10 things you should know about Egon Müller

In Germany, Egon Müller's wines are still considered an insider tip, while internationally they have long since become legends. And for good reason. After all, the 2003 Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese went under the hammer at an auction in 2015 for a whopping 12,000 euros. 12,000 euros per bottle, mind you! Which makes this TBA the most expensive wine in Germany.

Who is behind such legendary wines? What actually makes them so special? And can ordinary mortals afford Egon Müller's wines? Let's take a look at all these questions!

1. Is Egon Müller a winemaker or a winery?

Both! However, both winegrower and winery have a suffix to their names. Egon Müller IV has been running the Egon Müller - Scharzhof winery in the tranquil village of Wiltingen on the Saar since 1991. The estate was founded back in 1797, when a Müller ancestor took over the vineyards from a local monastery during the aftermath of the French Revolution. The estate was initially called Bien national, but was then renamed Scharzhof by Egon Müller I - named after the Scharzhofberger vineyard, where the family still owns the best plots totalling seven hectares.

It was Egon Müller III who laid the foundations for the high wine qualities after the Second World War, which his son Egon Müller IV then perfected to such an extent that the wines are now among the most sought-after growths in the world. Incidentally, there is also an Egon Müller V, who is currently growing up. The consistent passing on of the name alone shows how important tradition is to Egon Müller.

2. What is so special about Egon Müller's wines?

It is a real rarity to find a winery whose wines the world licks its fingers at - and which only real wine connoisseurs at home know about. Internationally, it has long been recognised that Egon Müller's noble sweet Prädikat wines in particular are of an incredibly high and long-lasting quality. In Germany, however, people still prefer dry white wines. And eh! These terribly old-fashioned labels! And then Saar instead of Mosel! If you don't know a bit about it, you won't even discover this great treasure trove of flavour.

Quite apart from the fact that it's not exactly part of the German mentality to want to spend a lot of money on a wine. However, the wines that are meticulously handcrafted at the Scharzhof have their price - and this price consistently bypasses the mainstream. Fortunately for all connoisseurs, the winery only produces 80,000 bottles a year. Some of these are sold out before they even reach the market. Which brings us to another speciality. Egon Müller IV does not vinify his wines in a standardised way. He doesn't bring them onto the market after so many months, but only when they taste "ready to enjoy" to him. So it can happen that a vintage remains in the wine cellar for a long time, while the successor can already be bought.

3. How did it come about that the most expensive wine in Germany comes from Egon Müller?

Since September 2015, the name Egon Müller has also become better known in Germany when it comes to wine. Back then, he briefly dominated the press in his home country. What had happened? His Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 2003 went under the hammer at the annual auction of the VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates) for the incredible price of 12,000 euros. Per bottle. Plus 5% auction fee and 19% VAT. Which meant that a 0.75 litre bottle actually cost a whopping 14,994 euros! Within minutes, this Trockenbeerenauslese became the most expensive German wine of all time. And that was worth a headline or two even in the wine's home country.

Incidentally, the Trockenbeerenauslese could have been even more expensive. Egon Müller IV released 18 bottles for the auction. When he realised how quickly the bids were rising, he made four more bottles available at the bidding price of 12,000 euros in order to cap the price. A customary procedure - even if not for such a high sum. Egon Müller's noble sweet wines always attract very high bids at auction. However, such a high price was and still is unique.

4. Why is the Scharzhofberger vineyard so famous?

Since this legendary auction in 2015 at the latest, many German wine lovers have also become familiar with Scharzhofberger in Wiltingen, which is classified by the VDP as a Großes Lage. It is the most famous single vineyard in Germany and is known above all for its extremely high-quality Rieslings. Scharzhofberger is particularly characterised by its unique soil. Nowhere else on the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer is the grey and reddish slate as weathered as here. The proportion of rock is a high 70%. The fine soil is clayey-silty with a crumbly structure - the reddish colour of the slate is due to the inclusion of iron.

The Scharzhofberger site lies quietly like a wooded table mountain to the east of Wiltingen in a cross valley of the Saar that is open to the wind. Its slopes face south and south-east, in the west also slightly south-west. The slopes are 30 to 60% gentle to steep and lie between 190 and 310 metres above sea level. The site covers 28 hectares. The microclimate is rather cool due to the wind, with sometimes large temperature fluctuations - which particularly favours the production of fine, fruity wines. There is a heat-retaining hollow in the centre of the site. The wooded mountain ridge ensures the water supply. Riesling in particular is at its best in these terroir conditions.

5. Does Egon Müller also cultivate other vineyards?

The Große Lage Scharzhofberger is the centrepiece of Egon Müller's legendary growths. All of the estate's iconic wines come from here, without exception. However, in addition to the seven hectares in Scharzhofberger, Egon Müller IV also cultivates a further 6.5 hectares in Kupp and Braune Kupp in Wiltingen. Here, too, there is a speciality, as both are also classified as VDP "Große Lagen". Although the wines produced here are also among the best in Germany, they are not quite as famous as their brothers from the Scharzhofberg. Fun fact: Although Egon Müller's entire vineyard area belongs to the VDP's Großes Lagen, he does not vinify a single Großes Gewächs. This is because they have to be completely dry. However, Müller's Rieslings all shine with a certain residual sweetness.

6. Does Egon Müller produce other grape varieties besides Riesling?

Egon Müller IV's father still cultivated other white grapes such as Müller-Thurgau in addition to Riesling. And he did so for purely pragmatic reasons. In the 1950s and well into the 1980s, it was not a matter of course for Riesling to ripen reliably on the Saar. Other grape varieties were absolutely necessary to provide economic security for particularly cool years. When Egon Müller IV took over the business in 1991, he successively ripped out all other grape varieties and planted only Riesling. In the meantime, all vineyards are planted 100% with Riesling.

7. Does Egon Müller only produce noble sweet wine

It is without question the noble sweet Prädikat wines such as Auslese, Beerenauslese and of course Trockenbeerenauslese that have made the Egon Müller - Scharzhof wine estate famous. These wines shine with their incredible longevity and deep complexity. The same also applies to the other Prädikat wines. It is therefore no wonder that Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese from the Scharzhofberger vineyard also have a large fan base - and are correspondingly expensive. Egon Müller's Eiswein is not noble sweet, but nevertheless belongs to the German Prädikat wines. This wine is also a small legend and destined for eternity. Müller also produces a simpler Riesling quality wine from his young vineyards.

8. How does Egon Müller vinify his wines?

Anyone who has had the honour of visiting the cellar of the Egon Müller - Scharzhof winery will be amazed. Instead of high-tech and state-of-the-art equipment, you will only find traditional tools. Because anyone who is as committed to tradition as Egon Müller IV concentrates exclusively on the essentials when it comes to vinification. Modern cellar manipulations to influence the wines in a certain direction simply do not take place here. Müller also places great value on manual labour, not only in the cultivation of his vineyards, but also in the wine cellar. This allows each wine to fully develop its own unique character.

9. Is Egon Müller exclusively a VDP member?

It is the legendary VDP grape eagle that is emblazoned on the capsule of every Egon Müller wine. The winery is one of the most important members of the association. However, Egon Müller has also been accepted into the illustrious circle of Primum Familiae Vini (First Families of Wine). This association was founded in 1993 by Miguel Torres and Robert Drouhin with the aim of enabling the world's best winegrowers to network and exchange ideas. And only winegrowers from family-run wineries! Primum Familiae Vini has just 12 members. In addition to Torres and Drouhin, other members include Château Mouton-Rothschild, Antinori, Vega Sicilia and Champagne Pol Roger. The Egon Müller - Scharzhof winery is the only German member.

10. Can ordinary people afford Egon Müller wines?

12,000 euros for a Trockenbeerenauslese, 3,300 euros for an Eiswein - few people can afford such prices for a wine. Even a Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett costs well over 100 euros. And that's just the entry into the world of German Prädikat wines! It's definitely worth the investment - your palate will be eternally grateful.

The typical Müller style is not only to be discovered with the Prädikat Rieslings from the Scharzhofberg. The Riesling Kabinett from the Wiltlinger Braune Kupp, for example, costs a little under 60 euros - and is also a great pleasure. However, if you absolutely must have a wine from the legendary Scharzhofberger, then it is worth taking a look at the Riesling quality wine. You can even get it from us for less than 50 euros in the current vintage. So you don't have to plunder your bank account to get to know Egon Müller's wines. Although we understand all too well those who do anyway.