WTN: 2007 Selbach-Oster Spätleses

2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
On day one this is fine and respectable but nothing exciting. Sweet honey in the middle that may be tilting a touch heavy and dull but is saved by the mineral focus around the outside. On day two it is fresher and friskier so I like it better but I wonder if it is really worth aging. Especially since it is under screwcap. But if you like this fresh apple honey style, I suppose it is fun to drink now.

2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese
Again, sweet honey balanced by fresh minerals. But, in comparison to the Sonnenuhr this is finer with more sparkling electricity. With air the tingling lime cut and all other sorts of fun crunch come out to play and make this a more complex package that is more to my liking than the Sonnenuhr. I am very happy to drink this and there is no questioning the quality. But if I’m being strict, it doesn’t make me want to rush out and buy more. Of course it all depends how you make your judgments. Stylistic preferences and all.

2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese *
This starts off shallower, softer, and clumsier than the Schmitt, but that’s really just a function of being poured next to the Schmitt because it is pretty darn fresh and fun on its own. With air it gets firmer and gains some of the salty poise that sucks me in, although right now the Schmitt seems to sing a more complete and impressive song. Would be interesting to follow the development of these wines over time.

2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese Schmitt
I’m sensing a theme here with the honey apple sweetness and salty mineral freshness. In comparison to the Spätlese * this has more richness, more focus, and more poise to balance the succulent round drops of sweet fruit. Very nice and probably worth following but I’m not as bullish as some other posters because the mineral brown apple business is just not my favorite style. Luckily, there is more than enough great German riesling for everyone!!

Wow, as a tasting, that's really comparing (brown) apples to (brown) apples.

I was intrigued by your comment about screwcaps (is only the first Selbach under screwcap?) because, if anything, they make me feel more confident about letting the wine age without fear of premox, etc. Are you suggesting that Selbach-Oster, by bottling the first under screwcap, are sending a sign that that particular wine is not meant for aging, whereas the other three are?

What does the * signify?

[David M. Bueker]

Oswaldo - the * is a designator to distinguish between different lots of a similar wine in the same way that a gold capsule can be used.

Rahsaan - while I obviously like these wines much more than you do, you are running across my complaint about 2007 - it's not bright and focused enough. It's more about spice and evolved fruit (likely from the extreme amounts of hand time) than about lemons and limes with tonic water!

Rahsaan - while I obviously like these wines much more than you do, you are running across my complaint about 2007 - it's not bright and focused enough. It's more about spice and evolved fruit (likely from the extreme amounts of hand time) than about lemons and limes with tonic water!

Ok, I can see that. Although from the May tasting, my usual preferences for the Ruwer, Saar, and the more floral Mosels like Haag and Lieser were present and I quite liked some of those wines. Some of which bright and focused enough at the non-sticky levels to keep my interest. But, I need to taste more now that they are developing. So, given your above comment, I guess this isn't your favorite vintage of S-O?

I was intrigued by your comment about screwcaps...because, if anything, they make me feel more confident about letting the wine age without fear of premox, etc. Are you suggesting that Selbach-Oster, by bottling the first under screwcap, are sending a sign that that particular wine is not meant for aging, whereas the other three are?

You make a good point. I'm no expert on this and even though I understand that screwcaps are porous and can handle aging, for some reason I always assumed they weren't for longterm aging. Maybe because producers started using them on their lower level bottlings, which may not have been as about aging as about image. I don't know.

[David M. Bueker]

Actually I love the 2007 Selbach wines, finding some to be among their best-ever efforts, but I prefer other vintages over 2007 as a general proposition for German Riesling.

2007 was touted as an outstanding and more classical vintage with great strength at the kabinett and spatlese level. While I agree that there are many wonderful wines, I do not find them classical at all.

Thanks for the notes Rahsaan.

Not sure what is classicial anymore with global warming. Was '04 the last "classical" vintage?

I have really enjoyed the few '07s that I have had so far, particularly some of the QbAs and Kabinetts... although FWIW (I am certainly no expert) I have found some of the '06s to be amazing wines. It seems like the highs of '06 may be better than the highs of '07 but '07 is a better overall vintage? Just my $.02...

FWIW (I am certainly no expert) I have found some of the '06s to be amazing wines. It seems like the highs of '06 may be better than the highs of '07 but '07 is a better overall vintage?

There are amazing wines every vintage and even when I critique these 2007 wines I feel like we are blessed to be able to choose between so many excellent German wines across so many vintages. It's all a question of stylistic preferences and you have a lot more choice here than in other regions.

But yes, it does appear that the concept of 'classic' is changing based on weather patterns.

On day two it is fresher and friskier so I like it better but I wonder if it is really worth aging.

The screwcap shouldn't be an issue - I've had experiences with Aussie Rieslings aging quite nicely under screwcap with no adverse effects.

But I'm still not rushing out to buy any 07s to age. I've opened a lot of them so far and have found the majority too soft for my liking without the acidity I'm looking for with only a few exceptions (Selbach's Schmitt - the only wine of his I've tried this vintage, Donnhoff and Keller). They're drinking nicely young - but I don't see these as having the same balance and acid structure as the 05s and the best 04s/06s.

Chris - agree that the best 06s are freaking amazing. A lot of the wines that year are the sort of Riesling that I find ideal for my palate (really high ripeness/density of flavours, but with a ton of acidity in the best ones that IMO is missing in 07) - I've already had a number of blown-off-my-feet experiences from that vintage, and at the "Spatlese"/Auslese levels with the right producers I think there are some truly spectacular wines out there with highs as good as some of the best 05s I've had.

Agree... I had an '06 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domp. Spat that was incredible. So much going on but everything balanced perfectly by the acidity.

I like my rieslings pretty young... usually at about 10 years for the Spats... hopefully the '07s will be nicely integrated at that point. I'll try to drink some more right out of the gate though.. interesting thoughts on aging potential.