Selbach Oster
Today, Johannes Selbach and his wife Barbara, with the increasing help of son Sebastian, manage their vineyards and winery with passion and respect for the estate's long held traditions. 50% of their 21 hectares of vines are on their original rootstocks, in Zeltinger Himmelreich, Schlossberg, and Sonnenuhr; Wehlener Sonnenuhr; and, Graacher Himmelreich and Domprobst. These vineyards of weathered Devonian slate are on a steep, contiguous slope facing south-south west and represent some of the most prestigious sites in all of the Middle Mosel. The Selbach family's heritage in the wine business dates to 1660: Selbach's ancestors shipped wines down the Mosel in their own ships, the wine carried in oak barrels made by cooper Matthias Oster, the great-grandfather on the paternal side of the family. Thus, the winery developed as both a top estate producing some of the region's best wine, and also as a négociant and brokerage firm, consolidating the production of smaller growers.
Johannes, like his late father Hans, has continued the use of traditional oak fuder in his cellar, bringing in new large casks every few years. Vinification is carried out in a combination of fuder and stainless steel, in an hands-off manner with no fining, and predominantly with wild yeasts. The focus is on meticulous work in the vineyard with the aim to produce and bring home perfect fruit. "Selbach aims for a typical modern Mosel style, which reflects the minerality of the rocky Devonian slate soils, as well as the elegance and finesse of the Riesling fruit in clear, crisp, elegant, low-alcohol, yet full-flavored handcrafted wines," says Stephan Reinhardt, in The Finest Wines of Germany.
The hallmark of the estate are 3 old parcels that Selbach-Oster harvests en-bloc; or, as single pickings, with no selections pulled from the vineyard prior to harvesting. The Rotlay (in the Zeltingen Sonnenuhr, rich in iron ore), the Schmitt (in the Zeltingen Schlossberg), and the Anrecht (in the Zeltingen Himmelreich) are all old parcels high on their respective slopes and post trained on their original rootstock. Typically, Auslese is selected by successive passes through the vineyard--picking fruit for Kabinett and Spätlese first and leaving the healthiest berries on the vine to concentrate. For the en-bloc wines selection of this type is avoided, in order to maintain a holistic flavor profile that contains that of ultra-ripe grapes, optimally ripe, and of lesser-ripe ones which has the ability to reflect a complete terroir of both place and moment. Because his approach in winemaking is minimal, Johannes Selbach will allow his wines to ferment naturally, as slow or as complete as manifest, resulting in dry wines in some vintages and fruity in others.
Vineyard area: 21 hectares
Annual production: 13,300 cases
Vineyard holdings:
Zeltingen – Himmelreich, Schlossberg
Sonnenuhr (all blue Devonian slate)
Wehlen – Sonnenuhr (blue Devonian slate)
Graach – Himmelreich, Domprobst (both blue Devonian slate with a layer of loam underneath)
Bernkastel – Badstube (blue Devonian slate)
Selbach-Oster Spatlese Zeltinger Schlossberg 2018
$24.95 $32.00
Wine Advocate 93 "The 2018 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese is intense and clear on the deep, fragrant, stony-mineral nose. Dense and structured on the palate, with
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2017
$17.95 $20.80
60e
Germany » Zeltingen-Rachtig
Wine Advocate 92 "Predominantly from the Zeltinger Himmelreich, the 2017 Riesling Kabinett is bright and subtle on the ripe, fruity, slightly mineral and herbal, very elegant
Selbach-Oster Zeilting Schmitt Riesling 2016
$45.95 $60.80
Wine Advocate 97 "The 2016 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese "Schmitt" (AP 24 17) is a very clear, fresh and precise on the nose, with very fine
Selbach-Oster Spatlese Zeltinger Schlossberg 2017
Wine Advocate 94 "The 2017 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese is clear and earthy on the nose that displays a very fine and flinty aroma of golden-yellow
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2016
James Suckling 90 "Prototypic Selbach-Oster kabinett with a medium-dry balance and fresh apple and cassis notes. Drink any time during the next five years. Publish Date:
Selbach Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Halbroc 2016
James Suckling 91 "This has the imprint of the sun and shadow, the rain and hot slate stones of the Mosel vineyards in it. A delicate
Selbach-Oster Spatlese Zeltinger Schlossberg 2016
James Suckling 94 "A juicy and salty wine from this seriously underrated top site. How can a wine be this succulent and filigree? It tastes weightless
Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnen Riesling Kabinett 2016
James Suckling 94 "Super-cool and super-delicate wine with great depth and wonderful balance. A blast of freshness that makes most white wines seem like yesterday's news.
Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonneh Riesling Auslese 2015
Wine Advocate 95 "The 2015 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese is very clear, fine and fresh on the nose, which indicates a pretty pure and stony/mineral character.
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2015
Wine Advocate 92 "The 2015 Riesling Kabinett is super pure, fine and smoky on the nose, a classic Mosel Riesling that shines and attracts, and is
Selbach-Oster Auslese* Zeltinger Riesling 2015
Wine Advocate 96+ "The 2015 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese * is super clear and flinty on the nose, with smoky/dusty flavors of crushed stones and very
Selbach Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Halbroc 2015
Wine Spectator 93 WS TOP 100 2017 Rank 95 "Pungent, with aromas of slate and ripe orchard fruit, this sleek white displays complex flavors of flowers, peach,
Selbach 'Incline' Riesling 2015
Wine Information: The Selbach ‘Incline’ was produced by Johannes Selbach to simply outshine all Mosel Rieslings at, or near, its price point. The name
Selbach Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Halbroc 2014
Wine Advocate 91 "From 30-year-old vines in the filet of the cru, and bottled with 16 grams of residual sugar, the 2014 Zeltinger Himmereich Riesling Kabinett
Selbach 'Incline' Riesling 2014
Wine Spectator 89 "Fresh-tasting, with snappy green apple and ripe citrus flavors flanked by plenty of savory and herbal notes. Lemon drop accents show on the
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2014
ZELTINGER SONNENUHR: is the Premier Grand Cru. Slate, lime, apple, butter-vanilla, rich, almost chewy earthiness, great depth. Some parcels are prized by locals as the
Selbach-Oster 'Anrecht' Zeltinger Himmel Riesling 2013
Wine Advocate 93+ "Bright and aromatic on the nose, the pale yellow 2013 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Anrecht reveals clear grapefruit, lemon and lime aromas on the
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2013
" ZELTINGER SONNENUHR: is the Premier Grand Cru. Slate, lime, apple, butter-vanilla, rich, almost chewy earthiness, great depth. Some parcels are prized by locals as
Selbach 'Incline' Riesling 2013
Wine Spectator 90 "Rich and expressive, offering a firm structure to the dried peach, apricot and pear sauce flavors, with notes of honeysuckle. The plush finish
Selbach-Oster 'Zeltinger Sonn' Riesling Spatlese 2013
Wine Advocate 92+ "As the dry wine, the sweet 8.5% alcohol 2012 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese is more delicate and subtle on the nose compared to
Selbach-Oster Riesling Spatlese 2013
Wine Spectator 92 "Offers a minerally aroma, with suave flavors of ruby grapefruit, lemon curd and green peach that show an underlying raciness. Deeply spiced on
Selbach-Oster "Zeltinter Sonn" Riesling Spatlese* 2012
Vinous Media 91 "Lovely floral, peach and hazelnut aromas, with a twist of acacia blossom. Delicate apricot on the palate, enlivened by a bracing citrus character.
Selbach Oster 'Rotlay' Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Ries 2012
International Wine Cellar 93 "Golden yellow. Lovely floral, peach and clove aromas are complicated by a dash of nut oil. Unctuous, creamy apricot flavor is lifted
Selbach-Oster 'Zeltinger Sonn' Riesling Spatlese 2012
Wine Advocate 92+ "As the dry wine, the sweet 8.5% alcohol 2012 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese is more delicate and subtle on the nose compared to
Selbach-Oster Kabinett Riesling 2011
"Acidity shows; it’s a bit steel-toed this vintage. In some ways this occupies the place normally occupied by the Himmelreich Halbtrocken – consider switching over!