2007 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett

RJonWine.com

• By Richard Jennings
  9/6/2009, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 91 points

  (Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett) Light yellow color; stone fruit, peach nose; tasty, tart peach, nectarine, green and yellow apple palate with spritz; medium finish

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  8/18/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (WEHLENER KABINETT Selbach-Oster) 2007 Selbach-Oster Dear Friends, This is one of the more anticipated portfolios to be released in 2008 and the accolades have already become somewhat redundant. The fact remains that Johannes Selbach has elevated his namesake winery to such a level that most of the other Mosel properties are gunning for second place. One can argue this point ad finitum and there are certainly other individual wines from other producers that are as good or better in 2007, but pound for pound almost every effort from Johannes seems to be just a little more complete than everyone else's (and nearly everyone else made top-level if not outstanding 2007's). I'm not sure how he's done this but only Johannes can boast this level of quality with such a diverse array of wines. I've been touting 2007 as a vintage since last fall and it was obvious that something special was in the air just from the smiles shared throughout the region. The smiles were different in 2005, they were more brooding, more serious smiles - in 2007 they are as pure and unencumbered as the first ray of sunlight promising the world to a new day. One after another, the vintners referred to the vintage as one that restored their faith in what German Riesling is all about (and specially the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer). The portfolio are light, reflective and piquant but oh-so complete, dreamy and stony in the same mouthful. 2007 was a true Kabinett and Spatlese vintage (like 2001) with one terrific result after another in the low pradikat ranges (what most of us drink on a regular basis). The last 5-6 vintages have seen too many examples that could be confused for Del Monte pineapple syrup and that is not what the Mosel is going for. Maybe mother nature has adjusted her treatment of this area but, every once in a while, a vintage will still come around that makes you exhale in delight - 2007 was that vintage. Before we get to today's offer, I urge all of you to experiment with the entire 2007 portfolio from Selbach-Oster, not just this wine - purchase the portfolio from anyone out there with solid provenance. Terry Thiese and Skurnik do a great job importing many of the wines (they do not carry the whole range) and Terry's verbiage on Selbach-Oster are worth reading carefully. Of all the German estates from every region he imports, Selbach-Oster was his "producer of the year" for the 2007 vintage - not a shock to me at all. Johannes simply performed like Tiger Woods with the vintage and the game was over early. To learn more about German wine in general, the various regions of Germany and for Terry's assessment on all of his producers in 2007 (including the 2007 Selbach-Oster portfolio), please see: http://www.skurnikwines.com/msw/documents/GermanCatalog2008final_opt_000.pdf Not only is this resource invaluable, but it gives a good comparative analysis of one producer and their relation to another (yes, he needs to sell the wines but his judgment is only swayed by his passion - not dollars. The 2007's are not going to need a lot of marketing, they are going to sell themselves). ...which brings us to today's offer - our annual foray into Wehlener and in 2007 I think more than a few of you will be interested. While you are not going to find information about this in Terry's assessment (the wine is primarily held for the European market - little if any comes to the US for retail), you can insert the Wehlener anywhere you want in his write-up and elevate the verbiage to a very high degree. Not since 2001 has a Wehlener Kabinett had this level of dramatic site-reflection and even Manfred Prum will have his hands full competing with this. It has everything one could ask for in a Mosel Kabinett....except a cheap price. It is expensive by Kabinett standards but it is also very rare and in 2007 I have no problem with the price. EXTREMELY LIMITED ONE SHIPMENT ONLY (only 40 cases for the entire US and little if any for retail): 2007 Selbach-Oster Wehlener-Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Germ9340