Schmitt's kinder is a well known family-run winery in Randersacker. The name, Schmitt's kinder is almost a 100 years old and tells
the story of how the children of a new generation decided to work together instead of splitting up the winery in small pieces. Today the
winery is run by Renate Marie & Karl Martin Schmitt and their son is also involved in the winemaking. They own 18 hektars of land in
Randersacker - in the einzellagen Pfülben, Sonnenstuhl, Marsberg, Teufelskeller and Ewig leben (grosslage). Schmitt's kinder is a VdP-member
and member of the TRIAS-organisation.
The einzellagen in Randersacker is mostly placed in a bend in the Main, just south of Würzburg. Teufelskeller and Pfülben north of
Randersacker, Marsberg above the village and Sonnenstuhl to the south. Pfülben has a great exposition, facing south-east - south and the
ground has a higher deposit of fossils in the muschelkalk. We tasted through a wide selection of wines from Schmitt's kinder. Focusing on
the '07-vintage, but several wines from other vintages where thrown in as all '07-cuvees are not yet available.
Cuvve blanc trocken 2007
11,5% alc/vol, 3,6 g/L residual sugar, 5,9 g/L acid. Light colour. Fresh and flowery nose, clean and quite aromatic feel. Light wine in
the mouth in a refreshing and uncomplicated style. Flowery and simple fruit. Summer-drink. Good for the price. 4,80€.
Silvaner Gutswein trocken 2007
11,5% alc/vol, 3 g/L residual sugar, 5,9 g/L acid. Lightly leafy silvanerish notes on the nose. Pure and mineral hints. More subdued than the previous wine. Refreshing wine in the mouth.
Mineral style. Pure and simple. A little low concentration. Fine acidity and length. Decent. Price: 5,80€.
Randersackerer Sonnenstuhl silvaner kabinett trocken 2007
12% alc/vol, 1,8 g/L residual sugar, 5,7 g/L acid. More intensity on the nose here with a finer minerality and hints of chalk. Fullbodied silvaner kabinett in the mouth. Young, mineral
approach with good concentration. Crisp acidity and fine length. This has truly a lot of material for a kabinett. Good wine and you get a
lot for the money. 7€.
Randersackerer Ewig leben müller-thurgau kabinett trocken 2006
11,5% alc/vol, 0 g/L residual sugar, 5,1 g/L acid. Grosslage-wine. Aromatic nose with notes of flowers and spice and a hints of earth. Quite heavy style
in the mouth. Aromatic fruit. Ripe flowers and some evolvement showing. Hints of earthiness. Decent acidity - good for the vintage, keeps
some refreshments, but the taste is a little short. Fair quality. Price: 5,20€.
Randersackerer Ewig leben bacchus kabinett 2006
12,0% alc/vol, 11,9 g/L residual sugar, 5,7 g/L acid. Grosslage-wine. Vegetal, oily nose. Some flowers, slightly aromatic feel. Fullbodied kabinett in
the mouth. Slight residual sugars showing. Ripe flowers, evolved notes, vegetal, oily. Quite nice. Decent acids and quite fresh finish.
A good Bacchus. Price: 5,50€.
Randersackerer Marsberg silvaner kabinett 2006
12% alc/vol, 14,4 g/L residual sugar, 4,5 g/L acid. A more aromatic silvaner with hints of green leafs, chalk, woodland strawberries, dark
toasted bread. A little more rustic feel in the mouth with a light sweetness and lower acids. Fine fruit that shows some evolvement.
Fullbodied and chalky. Interesting. Alcohol a little noticable in the finish. Good wine. Price: 6,80€.
Randersackerer Pfülben "Weinberg Mendelssohn" riesling kabinett trocken 2007
12,5% alc/vol, 3,9 g/L residual sugar, 7,3 g/L acid. Young and lightly underripe nose. Flowery, mineral nose. Almost a slatey feel. Fine
indeed and typical '07-vintage from it's long hanging-time. Fullbodied and dry riesling kabinett in the mouth. Acidic and crisp. Mineral
style. Pure and clean. Finer depth. Young yet and needs to develop a little. Long fine citrusy taste. Very good wine.
Price: 9,40€.
Randersackerer Pfülben riesling kabinett 1987
This bottle had been opened for more than two weeks and that is probably the course of the sliht oxydation here. Golden, brownish colour.
Fine minerality and hints of dried flowers. Good depth. Also some oxydative notes and hints of caramel. Fullbodied kabinett with a light
touch of sweetness. Full of life. Hints of dried flowers, mineral, toffee. High and citrusy acidity showing on the finish. Good length.
This has aged very well and from a difficult vintage. Great wine and very fun to taste.
Randersackerer Marsberg "Spielberg" riesling spätlese trocken 2006
14,5% alc/vol, 2,8 g/L residual sugar, 7,2 g/L acid. TRIAS-wine. Riper nose with hints of tropical fruits. Some chalk. Dry and fullbodied
riesling in the mouth. The fruit is fine and interesting. Quite chalky. The acidity is decent, but the finish shows too high alcohol for me.
Good. Price: 16€.
Randersackerer Pfülben riesling trocken Grosses gewächs 2006
14% alc/vol, 4,2 g/L residual sugar, 7,3 g/L acid. TRIAS-wine. Lightly golden colour. Earthier nose with a touch of tropical fruits. Light
botrytis. Fullbodied wine in the mouth. Light fat and lots of fruit. Tropical and quite earthy and what I believe is some botrytis. Lacks
purity and focus. Medium acidity and some alcohol showing on the finish, but better balance than the Marsberg. Good.
Price: 15,90€
Randersackerer Marsberg "Spielberg" riesling spätlese trocken 2007
Bottled, but not yet for sale. Straw colour. Fruit is quite tropical, but with a fine minerality. Fullbodide spätlese in the mouth. Fine
fruit showing minerality and quite tropical fruit-notes. Fine acidity and length. Overall a fine balance with a lot better integration of
the alcohol. Very good wine.
Randersackerer Sonnenstuhl rieslaner spätlese trocken 2007
13& alc/vol, 6,2 g/L residual sugar, 7,8 g/L acid. Rieslaner is grown a lot in Franken, but most all of it is made with sweetness. So this
is a rare dry version. The nose shows rhubarb and citrus notes. Fruity and with a personality. Slight minerality. Powerful wine in the
mouth with a slight fatness. Lots of fruit. Rhubarb and kiwi-notes. But quite simple. High acidity and long citrusy taste. This is a wine
that wins for it's structure and pure fruitiness, but it lacks any depth. Good. Price: 10,80€
Randersackerer Sonnenstuhl scheurebe spätlese trocken 2006
13% alc/vol, 1,0 g/L residual sugar, 5,8 g/L acid. Another fruity nose with more tropical hints and also some earthiness. Fullbodied and
fruity wine in the mouth. Yet highly different than the rieslaner. More tropical notes and also a hint of earthiness. Not as pure style.
Also lacks a little of the refreshing character that the rieslaner had. Less acidity and shorter length. Lets try vintage 2007. Decent
quality. Price: 11,50€
Randersackerer Sonnenstuhl scheurebe spätlese trocken 2007
And here it is. Not yet released. Again a fruity nose, but not as tropical. More gooseberries, grapefruit and a minerality underneath.
Slimmer wine in the mouth with a prer more focused fruit. Gooseberries, fine minerality. Still it is a quite simple fruit with no huge
depth. Finer balance with more crisp acids and good length. Good wine and better than '06.
Randersackerer Sonnenstuhl silvaner spätlese trocken 2005
13% alc/vol, 3,9 g/L residual sugar, 4,9 g/L acid. TRIAS-wine. Vegetal nose with hints of woodland strawberries, sweet bread and chalk.
Ripe and slightly fat fruit in the mouth. Underripe flowery notes with a light tropical elements and chalk. Shows a little development and
hint of strawberries and sweet bread. Medium acidity and fine length. Very good wine. Price: 12,50€
Randersackerer Marsberg silvaner spätlese trocken 2006
14,5% alc/vol, 2,5 g/L residual sugar, 6,0 g/L acid. TRIAS-wine. Earthier nose here with a lot of chalk. Also some vegetal notes. Powerful
and quite fat silvaner in the mouth. Lots of fruit. Quite fine and clear. Typical silvanerish. Vegetal and chalk. Medium acidity. The
finish shows a little high alcohol and gives a rustic feel. Still very good wine. Price: 12,90€
Randersackerer Marsberg silvaner spätlese trocken 2007
13% alc/vol. Lightly fruity and quite aromatic silvaner on the nose. Fine mineral depth. A lot cooler than the '06. Elegant and fine
silvaner in the mouth. Dry and fullbodied with a fine balance. Fine mineral and chalky fruit. Young and some floweryness. Good length and
a fine and refreshing acidity. Great wine.
Randersackerer Pfülben silvaner trocken Grosses gewächs 2006
14% alc/vol, 4,5 g/L residual sugar, 6,2 g/L acid. TRIAS-wine. More colour here. Nose shows earthier, sweet toated bread and with fine
mineral depth. A hint of botrytis. Powerful wine in the mouth. Much fruit. Round style with sweet toasted bread and vegetal notes. Some
botrytis. The acid a little low in the balance. The alcohol a little high. Yet this is a very good wine. Price: 15,90€
Randersackerer Pfülben silvaner trocken Grosses gewächs 2007
This was bottled, but not yet for sale. TRIAS-wine. Lighter colour. In the nose this shows a very closed silvaner. Fine underripeness.
Mineral approach and some vegetal hints. Fine and elegant in the mouth. More mineral character and with some depth. But too young right
now. Fine acidity and long citrusy finish. Great wine.
Randersackerer Sonnenstuhl rieslaner auslese "S" 2003
9,5% alc/vol. Golden colour. Aromatic and sweet flowery nose with hints of rhubarb and citrus. Fullbodied and sweet wine in the mouth.
Again aromatic and fruity style. Only light botrytis. Hints of sweet flowers, like lilies, and rhubarb. Fine acidity and length. Pure
wine, but quite simple. Very good. Price: 14,80€ (37,5 cl)
Randersackerer Marsberg "Spielberg" riesling beerenauslese 2006
Straw colour. Sweet flowers, apples and citrus on the nose. More fat in the mouth with more botrytis showing. Still quite fruity BA and
fine botrytis. Fine and tempting. Medium acids and good length. A bit on the creamy side but very good. Price: 22€ (37,5 cl)
Randersackerer Sonnenstuhl scheurebe beerenauslese 2005
9,5% alc/vol. Lightly golden colour. Fine nose. Fruity, tropical and with hints of grapefruit. Medium bodied BA in the mouth in a sweet
and fruity style. Tropical and with a fine and transparent botrytis-character. Not much fatness. Fine and cleansing acidity and good
length. Citrus-notes in the finish. Good. Price: 24€ (37,5 cl)
Randersackerer Pfülben riesling beerenauslese 2005
7% alc/vol. Also quite a tropical and ripe riesling on the nose. Hints of honey, botrytis. Powerful riesling in the mouth. A little more
fatness. Fruity and ripe style with tropical notes. More botrytis, but again transparent and fine botrytis. Sweet, but with a tuned acidity
that adds structure. Great wine. Price: 35€ (37,5 cl)
Randersackerer Pfülben riesling beerenauslese 2007
Straw colour. The nose shows botrtis and honey. Young and closed. Young, rich and acidic wine in the mouth with some fatness.
Botrytis-notes, citrus and a light earthiness in the fruit. Fine acidity and long finish. Needs to open up some more of the fruit, but
this has a good potensial. Great wine on par with the '05.
Randersackerer Sonnenstuhl rieslaner trockenbeerenauslese 2006
8,5% alc/vol. Flowery nose with hints of lilies, rhubarb. Not so very intense. Rich and sweet wine in the mouth. Lots of residual sugar.
Lilies and caramel-notes in the fruit. Showing botrytis-notes. But is perhaps not giving that much. Good acidity and length. Fine sweet
wine, but not the fullest TBA and quite simple fruit. Will perhaps open up some more with time? Price: 36€ (37,5 cl).
So this ended a long tasting-session at Schmitt's kinder. The wines where generally good. To me the most interesting wines where perhaps the kabinetts
that was fullbodied and pure in style. They are truly great buys. Again there proved to be great differencies beteween '06 and '07 in
Franken. Several of the spätlesen from '06 have to much alcohol for me. The Pfülben silvaner grosses gewächs from the 2007-vintage was
perhaps to me the wine of the day. Pure silvaner with great depth and seemless structure. A great wine for the price. The sweet wines were
all good although perhaps not the most exciting sweet-wines. Prices were decent though. So my advice is to buy as much kabinetts you can from Schmitt's
kinder and keep an eye out for the '07-vintage. Especially the Pfülben silvaner GG. I also would like to say that the Schmitt-family
spent a long time with us and showed both the winery and vineyards, as well as the harvest that was going on. Lots of wines was opened and
it was one of those very nice visits. So I highly recommend anyone being in the area around Würzburg to go to Randersacker for a visit.
Arnt Egil Nordlien
Tasting note: Sep-08