2006 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese Schmitt

The Selbach 2006 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese Schmitt is not distinguished this year by its having been harvested en bloc, since virtually all of the wines were picked that way, but it is still representative of a very special site, reached near-T.B.A. must weight, and perfectly exemplifies the contradictory concentration, the miraculous elegance of the vintage, from its pale color through its shimmering minerality, to its wafting finish. A super reduction of pear, apricot, and quince nectar wreathed in flowers and suffused with smoke, crushed stone, and brown spices; a creamy, almost doughy texture yet lift and elegance; an ethereal finish rising from a bottomless pool of fruit and stone – all this and more guarantee chills and thrills, probably stretching across the next half century. Who would ever have guessed it, this wine with the funny name? The harvest almost filled the month of October, but by the standards of this large estate with holdings stretching across four communes, that is (in Johannes Selbach’s words) “super quick” and volume was down 30% from the already small 2005 harvest. Musts were sometimes fined with bentonite but never with charcoal. “This is my year of superlatives,” says Selbach. “When I think of my children and their children, and about a wine one could open in a hundred years and say ‘Wow!’ one dreams of wines from great historical vintages like 1911, 1921, 1953 ... and that in one’s own lifetime one might experience and harvest wines that would number among them. For me, that’s 2006.” Selbach took an interest in Pinot Blanc for sparkling wine, since there are some promising old vines in cooler side locations of Zeltingen’s Schlossberg. But he now thinks the fruit will probably always be too ripe for that purpose, whereas the still results are themselves promising. There are a few regional importers of certain Selbach wines, but the majority (and those whose prices are noted above) are Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel (516) 677-9300