2012SelbachOsterAnrecht2012 Selbach-Oster, Riesling “Anrecht” Zeltinger Himmelreich, Mosel Germany.
Johannes Sellach’s magnificent Anrecht is easily a potential 100 Point perfect wine, this 2012 is set for a glorious future and is a top echelon wine on par with the finest white wines in the world, be they from Hermitage, Batard-Montrachet or anywhere, and without question of the most collectable Rieslings of the vintage, as well as being an amazing value. Germany in 2012 produced wines that are mind blowing, even famed importer Terry Theise can’t hide his enthusiastic thrill from this vintage, he usually maintains that all the vintages are special, but 2012 is certainly more equal than most, it may just be the best year in my lifetime, for sure in my experience tasting wines and it continues to get better as the wines start to develop. Such is the case with great producers, names like Donnhoff, Leitz and Diel made some wines that will be legendary, as will this Anrecht by Selbach-Oster. The 2012 Selbach-Oster “Anrecht” has massive extract, texture and complexity, but it is still very primary and involved at this stage, honestly it will need a few years to truly begin to reveal just the surface of it’s greatness, though like the tip of the iceberg, you can see it is there. The nose is still shy, but when coaxed shows citrus blossoms, a melted ice stream freshness with river stones, a hint of sea salt and brine, honeyed white peach, crisp apple and tropical essences, in the mouth this wine expands with a full range of layers and amazing texture and creaminess. There is exotic passionfruit, lime, white tea, orange marmalade and apricot along with a steely and spicy mineral core, this wine is heavenly rich, though it has wonderful class and detail and lingers for ages on the finish with tangerine, pineapple and white plum. The Anrecht is stunning, it has everything you’d ever want in a Riesling, it has a touch of botryitis that will serve it well long term, as well as a full sweet palate, but there is well integrated acidity and this wine has staggering intensity and vigor. The 2012 Anrecht will be coming out in the Spring of 2014 in the US, be sure you don’t miss it. (Buy all the Selbach 2012’s you can, in fact almost any 2012 German Rieslings!)  Johannes Selbach, who recently entered into a partnership with famed American winemaker Paul Hobbs to make wines in New York’s Finger Lakes, has made one of the world’s great wines with this Anrecht, it is gorgeous and will reward some cellar time, drink from 2016-2030.
($42 Est.) 97-100 Points, grapelive

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Terry Theise, Johannes Selbach and Kerry Winslow-Jan 2014
Terry Theise, Johannes Selbach and Kerry Winslow-Jan 2014

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