2014 Weingut Selbach-Oster, Riesling “Ur” alte Reben Feinherb, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Mosel Germany.
The “uratle” or extremely old vine cuvee from Selbach-Oster is crafted traditionally from 80 to 100 year old vines with natural fermentation and cask maturing, it is a throw-back wine, a mostly dry Riesling with old school character and style and this 2014 is astonishingly pure and full of delicacy, complexity and grace. This was a magicians vintage, it was unbelievably difficult and ever changing, but somehow the Mosel ended up with glorious wines, though it tiny amounts, between hail, rot, heat, rain and Asian fruit flies something really special happened and Johannes Selbach’s Ur Alte Reben Feinherb is an exotic beauty of a Riesling. Miracles do happen, and this wine is proof, a gorgeous example of nature and humble craftsmanship in the cellar, this 2014 Ur Alte Reben shows a light color, a slight green/gold tint really in the glass, a perfume of fallen yellow rose petals, Turkish candied gels and flinty mineral and pepper spice and sea shore notes lead to a clear and dryish palate of green apple, lime, kiwi, cool summer melon, peach and honeyed grapefruit along with hints of brine, white tea, dried mango, apricot stone, steely elements, river stones and a mix of forest and tropical notes. There is divine balance and plenty of tangy acidity, salty slate and vigor to make up for the sugar level and only a slight creamy sensation and a pleasure center light up in the mouth makes the RS presence known, this is stunning Riesling for now with lightly spicy cuisine or for the cellar, great stuff from Selbach as per normal, drink from 2016 to 2026.
($28 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive