The Selbachs’ 2008 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese one star was selectively picked with the intention of bottling as Auslese, and had not yet been bottled when I last tasted it. A ravishing nose of honeysuckle, gardenia, heliotrope, and quince leads to a creamy palate saturated with liquid floral perfume and mingled with honey, caramel, white raisin, and malt. True, this is far-gone on ripeness and ennoblement for bottling as Spatlese, but on the other hand it exhibits such delicacy and amazing lift as well as such infectious juiciness and sheer drinkability that one can understand the decision. And while the block-picked Rotlay is – to be sure – multi-layered, so in its own way is this. A saline note enhances the savor and sets off the richness of flowers, fruits, and botrytis in the finish. This should be a fantastic illustration of its site and vintage even a quarter-century from now. Johannes Selbach responded to the high energy and acidity of the 2008 vintage by giving most of the wines extra fine-lees contact and later-than-usual bottling. As a champion of (in his words) “genuine Kabinett” and “drinking wine, not trophy wine” and a resister against the encroachment of high must weights and residual sugar to which the weather in most recent vintages has left even him susceptible, Selbach was predictably overjoyed both with the refreshment, delicacy, and infectious drinkability made possible by vintage 2008, and with its preponderance of Kabinett and Spatlese. Several single-parcel, block-picked (i.e. the whole crop at once), vineyard-designated wines were essayed (that from the Anrecht – within Zeltinger Himmelreich – being new this year) although at Spatlese rather than, as usually in the past, Auslese Pradikat level. In fact, it remains Selbach’s intention to very soon remove the already small-print reference to Pradikat from these special bottlings, whose focus is intended to be entirely on reflecting terroir and vintage. (Ironically, though, the reference to the sites themselves remain in very small print, because the authorities are testy about the use of geographical designations other than those of the official Einzellagen singled-out – or, to put it more appropriately, assembled – in 1971.)There are a few regional importers of certain Selbach wines, but the majority (and those whose prices are noted above) are Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

Scents of Normandy apple cider, marzipan, lily perfume, and vanilla in the nose of Selbach-Oster 2008 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese lead to a subtly creamy, delicate, and refreshing palate. Nut oil richness and transparency to myriad nuances of – for want of a better word – mineral nature lend this complexity, and honey, white raisin, and spice reveal the element of botrytis in fruit picked later and riper than that for the corresponding Schlossberg. Here – as with that wine – the notable achievement is of a sense of lightness and clarity in a wine influenced by noble rot. I suspect this will remain seductive for 15-20 years, and might well recall a 1975 Auslese as much as it would a 1988. More obviously sweet than most of the wines in this collection, it is one I would personally be inclined cellar for the better part of a decade before even broaching. Johannes Selbach responded to the high energy and acidity of the 2008 vintage by giving most of the wines extra fine-lees contact and later-than-usual bottling. As a champion of (in his words) “genuine Kabinett” and “drinking wine, not trophy wine” and a resister against the encroachment of high must weights and residual sugar to which the weather in most recent vintages has left even him susceptible, Selbach was predictably overjoyed both with the refreshment, delicacy, and infectious drinkability made possible by vintage 2008, and with its preponderance of Kabinett and Spatlese. Several single-parcel, block-picked (i.e. the whole crop at once), vineyard-designated wines were essayed (that from the Anrecht – within Zeltinger Himmelreich – being new this year) although at Spatlese rather than, as usually in the past, Auslese Pradikat level. In fact, it remains Selbach’s intention to very soon remove the already small-print reference to Pradikat from these special bottlings, whose focus is intended to be entirely on reflecting terroir and vintage. (Ironically, though, the reference to the sites themselves remain in very small print, because the authorities are testy about the use of geographical designations other than those of the official Einzellagen singled-out – or, to put it more appropriately, assembled – in 1971.) There are a few regional importers of certain Selbach wines, but the majority (and those whose prices are noted above) are Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

Broad and almost lush for the vintage, showing peach and mango flavors, with a hint of anise. Mineral and saline elements emerge on the long finish. There's fine balance and overall harmony. Not imported into the U.S. Drink now through 2022.??–BS??Region: Germany / Mosel Select to Add