In This Newsletter:
Selbach Sale
&
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette: Castello di Meleto
Selbach-Oster
Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
Selbach Sale
&
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette: Castello di Meleto
Selbach-Oster
Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
If you’re an American that drinks German Riesling, thank Johannes Selbach. As the winemaker and owner of Selbach-Oster, Selbach makes profound and affordable German Rieslings. Because they aren’t opulent or extreme, the wines are overlooked by reviewers that prefer a more bombastic style. Instead, his wines are like sitting down to dinner with a good friend. You can drink his delicate and soulful Spätlesen and Auslesen wines with your main course, not just dessert or spicy dishes, and you’d be shocked at how flexible the bone-dry GGs and ethereal Kabinetts are across cuisine types.
But Johannes Selbach’s food-friendly style of Rieslings is not why he could be considered the ambassador of modern German wines. In fact, Johannes is the modest tastemaker behind US importer Terry Theise, one of the most important American figures in the modern revitalization of interest in German Rieslings.
Selbach connected Theise to multiple estates as Theise built his portfolio, such as A.J. Adams and Vols. He even took over production at Merkelbach when the elderly brothers retired without heirs. Selbach-Oster was one of the first estates Theise imported, and, as evidenced in the legendary Terry Theise catalogues produced while he worked with Skurnik, Johannes Selbach was an essential advisor and a dear friend.
Chez Vinopolis, we have worked directly with Johannes Selbach for many years. The selections have varied with the vintage: we’ve picked up a pallet or two of Selbach-Oster wines, we’ve carried wines he personally tasted and selected at the Bernkasteler Ring auction (more a showcase of estates’ top wines than an American-style bidding war), and sometimes we’ve loaded up on underrepresented producers he admires such as Prinz, Karlsmuhle, and Kees-Kieren.
The wide array of Selbach-Oster wines we have in stock were hand-picked for our shop by Johannes Selbach himself. These are his treasures, what he wants to share with you. We’re proud to offer them and excited to present them to you on our three-day sale.
“There are no wines along the Mosel more honorable than those of Selbach-Oster. They are grounded, honest, intelligent and meaningful – like the family who produce them. Where wine is concerned I trust Johannes as I trust very few other people. He’s not only highly intelligent, he’s also smart and judicious. He has found his path. His wines have identity and purpose.” –Terry Theise, 2009 German Catalogue (emphasis in original)
“I recommend buying what’s available from Selbach-Oster now” –Stephan Reinhardt, writing on the 2019 vintage
“If you had to sum up Selbach’s wines in just a few words they would be ‘brilliant, complex, classic, and balanced.’” –Skurnik Wines
But Johannes Selbach’s food-friendly style of Rieslings is not why he could be considered the ambassador of modern German wines. In fact, Johannes is the modest tastemaker behind US importer Terry Theise, one of the most important American figures in the modern revitalization of interest in German Rieslings.
Selbach connected Theise to multiple estates as Theise built his portfolio, such as A.J. Adams and Vols. He even took over production at Merkelbach when the elderly brothers retired without heirs. Selbach-Oster was one of the first estates Theise imported, and, as evidenced in the legendary Terry Theise catalogues produced while he worked with Skurnik, Johannes Selbach was an essential advisor and a dear friend.
Chez Vinopolis, we have worked directly with Johannes Selbach for many years. The selections have varied with the vintage: we’ve picked up a pallet or two of Selbach-Oster wines, we’ve carried wines he personally tasted and selected at the Bernkasteler Ring auction (more a showcase of estates’ top wines than an American-style bidding war), and sometimes we’ve loaded up on underrepresented producers he admires such as Prinz, Karlsmuhle, and Kees-Kieren.
The wide array of Selbach-Oster wines we have in stock were hand-picked for our shop by Johannes Selbach himself. These are his treasures, what he wants to share with you. We’re proud to offer them and excited to present them to you on our three-day sale.
“There are no wines along the Mosel more honorable than those of Selbach-Oster. They are grounded, honest, intelligent and meaningful – like the family who produce them. Where wine is concerned I trust Johannes as I trust very few other people. He’s not only highly intelligent, he’s also smart and judicious. He has found his path. His wines have identity and purpose.” –Terry Theise, 2009 German Catalogue (emphasis in original)
“I recommend buying what’s available from Selbach-Oster now” –Stephan Reinhardt, writing on the 2019 vintage
“If you had to sum up Selbach’s wines in just a few words they would be ‘brilliant, complex, classic, and balanced.’” –Skurnik Wines
5% off any 6-11 bottles of in-stock Selbach-Oster wines
10% off any 12+ bottles of in-stock Selbach-Oster wines
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your card.
Discount ends Sunday, May 19th at 9 am Pacific
10% off any 12+ bottles of in-stock Selbach-Oster wines
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your card.
Discount ends Sunday, May 19th at 9 am Pacific
We offer thirteen in-stock wines from Selbach-Oster, including:
Selbach-Oster Graacher Domprobst Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $45, that’s $42.75 at 5% off and $40.50 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 95 points “Expansive yet very precise, exotic-fruit nose. Powerful and concentrated, though only medium-bodied, with so many subtle mineral and exotic-fruit nuances. Very long finish. Drink or hold.”
Close-Out Sale Wine: Was $44.50
Selbach-Oster Schlossberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $37.50, that’s $35.63 at 5% off and $33.75 at 10% off, 21 bottles in stock now
Stuart Pigott 94 points “This has the mandarin and yeasty aromas from long fermentation, but with some aeration, mirabelle and quince notes develop. A powerful dry wine that retains the classic Mosel vitality and crispness. Long, intense mineral finish. Better from 2021.”
Close-Out Sale Wine: Was $18
J & H Selbach Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $14, that’s $13.30 at 5% off and $12.60 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
VinopolNote: Purchased fruit from the one of the “Grand Cru” vineyards of the Mittelmosel. Though this is a not strictly a Selbach-Oster estate wine, we’re happy to include this wildly underpriced single-vineyard Kabinett in our sale, making it quite possibly the best value in German Riesling in our shop.
Close-Out Sale Wine: Was $29
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $22.50, that’s $21.38 at 5% off and $20.25 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is pure and flinty on the pure, elegant, terroir-driven nose. Piquant and crystalline on the palate, this is a crunchy and crispy, well-concentrated and nicely phenolic Schlossberg with juicy fruit but a crystalline and refined finish. Very long and stimulatingly salty. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
John Gilman 92 points “The 2019 Schlossberg Kabinett from Selbach-Oster is really a very pretty example of the vintage, but this is more Spätlese in terms of weight and breadth of shoulder than classical Kabinett. However, this takes away nothing from the charm here on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet delivering a lovely blend of white cherry, white peach, a touch of wild yeasts, a refined base of slate, bee pollen and a topnote of apple blossoms. On the palate the wine is medium-full, complex and nicely filigreed, with good acids, fine focus and grip and a long, complex and very nicely balanced finish. Think of this as a hybrid between Kabinett and Spätlese, but with personality to burn! 2020-2040+.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $24, that’s $22.80 at 5% off and $21.60 at 10% off, 35 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The 2020 Zeltinger Schlossberg Kabinett offers a bright yet intense and finely flinty, very delicate bouquet of bright fruits and crushed/weathered slate. Lush and round but vital and bright on the palate, this is a highly delicate and saline, well balanced and juicy picture-book Kabinett. Superb! 9% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.”
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $26, that’s $24.70 at 5% off and $23.40 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 92 points “The 2021 Zeltinger Schlossberg Kabinett is bright and pure on the elegant and refined nose that shows bright slate and fruit as well as herbal aromas. Lush and piquant as well as saline on the palate, this is a playful and juicy, classic Kabinett with a stimulating finish. 8.5% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in July 2022.”
Close-Out Sale Wine: Was $33
Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 26 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2019 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese is very clear, pure and flinty on the intense, elegant, crunchy and slatey nose. Salty, piquant and lush on the palate, this is a crystalline, pure and salty Badstube that is juicier and rounder than the 2018. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points “The 2019er Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese was made from fruit picked at 90° Oechsle and was fermented down to sweet levels of residual sugar (69 g/l). It offers a very delicate and nicely perfumed nose of white flowers, rose petal, vineyard peach, apple, laurel, and herbs. The wine proves delicately juicy and refined on the smooth and slightly juicy palate and leaves a delicate sense of lightness in the more fruity-styled than really sweet-tasting finish. This is a joyful and remarkably easy-drinking expression of Spätlese. 2027-2044.”
Selbach-Oster ‘Anrecht’ Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Auslese 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 8 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96-97 points “The 2021 Zeltinger Himmelreich Auslese Anrecht opens with a very clear, intense and smoky bouquet of crushed rocks with flinty and iodine notes as well as nutty and yeasty ones. Full-bodied, lush and intensely mineral on the palate, this is a pure and elegant but juicy and refined Auslese with a long, crystalline and saline, well-structured finish. Good tension, grip and length. It’s a superb Riesling of the vintage and certainly a long-distance runner. Natural cork. Tasted as a sample at the domaine in July 2022.”
Terry Theise note “Anrecht, while equally steep and also on a perfect southern angle, has the deepest subsoil of broken slate mixed with organic matter (humus) and loam. It is further away from river and village compared to Rotlay and Schmitt, hence a tad cooler but nonetheless excellent.”
Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese * 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $45, that’s $42.75 at 5% off and $40.50 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2019 Bernkastler Badstube Riesling Auslese * is deep and concentrated on the still reductive, flinty and stony nose. Piquant, racy, dense and rich on the palate, this is a laser-sharp, salty-piquant and crunchy Auslese with concentrated lemon chutney notes and lingering salinity and grip. It is stunningly precise and like an ice wine because everything is concentrated due to the perfectly clear and clean botrytis. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
Mosel Fine Wines 95 points “The 2019er Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese * comes from a parcel of old un-grafted vines in the Bernkasteler Graben situated next to the Bernkasteler Doktor and was fermented down to noble-sweet levels of residual sugar (117 g/l). It offers a superbly attractive and complex nose of grapefruit, yellow peach, honeyed pear, spices, flowers, and mint. The wine coats the palate with ample juicy and yellow honeyed fruits, almond cream, and a touch of nut paste and leaves one with a sense of herbal flavors reminiscent of great Doktor wines in the crystal clear and very long finish,. The after-taste of this truly magnificent Auslese feels sweet rather than noble-sweet. 2029-2059.”
Close-Out Sale Wine: Was $79
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenhuhr Riesling Beerenauslese 2018 375ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 11 half-bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2018 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese displays an intense but very clear and radiant citrus color in the glass. The nose is concentrated and fresh, with lemon chutney and broken stone aromas. Pure and fresh on the palate, this is a dense, concentrated, rich yet very precise, fresh and elegant BA with a long, crunchy, terroir-driven finish that represents the delicate slate structure of the Sonnenuhr. Still young but not really sweet due to the crystalline acidity structure. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
Mosel Fine Wines 94-96 points “This 2018er Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling BA was harvested at approx. 130° Oechsle and was fermented down to noble-sweet levels of residual sugar (approx. 200 g/l). This cask sample offers a gorgeous and clean nose of candied grapefruit, pineapple juice, rhubarb, apricot, melon and honey. The wine is very juicy and sweet on the delicately viscous palate. The finish is quite intense and very long. This BA is still very sweet and juicy, and will please lovers of rich and intense dessert wines. 2028-2058.”
Shop our thirteen selections on sale now on our webstore!
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:
Castello di Meleto
This historic estate, dating back to the eleventh century, comprised an ancient castle and some 1,400 hectares of land. Italian Gianni Mazzocchi raised enough capital through a sale of farm shares to purchase the Castello di Meleto. The company renovated the property and surrounding buildings with an eye towards restoration and sustainability. Today, the estate crafts wines exclusively from their organic vineyards, all hand-harvested by plot.
We offer two of their single-vineyard Gran Selezione bottlings. The Poggiarso cru produces a “vibrant” and “bold” wine from this hilltop vineyard, which is the coolest site on the property. The Trebbio cru is rich in clay and iron, resulting in wines of elegance and power.
In Stock & On Sale Now:
Castello di Meleto ‘Poggiarso’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2018 750ml Was $52.90, Now $44.50 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Once a Riserva and now moved up to the top appellation designation, the Castello di Meleto 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Poggiarso sees fruit selected from across a 1.6-hectare vineyard site. Made with 100% Sangiovese and aged in oak for 27 months, the wine offers some tertiary definition with spice and smoke at the back of purple fruits. The oak spice is integrated (50-hectoliter barrels are used), and the wine concludes with elegant minerality. Some 6,600 bottles were made.”
We offer two of their single-vineyard Gran Selezione bottlings. The Poggiarso cru produces a “vibrant” and “bold” wine from this hilltop vineyard, which is the coolest site on the property. The Trebbio cru is rich in clay and iron, resulting in wines of elegance and power.
In Stock & On Sale Now:
Castello di Meleto ‘Poggiarso’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2018 750ml Was $52.90, Now $44.50 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 93 points “Once a Riserva and now moved up to the top appellation designation, the Castello di Meleto 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Poggiarso sees fruit selected from across a 1.6-hectare vineyard site. Made with 100% Sangiovese and aged in oak for 27 months, the wine offers some tertiary definition with spice and smoke at the back of purple fruits. The oak spice is integrated (50-hectoliter barrels are used), and the wine concludes with elegant minerality. Some 6,600 bottles were made.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Castello di Meleto ‘Trebbio’, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2018 750ml Was $52.90, Now $44.50 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “Here’s a new submission from the stunning Castello di Meleto, which has stone walls and towers in Gaiole in Chianti. The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Trebbio is a terrific discovery. Made with all Sangiovese from a single vineyard, this wine offers fruit brightness, balance and evident mineral definition. These results are linear and sharp, and the fruit is slightly more vibrant here compared to the Poggiarso. Only 3,300 bottles were produced.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The next best price is $65
We offer 207 wines on our close-out sale, including gems from the Beaujolais producer Chateau du Moulin-a-Vent, Burgundy producer Coche-Dury, and Loire Valley producer Dagueneau. Shop the list here!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Cascina delle Rose
5% off any 4-8 bottles of in-stock Cascina delle Rose wines
10% off any 9+ bottles of in-stock Cascina delle Rose wines
Elvio Cogno
5% off any 4-8 bottles of in-stock Elvio Cogno wines
10% off any 9+ bottles of in-stock Elvio Cogno wines
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your card.
Cascina delle Rose sale ends Friday, May 17th at 9 am Pacific. Elvio Cogno sale ends Saturday, May 18th at 9 am Pacific.