Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2042
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Blue cheese, spicy Thai curry, fruit-based tarts
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the precipitously steep slopes of the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, this Riesling Auslese is a masterclass in Mosel tension and elegance. The vineyard takes its name from the historic sundial erected in 1620 by Jodocus Prum, which still stands amidst the vines, catching the same intense sunlight that ripens these grapes. Grown on Devonian blue slate soils, the 100% Riesling grapes are meticulously hand-harvested, often with a portion of noble rot adding layers of complexity. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in traditional, large oak Fuder casks, the resulting wine beautifully balances rich, honeyed stone fruit sweetness with a laser-like, mineral-driven acidity that is characteristic of Selbach-Oster's classic style.
🍾 About the Producer
Weingut Selbach-Oster represents over four centuries of winemaking heritage along Germany's Middle Mosel, with family viticultural roots established in 1661. Based in Zeltingen-Rachtig, proprietors Johannes and Barbara Selbach, alongside their son Sebastian, steward approximately 23 hectares of precipitous, south-facing slopes. Their historic holdings encompass quintessential Grand Cru sites including Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Zeltinger Schlossberg, Zeltinger Himmelreich, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, and Graacher Domprobst. Characterized by weathered Devonian blue and grey slate soils, over half the estate's vines are ungrafted, centenarian rootstocks farmed with rigorous sustainable and low-intervention methods. In the cellar, Selbach-Oster champions unhurried native yeast fermentations carried out in neutral German oak Fuder casks and temperature-controlled stainless steel. The resulting wines—spanning bone-dry Grosses Gewächs bottlings, nuanced Feinherb styles, and pristine Prädikat sweet wines—epitomize classical Mosel tension, showcasing crystalline acidity, wet-slate minerality, pristine orchard fruit, and exceptional longevity.