WTN: Impressions and questions at Selbach-Oster

I made a recent visit to Selbach-Oster, whose friendly rep, Stefan, gave us a very warm introduction to the wines as well as useful info about the area. If my notes are correct, Selbach-Oster has 20 hectares and produces (almost all -98%- Riesling, with 2 percent Weissburgunder) from three Einzellagen: Himmelreich, Sonnenuhr, and Schlossberg. Stefan characterized the Schlossberg as perhaps more crisp, while Himmelreich is deeper and brighter, but then again tastes vary among people and vintages, I suppose. In terms of comparing recent vintages, I was told 2005 was great for the nobly sweet (given the botrytis), while 2006 was tough for lower prädikat wines, given problems of mold, and 2007 seemed to offer a nice balance over the whole range, with a touch more acid than 2005.

I aimed at learning the terroir differences, but given all the variation in style, prädikat, vintage, and the like, I'd need more lessons to get a sense . . .

2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Mosel Riesling Qualitätswein Trocken (12%) - nice enough nose, but tastes sharp, green, weird alcohol coming through, not appealing cava-like intensity, bottled only two months ago, but I am not hopeful, pass for 7 euro

2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Mosel Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken (11%) - nice lemon/honey simple nose, taste great acid upfront--my interest is piqued, tasty lemon drop, crisp and fruit focused, I found this very welcome and very different, my companion didn't care for it at all (we usually share similar preferences), worth a shot at less than 9 euro

2007 Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Mosel Riesling Kabinett (8.5%) - a wine from a Grosslage, not an Einzellage, if I'm not mistaken, smell a full heavy nose or orange and apple, taste sweet, simple, heavier than I perhaps desire in a Kabinett, heavier sweeter more simple

This wine brought up the question of declassification which I also raised at other producers I visited. When the tasting was being conducted in English (mein Deutsch ist nicht sehr gut), the answer I received about the pitfalls/tradeoffs/thinking behind declassification always seemed very corporate. The answer in German sounded better, but I can't guarantee I understood it!

2006 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel Riesling Spätlese (9%) - again, this one was from declassified auslese grapes, but if I remember correctly, they were barely so and not thought capable of making a 'typical' auslese - smell heavy nice nose, rich, intense, delicious, a dessert with oomph and spice, taste is delicious and it seems wonderful things are creeping around underneath, lower acid here, but things seem to work, for 12 euro this is a steal

Now Wehlen is on the other side of the river, is it not? Is this the notation used for the part of Sonnenuhr that is closer to Graach than Zeltingen or is this located somewhere else?

2003 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Mosel Riesling Spätlese (8.5%) - smell mustier nose with more sulphur, taste odd tasty multidimensional smoke, an odd herbal aged riesling thing going on, this has got to be aging really fast for some reason, function of vintage I guess, well worth drinking right now, but wouldn't hold onto it, less than 7 euro for a 375 might make a fine effort for science, but I don't think they had any left to sell

2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett (8.5%) - more intense cava-like nose here, but though sugar is not evident on nose, it is on tasting, has an odd emptiness to it, some barely existing rockiness in there, its lightness was quite welcome (ended up tasting this one last as I pressed for more info on terroir differences), I like minerals so this would be tempting for less than 9 euro

[David M. Bueker]

Keith,

Sorry I missed this until now. Been out kayaking.

The more I read your notes the more I am thinking that this is a terrible time to be sampling the newly bottled wines. I've done a significant amount of summer sampling of the new vintage, and they always taste better two to three months later (e.g. October). I actually tasted a number of the Selbach wines in NYC in June, and there were several that were stunning. So I'm pretty hopeful overall for their vintage.

The half bottle of 2003 intrigues me. I was served a half bottle of a wine at Selbach-Oster back in 2003 when I visited, and it too showed very advanced for its age. In fact identical half bottles at home showed fresher. I wonder if they keep the halves in a less than ideal spot.

Thanks again for the notes Keith,

Bernkasteler Badstube Mosel Riesling Kabinett [/b](8.5%) - a wine from a Grosslage, not an Einzellage, if I'm not mistaken

The Badstube is a mini Grosslage, but is comprised of some very good vineyards; Doktor (and Alte Badstube am Doktorberg technically), Lay, Graben, Bratenhoefchen, and Matheisbildchen (above Lay -I've never tasted it to my knowledge.)

Now Wehlen is on the other side of the river, is it not? Is this the notation used for the part of Sonnenuhr that is closer to Graach than Zeltingen or is this located somewhere else?

They (Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Zeltingen Sonnenuhr) are two distinct vineyards that border each other. The slightly bigger Wehlener is directly across the river from Wehlen. Von Kesselstatts Josephshoefer is directly on the other (east) side with Himmelreich above it -THAT'S Graacher Himmelreich, not Zeltingen Himmelreich (which is above Zeltingen!)

Confusing indeed! there are almost 60 'Sonnenberg' vineyards in Germany!

Prost!
Bill

[David M. Bueker]

They (Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Zeltingen Sonnenuhr) are two distinct vineyards that border each other. The slightly bigger Wehlener is directly across the river from Wehlen. Von Kesselstatts Josephshoefer is directly on the other (east) side with Himmelreich above it -THAT'S Graacher Himmelreich, not Zeltingen Himmelreich (which is above Zeltingen!)

Confusing indeed! there are almost 60 'Sonnenberg' vineyards in Germany!

The Graacher Domprobst lies above/next to the Josephshofer, not the Graacher Himmelreich.

Just a nit by the way, it's Zeltinger Sonnenuhr and Zeltinger Himmelreich, not Zeltingen (even though Zeltingen is the name of the village).

Hi David,

The Graacher Domprobst lies above/next to the Josephshofer, not the Graacher Himmelreich.

I think that there are two pieces of Himmelreich, one above Josephshoefer, one east of the village of Graach, with the Domprobst just east of Josephshoefer. One of the many bizarre consequences of the 1971 wine law reform.


Cheers,
Bill

Just a nit by the way, it's Zeltinger Sonnenuhr and Zeltinger Himmelreich, not Zeltingen (even though Zeltingen is the name of the village).

Of course you're right, but I believe that either is acceptable (merely for description if not labeling.)

Cheers again,
Bill

The more I read your notes the more I am thinking that this is a terrible time to be sampling the newly bottled wines. I've done a significant amount of summer sampling of the new vintage, and they always taste better two to three months later (e.g. October).

I suspect you may be right. When I visited the Mosel last year with Rahsaan and Peter Ruhrberg, the wines seemed less impressive to me at the time shortly after bottling (say April or May) than later reports I heard about the same wines. I didn't have the chance to taste the same wines again, but I believe Rahsaan did (and he'd probably chip in here if he weren't out honeymooning). I ask about this when I think to do so when visiting the producer, but it seems to be the case that those folks have followed the wine's development so closely since before bottling that they have a clearer idea of where the wine is headed--an unsavvy wine consumer like myself can have a more difficult time navigating those waters. In any case, though I won't have the opportunity to visit Selbach-Oster later in the year, I do hope to seek out opportunities to taste some of these wines again later in the fall, so I can taste and learn the difference of how such wines initially develop. It would be very educational indeed.

The half bottle of 2003 intrigues me. I was served a half bottle of a wine at Selbach-Oster back in 2003 when I visited, and it too showed very advanced for its age. In fact identical half bottles at home showed fresher. I wonder if they keep the halves in a less than ideal spot.

That is very odd. And it would be very very odd if they did store some wines in less than ideal conditions.

The Badstube is a mini Grosslage, but is comprised of some very good vineyards; Doktor (and Alte Badstube am Doktorberg technically), Lay, Graben, Bratenhoefchen, and Matheisbildchen (above Lay -I've never tasted it to my knowledge.)

Excellent, thank you Bill. New information for me, I am glad I asked.

They (Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Zeltingen Sonnenuhr) are two distinct vineyards that border each other. The slightly bigger Wehlener is directly across the river from Wehlen. Von Kesselstatts Josephshoefer is directly on the other (east) side with Himmelreich above it -THAT'S Graacher Himmelreich, not Zeltingen Himmelreich (which is above Zeltingen!

Got it. Thanks!

the wines seemed less impressive to me at the time shortly after bottling (say April or May) than later reports I heard about the same wines. I didn't have the chance to taste the same wines again, but I believe Rahsaan did (and he'd probably chip in here if he weren't out honeymooning).

Yes, not sure about general rules, but the Grünhäuser and Schaefer wines from 06 did seem to get a lot better than from our first visit, mainly because that Bombastic Botrytis calmed down. That said, some wines show well early, but clearly not all - as in my recent post on the 07 Weil Kabinett.

Honeymoon was fun, we tasted tons of Hungarian wines from Badascony and Somlói and a few were actually decent. May post notes eventually.

Honeymoon was fun, we tasted tons of Hungarian wines from Badascony and Somlói and a few were actually decent. May post notes eventually.

Good to hear. Welcome back!

Has anyone had the '07 Berkasteler Badstube Spatlese? Local retailer is offering it for $16 which sounds like a good price, but it's a bit of a drive... so if I decide to make the trip I probably need to drop for half a case at least (without tasting first). It would be useful to have some thoughts from the riesling geeks around here if it's worth the trip... fwiw, if it helps to understand my stylistic preferences, I don't mind rieslings that are a bit soft and creamy (though I love those with lots of zip as well).

[David M. Bueker]

Jim - given your comment on your preferences I would opt for a case, not a half case. 2007 has a bit of that soft creaminess & it's also a fantastic Selbach-Oster vintage. I've had a bunch of the wines in the last several months & loved them all.