Selbach-Oster, Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany 2022

Elegant and refined on the nose with aromas of slate. Bright and mineraly on the palate with ripe fruity flavors and hints of herbs.

Himmelreich ( German for “kingdom of heaven” ) is the largest of the three single vineyards / crus / appellations in the town of Zeltingen. Himmelreich stretches from the steep slope behind mid-village, where it borders Schlossberg, to approximately one mile downstream in the direction of Erden and Ürzig. The steep part of Himmelreich bordering Schlossberg is of superb quality, facing due south, with chunky slate on top of the deep slate bedrock.

As the Mosel meanders towards Ürzig, Himmelreich follows the bend in the river, turning southwest and then west. The grade also decreases progressively while some loam and, further downstream, some alluvial river deposits sit on top of the blue Devonian slate which forms the bedrock beneath. Selbach-Oster owns major portions of the steepest, south-facing portions of Himmelreich with the Anrecht representing the most prized piece which ranked in the top categories of the 1868 Prussian classification already.

The Selbach family’s heritage in the wine business dates to 1600: ancestors shipped wines down the Mosel in their own ships, the wine carried in oak barrels made by cooper Matthias Oster, the great-grandfather on the paternal side of the family. Thus, the winery developed as both a top estate producing some of the region’s best wine, and also as a négociant and brokerage firm, consolidating the production of smaller growers. Today, Johannes Selbach and his wife Barbara, with the help of son Sebastian, manage their vineyards and winery with passion and respect for the estate’s long held traditions.