Description/Palate
One of the finest Auslese releases we've seen in years. A rich, complex flavor with lots of honeyed fruit such as green apple, ripe peach and late season melon. It is beautifully balanced with great acid levels next to really huge fruit. This makes the wine a serious player and certainly among the best of Germany's releases.

Background
Erich Jakoby started working for the Selbach family at the age of fourteen. He began as a cellar-rat and worked his way up to cellarmaster at the tender age of 24; the youngest cellarmaster in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz at that time. Agrand old man of 41 now, he has had to leave Selbach in order to spend more time at his own winery; his father is in failing health.

Selbach buys and offers Erich’s wines as part of their estate-bottled program. Normally these carry a J. & H. Selbach label (though estate-bottling is indicated) but as a gesture of respect to Erich he keeps his family’s label. Erich struggled to convince his family to adopt Selbach methods, specifically selective harvesting. The Jakobys appear to have been quite skeptical until they tasted the results! All of which is another way of saying we have a Selbach-trained vintner here, applying what he’s learned to wines which rarely are treated so well.

Kinheim is something on the order of an insider’s Mosel wine. The natives hold it in high regard, though adding the cautionary note that you have to know your grower and that some parcels are much better than others.

Food Parings
This Auslese is very rich and a perfect wine to accompany fruits and cheeses for dessert or as a snack. A great way to finish the day. It would certainly play well with dessert selections such as fruit tarts, German apple kuchen or a clafoutis.

Cellar Hints
Keep it cool (55-65 degrees F) and the wine will drink very well for 3 or 4 years. The wine is made to enjoy now!