Weingut Andreas Schmitges Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Mosel, Germany

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Happily, Schmitges 10.5% alcohol 2008 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett trocken is not only much lighter but also more distinctive than his Grauschiefer bottling, and although it represents his first-picked fruit (on October 10), its site-typical orange zest, bright lemon, and sassafras do not stray into shrill or herbaceous territory. Smoke and salt tinge a lean but refined and refreshing finish. This comes from the rows, explains Schmitges, whose product was typically chosen in cask in his father’s day to become what was at that time the estate’s sole dry wine, but which the family then always left in bottle one year before enjoying at home. In the present instance, there is no need to have waited, and I would expect the results to remain delicious for at least 2-3 more years. 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

An excellent example of Schmitges’ talents is his beautifully-balanced 2007 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett trocken, a wine that expresses the typical citricity (lemon, tangerine) and herbs (sage, fennel) of the site without becoming either shrill or bitter, but instead presents a model of stuffing and extract at moderate alcohol, along with succulence, refreshment and clarity. There is a sensation in the finish hard to describe other than as “shimmering minerality.” Interestingly, this was picked the second week in October, near the beginning of Schmitges’ harvest, yet despite this, and despite coming from a relatively slow-warming parcel low-down in the Treppchen – engendering correspondingly modest grape suga – it expresses an utterly satisfying sense of ripeness. (That said, the 2006 version was less ripe or satisfying.) I would expect this to perform with versatility at table for at least 3-4 years, but cannot speak from a track record for wine of this style and quality here, since Schmitges would be the first to admit he was not performing at this level (or in precisely this style) even 3-4 years ago. Andreas Schmitges has just completed an impressive restoration of his family’s former house as a tasting room, and in viticulturally relevant respects, too, he continues to display healthy ambition, which is fortunately justified by excellent wines that keep getting even better.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.