Phenomenal Kabinett

S

Salil Benegal

Salil Benegal
2005 Carl Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett; bought at Table & Vine this afternoon for about $14 while I was there to grab some Burgundy. Wandered into the German aisle as usual, saw this and walked past thinking it was an '07 (which I had found a bit disappointing earlier) - then turned back as I always have second thoughts of passing on a Schmitt-Wagner, saw the vintage on the label and said "Holy shit, I need a couple of these".

This has pretty much everything I'd want in a Riesling; really bright, elegant fruit, touches of herbs, spice and minerals underneath and a lightness and refreshment that makes it really awesome to drink. I need more.
 
Interesting note. For reasons I don't recall I have a bottle of the 2002 vintage that I was thinking of checking out soonish.
 
Yeah, I can't say enough good things about Schmitt-Wagner's wines. I've not had anything at the higher pradikats, only the Kabinett and Spatlese across a handful of vintages, but I absolutely love the wines. Fantastic value (I've normally seen the Kabinett around $16 and the Spat around $20ish), and incredibly light, fresh and complex - pretty much what I look for in Mosel wines.

If you see any of the previous vintages they're worth grabbing. I didn't enjoy the 07s as much (found both a little on the soft side and the Spatlese a little awkward with some botrytis), but aside from those I've never gone wrong with those wines.

Cheers,

Salil (I'm hardly objective btw; Schmitt-Wagner's Spatlese a few years ago got me hooked onto Mosel Riesling.)
 
I have some of the oldie Schmitt-Wagner spatleses that came out in one of Terry's library releases a year or two ago. '92 and '97 if I remember right. They're ok, but just ok.
 
'92 and '97 were never all that interesting as vintages go for Schmitt-Wagner, hence the availability of library wines.

Of course it's a whole new ballgame now that Carl Loewen has taken over the estate.
 
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