USA: Wine Star Awards 2006
Wine Enthusiast nominates Willi Bründlmayer as “Winemaker of the Year”
(Langenlois, Sept 06, T.K.) Willi Bründlmayer is a nominee for Wine Enthusiast´s "Winemaker of the Year 2006". The popular US wine magazine chose Bründlmayer together with four more international top wine producers.
In the October edition of the magazine, the respected wine journalist and Riesling specialist Roger Voss, who is based in Bordeaux, calls Willi Bründlmayer “probably Austria’s most famous wine producer”. The jurors particularly appreciated the wines from the Zöbinger Heiligenstein vineyard, one of Austria’s top 10 crus (see scores below), which is home to around a quarter of Mr. Bründlmayer’s vineyards.
Apart from his pioneering work for the reputation of the Grüner Veltliner grape, Bründlmayer’s success also builds on his long and patient cultivation of the US market. Together with US importers Michael Skurnik and Terry Theise, both gifted promoters of Austrian and German top growths, Willi Bründlmayer has created a small but significant and growing niche market among of exotic but world-class wines. In recognition of both this work and the quality of the wines, the famous US magazine Wine & Spirits has awarded its title “W&S Import Winery of the Year” five times.
The decision who among the five nominated wine producers will be awarded the title will be announced at the Wine Star Awards Gala on 29 January 2007 in New York.
“I think this nomination is already a lovely success for our work, not only in the USA,” commented Mr. Bründlmayer. “During the nominations, even small-scale producers are well represented. The lists of names are widely disseminated, particularly on the Internet. For us, but also for Austrian wine in general, this is another little mosaic stone towards the consolidation of our modest successes. We will keep our feet on the ground, though, where the wine grows. It is not very probable that an Austrian will be chosen, but it is already wonderful to be nominated together with such wonderful colleagues.”
Wine Star Awards 2006:
Producers Nominated for the Winemaker of the Year“
Willi Bründlmayer (Weingut Bründlmayer, Austria)
Carlo Ferrini (Wine consultant for Brancaia, Brolio, Tenuta di San Leonardo, etc, Italy)
Olivier Humbrecht (Zind-Humbrecht, France)
Tony & Michele Jordan (Domaine Chandon, Australia)
Randy Ullom (Kendall-Jackson, California, USA)
Score: Wine Enthusiast Oct 05, Buying Guide, Riesling Austria:
95P Zöbinger Heiligenstein Alte Reben 2005 (best note– editor’s choice)
94P Zöbinger Heiligenstein Lyra 2005
93P Zöbinger Heilgenstein 2005
90P Ried Steinmassel 2005
