Selbach Kabinett Riesling

It’s another hot summer day, so it’s perfect weather for another riesling review.  Like the Geil riesling we reviewed yesterday, this one from Selbach is also a Kabinett style.  However, this one comes from the Mosel region.

Riesling accounts for about 60% of the grapes grown in the Mosel region.  It’s an area that I haven’t visited yet, but it’s high on the list of places I’d like to see.  The slopes are steep in this region, along the Moselle river, requiring most vineyard work to be done by hand rather than by machine.  And when you realize all the manual labor that goes into a wine like this, the $17 price seems like a steal.

This wine is made by renowned winemaker Johannes Selbach as a “second label” wine, not to be confused with Selbach-Oster wines.  In other words, this is the budget line while Selbach-Oster is the premium line.

The nose on this riesling is a little tight, and leans toward the mineral (salts and petrol) versus the fruit side of the spectrum.  That’s not to say it’s void of fruit, there is a touch of apple, but it’s subtle.  The palate is a different story.  This wine is off dry, offering a touch of sweetness, and it’s brimming with lemon/lime flavors.  As such, it almost has a 7UP-like quality.  It also offers some apple flavors.  The acidity is good, giving the wine a bright expression on the palate. The finish is also bright and citrusy.

Wine: Selbach Kabinett Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 9%
Rating: 85
Price: $17.00

Find Selbach Kabinett Riesling with Snooth

Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.