far from California
One of the highlights of the trip was when the winemaker from Schmitges took us on a stroll up through the Ürziger Würzgarten vineyards in the Mosel.
Despite the ominous clouds and the steep incline of the trail, it was a wine nerd’s dream.
I’ve seen the name “Ürziger Würzgarten” on bottles of Riesling for years and being able to see it in person helped shed some light on why these bottles are so expensive.
First, check out the terroir:
yes, they're referring to rocks as soil - the famous slate of the Mosel
Next, check out how steep the vineyards are:
some sections have slopes up to 70 degrees
Here’s a typical sign you’d find in the vineyard:
the signs mark who owns the vines
If you’re lucky, you’ll own more than one row.
Here we’re getting closer:
Here’s a view from the top:
the Mosel River is in the background
Yes, we were so spoiled that the winemaker’s wife drove up and presented us glasses of wine once we got to the top:
not a good photo op for those afraid of heights
Oh, and it was single vineyard Spätlese:
sweet success!
A Thirsty Spirit 