Sankt Laurent is an Austrian mutation of the Pinot Noir grape that has been in the ground here for over 400 years. The wines made from it tend to be a bit darker, a bit snappier and a have a bit more rustic tannin than the Pinot Noir we’re used to but, nonetheless, has many of our favorite Pinot Noir attributes, like those prized floral, the cinnamon and the deeply-pitched cherry aromatics, light-on-its-feet texture and amazing earthy persistence. Coming from vines in Thalland aged over 50 years, Felsner’s seven-year-old Sank Laurent has depth and character to burn. One might equate it with one of those Old School late 1980s Willamette Valley Pinots from Eyrie or Adelsheim. The color is gorgeous and the nose is a veritable grandma’s cupboard of baking spices, dried and fresh black cherry, mulberry and even fig. While lightly chilling and enjoying a bottle in the backyard over the rest of this summer is definitely on my agenda, there’s something rather ‘pumpkin spicy’ autumnal about the wine. Maybe save some for Thanksgiving! This is, though, a real find and lovers of flavorful reds of all ilks will find a lot to love here for $20!