Turning one into three
Kilian Schmitges' three-barrel experiment
11 January 2024
Werner Elflein
Photo: weinfreaks.deMosel winemaker Kilian Schmitges from Erden embarked on an unusual experiment in autumn 2016, distributing the grapes from his best dry Riesling evenly across three different containers. What makes it special: In addition to a steel tank and an oak barrel, a granite barrel was also used. While the three wines (labelled Steel, Stone and Wood) were still very similar in the first year after bottling, they now reveal significant differences as they mature. Initially, the stainless steel version was ahead of the granite version, but with the appropriate time lag, we have a completely different ranking.
The stone barrel made from a nine-tonne block of granite weighs a good still weighs a good two tonnes with the lid. While granite barrels are already are already used more frequently in Austria, they are almost unknown in Germany. Kilian Schmitges was given the opportunity to try out the 15000 euro barrel for a year.
The expectations were high. “Granite goes very well with Mosel Riesling, there's nothing more natural than stone,” says Schmitges. “Just as the barrique barrel imparts its unmistakable flavour to the wine, the granite barrel is now intended to emphasise the minerality in the wine.”
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk.
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I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong. It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.
The wines at a glance
Symbols
| ⧛ | The rating of the wine reflects the mean value from a tasting by our jury. |
| ⚖ | The wine was evaluated in a blind tasting. |
| ⛬ | The wine was tasted as a barrel sample or before an official test number (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer or Staatliche Prüfnummer) was issued. |
| ▲ | The wine exhibited a sensory abnormality during our tasting. This does not necessarily have to be a qualitative defect or a wine fault. In the case of a qualitative impairment, a devaluation or rejection was made depending on the type and severity of the defect or wine fault. |
Schmitges
Hauptstraße 24
54492 Erden
Germany
Phone: +49 6532 2743
Fax: +49 6532 3934
Internet: www.schmitges-weine.de
E‑mail: info@schmitges-weine.de
WinewhitedryRiesling
2016 Erden Treppchen Riesling Steel Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2582071 19 17 • 12.5 % alcohol
WinewhitedryRiesling
2016 Erden Treppchen Riesling Stone Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2582071 18 17 • 12.5 % alcohol
WinewhitedryRiesling
2016 Erden Treppchen Riesling Wood Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2582071 17 17 • 12.5 % alcohol