89-91 Pts Mosel Fine Wines

"Pineapple, zest, and dried herbs are some of the scents found in this attractive gem. It has the weight, ripeness, and presence of a thick Spatlese on the palate, but delivers good freshness and fine spices in a long and smooth finish. 2016-2026." (07/12)

90 Pts David Schildknecht - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Although bottled in May, the Selbach-Oster 2011 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - not picked until mid-October - still showed yeasty fermentative overtones that initially crowded-out site typical heliotrope, honeysuckle, and fresh apple. There is a remarkable sense of delicacy to accompany this wine’s subtle creaminess - especially considering how discreet is its sense of sweetness - plus plenty of primary juiciness, flowing into a finish that has a rather watercolor-like effect of suggesting transparency allied to a subtle bleeding of fruity, floral, and mineral colorations into one another. This should be a delight to savor over the coming 8-10 years."

"Picking for Riesling began chez Selbach in the first days of October and finished already on the 26th. “We harvested consistent with a principle on which I put ever-greater emphasis: to pick ripe, but not overripe,” remarks Johannes Selbach. “The luxury we had is that not only did the weather remain stable, but we did not have to deal with volatile acids or acetification” of grapes on the vine. Fruit was typically crushed for the dry wines, but not permitted skin contact, although Selbach emphasizes that his usual practice of encouraging relatively long stays on the fine lees for every style of Riesling he crafts was critical to donating structure, complexity, and a sense of stuffing to these products of a relatively low-acid, high-yielding vintage. Two T.B.A.s and a B.A. were still fermenting as of last autumn and will have to be assessed in connection with my vintage 2012 report." (04/13)