TN: 2001 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese

[DavidG]

2001 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese: Clear/yellow. Forward nose or apples, pears, peach, floral hints. Medium body, nice ripe fruit follows nose, with some citrus, almost creamy mouthfeel, slight sweetness, good acidity, nice finish. Excellent.

[Claret]

I am glad to see that you enjoyed your 2001. I have been resisting opening my 2 bottles of this same wine in Auslese format.

They were a steal at well under a twenty. Anybody who bought deeply in 2001 will be well rewarded after some more patience.

Glenn

[PatrickDL]

I've sampled a number of the 01 rieslings over the past year and they still taste like they were just released! I'm thinking I'm gonna be a VERY old man before they develop. Which will be at peak first, 94 ports or 01 rieslings? I wish I had discovered riesling younger, even in "lesser" vintages they seem to need 15 years to show their best. Had some 91 and 96's recently that were delicious. P

[Rieslingfan]

The '01 Rieslings are going to develop long before the '94 Ports do. Some '01s are moving along nicely, while others (e.g. a 2001 Catoir Spatlese I had last Thursday) are going nowhere fast (but being very beautiful while doing it).

It's really a wine to wine thing. Lots of kabinett and spatlese level wines are doing great now, but hands off the auslesen, as they are nowhere near ready.

[DavidG]

Yeah, I've been opening a spat here and there - they are still young but some of them, like this one, is ready to drink. Not touching the auslesen for a while.

[brodway]

I too enjoyed some 2001 Selbach Oster rieslings from the Kabinett level to the Auslese level and the Spatlesen seem to be the sweet spot. Obviously the vintage was a great success but when you get that combination of lipsmacking acidity and the bright sugars clash into a bouquet of peach and apricot flavors its quite addictive...I don't think i have any more of the Selbach Osters left from this vintage, but still waiting to pop many others as some are still too sweet and have yet to settle down. Although many would argue that these wines are going to be better with several years of aging, i can't imagine how more delicious they can get.

[Roberto]

Emil, is that you?

Roberto

[JimHow]

Emil is in the building.

[brodway]

Dats me Doc...

[Roberto]

Emil,

I'm glad you're back. We need to drink some wine!

Roberto