Weingut Moselschild, Erdener Prälat, Riesling Auslese

     I first encountered this bottle during a meeting with a modest German broker in the Mosel. She opened a dusty box of Riesling in classic Mosel green glass bottles, their chalk-marked codes scrawled decades earlier in the cellar—nearly all were still bare without labels. These bottles had never seen the light of day outside the old, extremely cold and dark cellar until just a few months ago when they were finally labeled, which explains the wine’s uncanny freshness and pale color that almost defies logic. She poured me through a lineup spanning 30 to 60 years, each remarkably alive. Then came the 1982 Moselschild Erdener Prälat Auslese: a revelation. Brilliantly pure, staggeringly fresh, and still on the ascent after four decades, it showed no fatigue. The residual sweetness has melted into the folds of acidity and minerality, leaving the impression of a nearly dry, taut Riesling whose razor-sharp precision feels like piano wire across the palate. This is the kind of bottle that reminds us why mature Riesling sits among the greatest sensory pleasures wine can offer—delicate in body, electric in energy, and endlessly expressive. I am still scratching my head at the price we are able to offer this wine at. All wines have just been labeled a few months ago. 

     Weingut Moselschild is no longer active today, but its reputation lingers among insiders of the Mosel. The family once held important holdings in and around Ürzig and, most impressively, an ungrafted parcel in Erdener Prälat—arguably one of Germany’s crown-jewel vineyards. The Prälat amphitheater, with its impossibly steep slate terraces, channels sunlight and warmth onto Riesling vines that cling to crumbling Devonian slate. This unique terroir yields fruit of unmatched concentration, nervosity, and longevity.

     The region itself is one of the most storied in Europe. Roughly 15 million years ago, the Mosel River carved its winding path through rising slate mountains, creating one of the steepest vineyard landscapes on the continent. Today, about 8,800 hectares of vines are cultivated, half of them on pure slate soils in shades of blue, grey, brown, and red. These rocky slopes not only impart a mineral cut to Mosel Riesling but also act as natural heat batteries, radiating warmth during cool autumn nights. Viticulture here reaches back to antiquity: Celts may have known the vines, but it was the Romans—who founded Trier in 17 BC—who planted vineyards at scale. Later, monasteries and Cistercian monks from Burgundy refined the art, establishing the Mosel’s reputation for exquisite Riesling.

     Moselschild followed the classical Mosel formula: hand-harvesting fruit from steep slopes, fermenting with ambient yeasts, and aging in Fuder (1,000L oak casks) to preserve purity and finesse. The German Prädikat system classifies wines by ripeness at harvest: Kabinett (light, delicate, gently sweet), Spätlese (late harvest, more body, sweetness, and intensity), and Auslese (select harvest, higher ripeness, sometimes botrytis, occasionally dessert-sweet). In youth, Auslese can carry over 100 g/L of residual sugar, but with decades in bottle, much of that sweetness integrates into a seamless whole. Today, this 1982 shows a near-dry impression, acidity in perfect balance, and complexity only time can deliver.

     In the glass, the wine shines with a brilliant pale 22-carat gold core, edged by hints of green-gold that exemplify its age-defying freshness. The nose is immediately captivating, layering pureed yellow peaches and green peach pit with lime oil, saffron, and the fine wet-slate minerality that defines the Prälat vineyard. With air, delicate accents of petrol and mint emerge, adding depth and intrigue. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied yet feather-light, its sweetness now nearly invisible, transformed into balance and length. Orchard fruit, citrus zest, and saline minerality unfurl in perfect symmetry, the finish stretching on with the tautness of piano wire. Despite its 40+ years, the wine tastes alive and vigorous, a testament to both vineyard and cellar. For best enjoyment, serve at 50–55°F in fine Riesling stems, easing the cork gently with a Durand or Ah-So. (That said, I’ve opened bottles with a regular corkscrew without issue—the corks are in great shape, just take your time.)

     This Auslese is not dessert wine—it is refined, elegant, and gastronomic. Pair it with sushi, Cantonese or Korean cuisine, or any nuanced flavors that don’t overwhelm with spice. One unforgettable match is a Vietnamese dish I fell in love with in Hanoi: Cha Ca La Vong (crispy turmeric-spiced fish with dill and herbs). You can use any firm white fish—halibut or Chilean seabass are perfect. Serve it with lettuce or rice paper wraps, plenty of mint and basil, and you’ll discover one of the greatest food-and-wine pairings imaginable. Invite a few favorite friends over and they will never forget the experience. Just don’t run out of Riesling!