One could easily fill a few volumes about the sons of winegrowers and their fathers and their resulting conflicts. However, the two Bründlmayers, Josef & Philipp, would not appear in it - far too unspectacular. Occasionally, things seem to go differently, and even though Philipp has currently taken over the management of the winery, his father still plays a decisive role.
No wonder, since he knows every vine in the family's 52 vineyards. He has planted many of them himself, nurtured some back to health, and cared for others in order to bottle wines that are specific to their origin. For Josef and Philipp there was never a standstill, both men have the same impetus for innovation and ideas, the student of oenology continues what his father started in 1980.
The conditions are admittedly incomparably better. While his father started the viticulture project without a pump or cellar, Philipp now farms a total of 18 hectares: most of it is Grüner Veltliner and most of it is in sites that are among the best in the Krems Valley. Moosburgerin, Gebling, Tiefenthal, Vordernberg & Steingraben are synonymous with density and power but are also lively and structured wines. To get these attributes from the vine to the bottle, Philipp follows a handful of principles that consist of a deliberate mix of DO & LET IT BE.
No use of insecticides & herbicides, no artificial fertilizers and no cold fermentation which are all on the abandonment side. However, manual labour, multiple selections and long aging on the lees on the TO DO list. The local aspect plays a double role. On the one hand, he tries to capture the natural conditions precisely, on the other hand, he gives autochthonous varieties of the region, above all, the Neuburger a fighting chance. Along with Riesling and Grüner Veltliner, Neuburger has gradually developed into Philipp's hobbyhorse and, in addition to a juicy texture and vital tannins, also has ripe, exotic fruit and fine citrus notes in its aroma profile. To reflect the terroir and its differences as precisely as possible, each site ends up in a separate tank. The great sites are also vinified accordingly and have substance, character and potential beyond the individual site and winemaker’s hallmark.
