The 2002 St. Laurent Ladner is from a variety that flourishes only in Austria. The Brundlmayers’ oldest red wine is a 1950 St. Laurent, from a time when local growers predicted that this variety would soon die out, so this family has been nurturing St. Laurent long enough to know their way, as well as to have had the last laugh. Sweet red cherry and wood smoke aromas draw you into the glass of this 2002, and your palate is rewarded by a velvety saturation of red fruit, mysterious smokiness, and invigorating salinity. A touch of extraneous astringency cuts into the otherwise fruit-filled finish, but that may be attributed to the wine’s having been bottled the week I visited. Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300