This pretty Saar Riesling shows a clear straw color in the glass, with a slight brassy-green hue. Appealing scents of mixed white fruits show apples and pears at first, then open up to something more citrusy, juicy grapefruit and a distinct note of something bright like tangerine. Flavors carry over to the palate, fresh, gently sweet fruit nicely balanced by steely acidity, with a subtle, intriguing “rainwater over rocks” minerality lurking shyly in the background. Light and refreshing at a low 9% alcohol. U.S. importer: Michael Skurnik Wines, NYC; A Terry Theise Estate Selection. (Feb. 16, 2016)

FOOD MATCH: Riesling is one of the most food-friendly wines, serving as flexibly among white wines as Pinot Noir does with reds. It’s a wine of choice with freshwater fish, a variety of chicken, veal or pork dishes, and cheese. We enjoyed it with a plate of mixed cheeses, Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano, sliced and also toasted on grilled artisan baguettes.

WHEN TO DRINK: Riesling is one of the most ageworthy whites, and, assuming good cellar conditions, even a modest Spätlese should hold up and improve over at least five years or more. Still, it’s drinking nicely now, so there’s no need to wait.

VALUE: Wine-Searcher.com reports an average $17 U.S. retail price for this appealing Spätlese, with some vendors offering it at $15, so my local price almost reads like an error. It’s good, but price variation like this strongly suggests shopping for the better buy.

WEB LINK
This page from importer Michael Skurnik provides basic information about the Saar Riesling Spätlese. For information about the winery and its producer, Johannes Selbach, head for this importer page.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Find sources and compare prices for J & H Selbach Saar Riesling Spätlese on Wine-Searcher.com.

For more information about the Mosel and its wines, including an exhaustive list of representative wines and their vendors, check this page on Wine-Searcher.com.