文 David Allen MW 編、譯 張?zhí)裎?

我最喜歡的葡萄酒是來自德國摩澤爾、薩爾州或伍瓦透產(chǎn)區(qū)的雷司令。如果只能被迫選一種，我會選擇薩爾州產(chǎn)區(qū)，那里涼爽的風(fēng)會減緩葡萄的成熟速度，釀出的葡萄酒很精致，味道馥郁，酸度誘人，既美味又經(jīng)得起陳年。

My favorite wines are Rieslings from Germany s Mosel, Saar or Ruwer regions. If forced to select just one I would choose the Saar, where cool winds slow ripening, producing grapes with fine, intense flavors and zingy acidity - combing delicacy with longevity.

沙茲堡山坡靠近維爾廷根鎮(zhèn)，是薩爾州產(chǎn)區(qū)主要的葡萄園，被歸為德國列級莊之列，朝南的山坡生產(chǎn)著一部分德國品質(zhì)最杰出、最優(yōu)雅的雷司令。伊貢h 慕勒酒莊是頂級生產(chǎn)商，其頂級酒款在年度VDP拍賣會上常會獲得最高價格，這無疑是德國最昂貴、最受追捧的葡萄酒之一。

伊貢是一個高大、苗條、優(yōu)雅的男人，他的頭頂圓圓的，身板很直，帶著輕松的微笑并富有幽默感。幾年前，我與一群侍酒師在維爾廷根拜訪過他。在爬上葡萄園后，我們回到了伊貢家里。沙茲堡是一座位于山腳下的大型巴洛克式農(nóng)舍。我們在花園里吃了午飯，沐浴著午后的陽光開始了品鑒。

最先品鑒的酒款是伊貢在德國以外的產(chǎn)區(qū)釀造的。首先是一款來自捷克共和國貝拉酒莊的干型雷司令，這是一款狂野而強烈、清爽又有個性的葡萄酒。接著是來自阿德萊德山產(chǎn)區(qū)坎塔酒莊的雷司令，這款酒活潑純凈，有檸檬和礦物氣息，就像大多數(shù)澳大利亞的雷司令一樣。這兩款酒都很出色。后來我們加快了步伐，開始接連品鑒來自維爾廷根的酒款，包括不同年份的珍藏、晚收和精選級別葡萄酒。我們還品鑒了產(chǎn)自沙茲堡和維爾廷格博內(nèi)庫普（Wiltinger Braune Kupp）的葡萄酒，這些酒款都帶有淡淡的檸檬味、清爽的酸度，有如刀鋒般獨特的酸度。沙茲堡的葡萄酒平衡、強烈，帶有礦物氣息，博內(nèi)庫普的葡萄酒則更加柔和，沒有那么強烈。這些葡萄酒都有很好的平衡感，甜味干凈而持久。

接下來，我們品嘗了傳說中的甜型葡萄酒、令人難忘的果粒精選葡萄酒以及沙茲堡冰酒，那強烈的味道、甜度和清脆的酸度簡直讓我舌頭想要唱歌。接著是一款令人贊嘆的維爾廷格博內(nèi)庫普貴腐果粒精選葡萄酒，那精致的蜂蜜味和甜蜜感與活潑的酸橙香氣，真是完美地融合在了一起。

在我以為這場史詩般的品鑒會就要結(jié)束時，伊貢在一個陰涼處拿著個空杯子，輕松地說了句激動人心的話。他輕聲微笑著問我：“我們還有哪個年份的酒沒試過？”顯然，這看似不經(jīng)意的詢問是為了給我出個難題，既要衡量我對德國葡萄酒的了解，也要衡量我的膽量！這可是一位舉世聞名的釀酒師在問我：我們應(yīng)該喝他酒窖中的哪款酒，雖然這個機會令人難以置信，但我也必須快速作答！也許是1921年份或者1937年份？這兩款20世紀早期的葡萄酒都很不錯，但這或許太貪心了！1971年份或1976年份？不，還可以更好！我試圖故作平靜，微微聳了聳肩，回答道：“1959年份？”

幾分鐘后，伊貢帶著一瓶1959年份的沙茲堡晚收葡萄酒回來了。這款酒干凈、清新，散發(fā)著成熟的酸橙芳香，展現(xiàn)著這一著名的年份酒特有的微妙蠟質(zhì)和蜂蜜味道。它口感豐富而充盈，沒有一點沉重感。盡管它已經(jīng)在其誕生的酒窖里陳年了50多年，但狀態(tài)卻年輕得令人驚訝，我能夠得以品嘗真是個榮幸。顯然，我做了個很好的選擇? 1959年不僅是德國的傳奇年份，也是伊貢h 慕勒的誕辰年呀！

The Scharzhofberg hillside near Wiltingen, is the Saar s leading vineyard - classified Grosses Gewachs, the south-facing slope yields some of Germany s finest and most elegant Rieslings. Egon Müller is the vineyard s pre-eminent producer, his top bottlings routinely attain the highest prices at the annual VDP auction, making them indisputably Germany s most expensive and sought-after wines.

Egon is a, tall, slim, elegant man with high-domed head, an upright bearing, easy smile and great sense of humor. Several years ago, I visited him in Wiltingen with a group of Sommeliers. After climbing the vineyard, we returned to Egon s home, The Scharzhof, a substantial Baronial-style farmhouse at the foot of the hill. We lunched in the garden, then enjoyed an astounding tasting in the afternoon sun.

We started with wines Egon makes outside Germany. First a dry Riesling from Chateau Belá in the Czech Republic - a wild, intense, crisp, angular wine. Next Kanta from the Adelaide Hills - vivid, pure, limey and more mineral that most Australian Rieslings. Both were brilliant but then we stepped up a gear, trying the wines from Wiltingen - tasting consecutive vintages of Kabinett, Sp?tlesen, and Auslesen. We tried both Scharzhofberger wines and those from the Wiltinger Braune Kupp, where Egon makes the wines of the Le Gallais estate. All were pungently limey, with racy acidity that cut like a razor-sharp blade. The Scharzhofberger wines were poised, intense and mineral-natured, the Braune Kupp wines marginally softer and less intense. All were beautifully balanced, with clean, enduring sweetness.

We then tried the legendary sweet wines; stunning Beerenauslesen; a Scharzhofberger Eiswein whose pungent flavors, intense sweetness and crisp acidity made my mouth sing; next a sublime Wiltinger Braune Kupp Trockenbeerenauslese whose delicate honeyed flavors and great sweetness seamlessly enveloped vivid lime aromas.

At what I thought was the end of this epic tasting, relaxing in some shade, holding empty glasses, Egon said something electrifying. Quietly, and with a smile, asking me which vintage haven t we tried? The apparently casual enquiry aimed to put me on the spot, gauging both my knowledge of German vintages and my audacity! A world-renowned winemaker had asked me which wine from his cellars we should drink, an amazing opportunity, I had to think quickly! - Maybe 1921 or 1937? - both great early 20th century vintages - perhaps too ambitious! 1971 or 1976?... we could do better than that!... Trying to appear nonchalant, shrugging slightly I replied 1959?...

Minutes later Egon returned bearing a pristine 1959 Schazhofberger Spatelese. Clean, fresh and bursting with ripe lime aromas, displaying subtle waxy/honeyed flavors typical of this famously intense vintage. It was rich and mouth-filling, without being heavy. The wine was amazingly youthful, having aged in perfect conditions in the cellars that produced it over fifty years previously - it was a privilege to taste! Evidently I chose well, not only was 1959 a legendary German vintage, it was also Egon Müller s Birth year!