beautifully enticing. Wonderfully complex and alluring. The light-footed palate is a surprising counter-point to the earthy, dense bouquet. Sleek and lean, with juicy acidity and discernible cedar and vibrant black fruit flavours perfectly framed by gentle tannins. Very charming but the brooding earthy aromas make this a very special Sankt Laurent. What makes this wine truly remarkable is that it marks Pittnauer's first bio-dynamic vintage. Sourced from 44 year old vines in the Alte Reben vineyard planted by Gerhard's father, the soil is loamy clay with that famous limestone from the Leitha Mountains. Exceptional wine from an exceptional winemaker. Drink through 2025.

Rating:   * * * * *

Price:      59 EURO