Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese Nr21
⏳ Drinking Window
2025 - 2055
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Classic foie gras or rich duck liver pâté, artisanal blue cheeses such as Roquefort, and elegant fruit-based desserts like pear tart or apple tarte tatin.
✨ Technical Specifications
Deep in the Saar valley, a sub-region of the Mosel, lies the legendary Scharzhofberg vineyard, widely regarded as one of the greatest white wine terroirs on Earth. The estate of Egon Müller has been the custodian of this hallowed ground since 1797, preserving a winemaking heritage that dates back to medieval Benedictine monks. The Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese is crafted from late-harvested, botrytis-affected grapes grown on steep, south-facing slopes of weathered grey slate. Fermented in traditional old oak fuders using native yeasts, this wine represents the pinnacle of sweet Riesling. The 'Nr. 21' designation typically refers to a highly prized auction bottling, representing an elite selection of casks. It is celebrated for its breathtaking tension, where luscious, honeyed sweetness is perfectly counterbalanced by a laser-like, electric acidity and intense slate minerality.
🍾 About the Producer
Weingut Egon Müller-Scharzhof, established in 1797 following the secularization of monastic holdings along the Saar, stands as a paragon of classical German viticulture. Situated in Wiltingen within the cooler Mosel tributary corridor, the estate centers upon the world-renowned Scharzhofberg and Le Gallais' monopole parcel in Wiltinger Braune Kupp. These south-facing, steep amphitheaters feature weathered Devonian grey and red slate interspersed with quartzite and iron-rich veins. Viticulture follows traditional, sustainable principles emphasizing rigorous plow cultivation, absence of chemical fertilizers or herbicides, low yields, and preservation of centenarian ungrafted vines. Winemaker Egon Müller IV champions a purist, non-interventionist cellar ethos where wild yeasts, traditional neutral oak fuders, and unmanipulated fermentation dictate pace. Famed for benchmark Spätlese, Auslese, and celestial botrytized Prädikat bottlings—including world-record Trockenbeerenauslesen—the wines exude filigreed tension, soaring mineral salinity, ethereal residual sweetness, and virtually limitless longevity.