Global warming ??? The question is not whether or not we are experiencing global warming. The question is how much it is affecting us and whether we should start adapting to the warmer climate that seems to have established itself in our "cool "climate zone.

The record temperatures in Europe this year have been widely broadcast and televised around the globe so there is no need to elaborate on the record heat we experienced this year. Suffice to say we had a very early and, at the same time, very warm spring, early bud break, early flowering (under perfect conditions) and a very hot summer on the Mosel with very little rain and only a few cool days. By the end of July, the grapes were softening and at the end of August one could already taste some flavour in the Riesling grapes.

Moisture throughout the summer - and fall - arrived by means of single thunderstorms or an occasional day or night of rain. Thunderstorms tend to be local so some villages/slopes were better off than others. Generally speaking, the "lesser", i.e. cooler vineyards with deeper soils had a better water supply, hence the vines were a little less stressed than those in the better, steeper, more south facing slopes with their dry, heat retaining, rocky soils causing heavy stress . As a result, the heat related losses all occurred in the steepest and hottest vineyards with a considerable number of sunburnt grapes (either partially or wholly affected, i.e. shrivelled berries interspersed into otherwise healthy bunches or complete bunches dried up like straw).

A new phenomenon occurred in the warmest and driest parts of the steep slopes which challenged our pickers during the harvest: Single vines or small clusters of vines within a given location had grapes that looked golden and seemed perfectly healthy, but didn't actually have much flavour ( and significantly less sugar than the other vines in the same vineyard! ). Since we pick only by hand, we could sort those grapes out, doing this either in a special selection run prior to our "regular" harvest or by sending a small screening team in front of the larger crew who picked the good grapes in a particular section of the slope.

The harvest began very early this year: We picked a few grapes on September 25th to see how sugar, acidity and flavour were and, because everything signalled "ripe", went ahead with a small crew on September 29th, (earliest ever). We had learned from past experience (2000 and 2002) not to bank on "perfectly" dry conditions to pick botrytis since the weather can change quickly and "steal" the famous icing from the cake. That's why we spent the first ten days combing through our vineyards, gathering what little botrytis had developed. It reminded us of the ancient times of hunters and gatherers as a large band of people roamed through the vineyards, going from vine to vine, collecting small amounts of botrytised berries. At the end of the day, the "bounty", small as it was, was hand selected again at home. The result was exciting: it was the most pure and clean botrytis I have experienced in my career so far (incl. 1976 where it was "fatter" and more unctuous).

The harvest began very early this year: We picked a few grapes on September 25th to see how sugar, acidity and flavour were and, because everything signalled "ripe", went ahead with a small crew on September 29th, (earliest ever). We had learned from past experience (2000 and 2002) not to bank on "perfectly" dry conditions to pick botrytis since the weather can change quickly and "steal" the famous icing from the cake. That's why we spent the first ten days combing through our vineyards, gathering what little botrytis had developed. It reminded us of the ancient times of hunters and gatherers as a large band of people roamed through the vineyards, going from vine to vine, collecting small amounts of botrytised berries. At the end of the day, the "bounty", small as it was, was hand selected again at home. The result was exciting: it was the most pure and clean botrytis I have experienced in my career so far (incl. 1976 where it was "fatter" and more unctuous).

Around 16th October, the weather changed to cooler nights and more relief for the heat-stressed vines. During the early morning hours of 23rd October the temperature - unexpected-ly and unseasonably early - dipped well below freezing and in some isolated, low-lying "cold pockets", froze some of the grapes, enabling us to make a small amount of Eiswein in the Zeltinger Himmelreich, resembling a bit the '01 Zeltinger Himmelreich Eiswein" junior "( I happened to be at the "wrong" place, pouring at the Critics Choice Tasting, New York Wine Experience, and heard the good news from my father over the phone...).

That frost also took out the foliage and the beautiful green & golden scenery on the slopes yielded to an unseasonably early brown. With the grapes super ripe, more sugar production by means of photosynthesis wasn't really needed any more but the concentration of flavour went on via dehydration in the bright, cooler days and nights that followed. The next week brought three wet days from the 28th on and this brought fears of a change in the "big" weather patterns with our best grapes still unpicked! This year, however, we were lucky: The grapes remained in good shape and the moisture in the ground yielded fog the next several mornings, helping some botrytis to develop. The rest of the harvest went smoothly although the many different selections, the varying waiting times in the mornings (until the fog had lifted and the grapes were dried by the sun) drained energy and "worked" on the nerves after already four weeks of crawling through the steep slopes. The last grapes , except those we left on the vines for "real" Eiswein (they are still hanging, some in Zeltingen and some in Bernkastel, wrapped in foil against wind, weather and hungry furry and feathered beasts), were picked on 11th November.

What did we harvest? Ripe and super ripe grapes, mostly healthy. Some botrytis but nowhere as abundant in quantity as in 1989 or 1976 or even 1995 though truly fine (by the very meaning of that word ) in quality and concentration.

Technically, everything was of Spaetlese, even more so of Auslese grade, necessitating generous downgrading in order to have some Kabinett (or QbA). Ripe flavours, relatively soft acidity ( reminiscent again of 1976 ) will make 2003 generous, rich and comparatively round wines with potentially much appeal to many consumers. It is difficult for me to draw an aromatic analogy to any of the vintages of the past 20 years and, before I have taste "finished" wines (which we don't have while I am writing this) I'd rather wait than create wrong expectations. 2003 will definitely yield many "big" wines and I suspect we will have some excellent "trocken" Rieslings as well as super sweet "stickies" from the Mosel this year (we made more than one BA and TBA ).

2003 will certainly make a big blip on the radar...and... with all the praise lavished on the already now famous 2003 vintage I have to remind myself that high sugars, high alcohol and all those "records" certainly make for nice press releases but shouldn't be the main parameters by which to judge a wine or a whole vintage.

What to buy? Friends of delicate, elegant wines should not overlook the 2002s over the certainly excellent 2003s while they'02s are still available. Lovers of botrytis wines and rich wines altogether will have a bounty of excellent 2003s to chose from. The light, "easy" wines for everyday enjoyment, where Riesling makes you thirstier with every sip you take, will become more scarce. Above all we are excited and encouraged by the still growing interest in the great noble Riesling and 2003 will certainly fire the excitement!

Wishing you, your family and friends peaceful and quiet holidays, a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year I remain sincerely yours,

Johannes Selbach

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