WTN: '05 Selbach-Oster Schlossberg Riesling Auslese Schmitt

[David M. Bueker]

This wine from a specific parcel of the Zeltinger Schlossberg epitomizes the classic Mosel virtues of flavor without weight, fruit melded to stone & starting with rich sweetness but finishing dry. Absolutely delicious wine. It was very hard to limit myself to a glass (after dinner) because the wine was so refreshing. Auslese does not always mean rich and heavy - in fact it rarely means that.

Sounds great. Is this the one where the grapes are not individually picked? Is there a Schmitt and a not Schmitt (i.e., handpicked)?

[David M. Bueker]

The 'Schmitt' auslese is a block picking of an entire parcel of the Zeltinger Schlossberg that was formerly known as 'Schmitt.' The grapes are all harvested (minus any damaged/compromised fruit) at one time regardless of the specific oeschle level of a particular bunch of grapes. So you get some yellow grapes, some green-gold grapes, some grapes with botrytis, etc. It makes for a lovely and complex wine. There is also a Zeltinger Schlossberg Auslese** of the same vintage in my cellar that was done as a selective picking instead of block picking.

Both wines (indeed all the Selbach-Oster wines) are hand picked, as any tractor on those sloped would topple, roll down to the bottom of the slopes, destroy many vines, hit a few people and splash into the Mosel, thus creating a tsunami somehwere around Brauneberg.

Do yourself a favor and do not miss the 2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese 'Schmitt.' It's one of the best wines of the vintage in my opinion.

Got it (the explanation), and will do (the purchase).

The tractor rolling downhill would make a good scene for M. Hulot's Holiday in the Mosel.