Schmid’s 2007 Riesling vom Urgestein Bergterrassen smells of mint and lemon zest that segue pungently into a brisk palate marked also by peach fuzz and persimmon. Just opened, it is a bit reductive, and loaded with CO2. A bottle open for a day was a bit less brusque and severe, but it seems (comparing with last year’s showing) that this is simply a rather ornery if impressively-concentrated cuvee. Will it benefit from time in bottle, perhaps even short term, I wonder? A formidably-concentrated, but also rather severe, bitter, and warm Riesling from the upper reaches of the Pfaffenberg also left me with concerns. Josef Schmid – son of the eponymous Schmid for whom the winery is named – did not score quite the number of successes this year that had come to my attention from 2006. But visiting with him made clear the passion with which he is pursuing quality, and which is resulting in some excellent values. Nearly all of the 2007s here were rather tight and reductive last summer, so they may well all benefit short term from time in bottle.Importer: Weygandt-Metzler Importing, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800