Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Mosel, Germany

澤巴赫塞爾廷仙境園雷司令干型小房酒

點(diǎn)擊次數(shù)：2443

The 2007 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett trocken is in Selbach’s words “the brother of the halbtrocken Kabinett” that has long been so successful in his hands. “I’m wondering whether I shouldn’t start singling out the parcel name on the label, because Himmelreich is such a large site, and this steep, stony portion of it is special.” He worries (although I can taste no reason!) that the quality of this year’s halbtrocken might have suffered just a bit on account of the existence of this new wine (now in its second installment), but is confident that adjacent parcels now coming on-line will be more than sufficient to guarantee top quality in both styles. A sea breeze, apple blossom, and lemon nose signals the sort of invigoration that salt and citrus zest offer on the palate. At 11.5% alcohol (but behaving as though it had less) this is more refreshing and deftly-balanced than the 2006. A primarily herbal-mineral finish is somewhat spare but I find it very appealing. I would have no compunction about planning to play around with it at table over the next 4-6 years. The Selbach crew did some pre-selection at the end of September, leading directly into a main harvest that lasted until November 10. Johannes Selbach says he often had to find things to keep his crew occupied while waiting for what he judged the optimum moments to pick. After having been through 2006, he was determined to have everything and everybody ready should circumstances suddenly dictate haste, which of course they never did. Selbach was delighted – as a self-proclaimed defender of “true Kabinett” – to have some genuinely light-weight yet intensely-flavored wines this year, and he was the first to acknowledge that not only the prevailing weather but also the abundant crop (even allowing for thinning) helped make ripe-tasting yet relatively low must-weight Riesling possible. He notes that there was relatively little botrytis, and then late. In view of that assessment, I was surprised at the extent to which this year’s Spatlesen evinced evidence of it. As for the dry and nearly-dry wines in this year’s collection, “it’s like a homecoming,” remarks Selbach, “to get back to wines with stuffing but that are sleek, anything but heavy, and inviting of the next sip.”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.