Weingut Andreas Schmitges Erdener Herrenberg Riesling Eiswein, Mosel, Germany

點(diǎn)擊次數(shù)：2818

Harvested December 30 from grapes he says were brown from over-ripening and had been packed in plastic film to ward-off wild boar (a section of Treppchen is about to get electric fence for that purpose), the performance of Schmitges’ 2008 Erdener Herrenberg Riesling Eiswein surprised me in its levity and clarity after his description had led me to expect deficiencies in those areas and an overlay of botrytis. Intensely redolent of distilled herbs and pit fruits it allies those elements to metaphorically cooling honeydew melon and lime as well as spiced pear and a hint of white raisin on a juicy, delicate palate, its acidity lively but well-buffered and saline spicy notes shimmering through in a refreshing and gripping but in no way aggressive finish. “Better a bird in the hand and a clean Eiswein,” remarked Schmitges, “than to have gone for higher degrees Oechsle in January.” I’d plan to monitor this, but it might well be worth following for more than two decades. Andreas Schmitges worked with a combination of spontaneous fermentation and judicious yeasting to render his dry wine-dominated 2008 collection, one which struck me as somewhat short-changing the vintage’s inherent virtues. An example of this is his decision to chaptalize his Riesling Grauschiefer up to 13% for the sake of stylistic continuity.Importers include: Dee Vine Wines, San Francisco, CA tel. (877) 389-9463; Ewald Moseler Selections, Portland OR tel. 888 274 4312; Magellan Wine Imports, Centennial, CO (720) 272-6544