If there is one thing I love at Fass Selections is when a client has a Paul Weltner wine for the first time and I get the subsequent email of "where have you been all my life, that's the most amazing white wine I've had in ages" email. Then, they are hooked. His wines are almost like drugs in the devout, maniacal following they have, not only in the United States but also in Germany. If I do not sell the Erste Lage wines before June, they usually are already sold out in Germany, so thus the two offers of Weltner in the last few weeks, but I must get the Weltner devotees access to their vinous prizes. In the words of the Wine Advocate's Stephan Rheinhardt, "...one of the most underrated producers. Internationally, Paul Weltner is not well known but that will change soon."
There are great winemakers whose wines are great because they are wonderful and what you expect from their region. And there are great winemakers whose wines are great but also shock you and make you say, "Holy crap, this is amazing, what is this?" Paul Weltner's wines are in this second group. Many of you have had Weltner's village wines from me and have been blown away by their distinctive character. Well, strap in your seat belts as I have two 2015's that are just brilliant as usual. Two Fass Selections customer favorites. Paul loves 2015 and describes it as deeper, richer than 2014, which was more elegant, but still with terrific acids and freshness. There is a joy to the deep fruit of this vintage. Paul is thrilled with the way they have turned out and they are, as predicted, selling quickly in Germany.
I have the 2015 Weltner Rodelseer Schweinlete Sylvaner "Alte Reben" which for me is one of his signature wines, for as little as $24.99 on a 4-pack. It is what he is all about. Heck, one could say that this is what Franken Sylvaner is all about and should aspire to. If you like white wine, do NOT miss this wine. It is completely outrageous and absolutely trounces every Silvaner on the market at this price point. I adore this wine and never have enough. I want to open it for anybody and everybody. and the Schwanleite is even better. The vineyards are around 20 years older than the wonderful Kuchenmesiter Sylvaner and it's just a better more complete wine in my opinion. The Kuchenmeister is more compact and finesse driven and I love it but the Schwainlate is brilliant. It has complexity to burn. So many flavors and textures and a bit of jagged minerality that bounces all around your mouth The Schwainlate is incredibly crisp with remarkable length. and depth. It has that deep 2015 fruit and the length is just incredible. It has a wild feral character to it all the while being so clean, pure and deep. The texture on this wine is crazy. It has so much of an herbal character as well with intense minerality from the deep Keuper soils. This wine is more aromatic than Kuchenmeister which holds its aromas in reserve due to the soils being different. If you think that you know what Sylvaner can achieve, just throw out all of those preconceptions. The wine is just a unique drinking experience - I've never had any Sylvaner like it and the second best doesn't even compare. This wine has the structure to age for up to 10-15 years.
Up next is the big sleeper in the Weltner portfolio but may be his most brilliant Erste Lage wine, the 2015 Weltner Rodelseer Kuchenmeister Riesling Trocken for as little as $24.99 a bottle on the 4-pack. First off is this is the wine I ordered the most of for myself during our very first ship and always have at least 6 bottles a vintage. It, for me, is the ultimate, geeky Riesling-fest in a bottle. Although Paul is known for his sublime Sylvaners inside of Germany, the people in the know say the Rieslings are the big secret/surprise here. There is fruit in this wine, but that comes out after a heavy decant or a day or two open. This is a wine about freshness, minerality and acidity perfectly executed. It has fierce acidity, which I love, and dense packed minerals in between all that intense acidity. But it is so fresh, so juicy, just so alive, it captures your imagination. It is so long on the palate as to not be believed. It is medium bodied and the minerality is at once smokey and at once salty. The 2015 turbo boost helps this wine so much as the concentration and fruit quality is first rate!
These wines are also, perhaps the "Fassiest" wines in this portfolio. They have very good acidity, amazing intensity (these are not light whites), huge dry extract, massive minerality, stunning purity, epic textures and are faithful to respective sites. In short, the Wall of Flavor: when you drink them your palate is assaulted by a moving wall of fruit, minerality and aromatics that won't quit and lasts 30-45 seconds after you swallow.
2015 Paul Weltner Rodelsee Schwainlate Sylvaner Alte Reben - $26.99
($99.96 4-pack)
2015 Paul Weltner Rodelseer Kuchenmeister Riesling Trocken - $26.99 ($99.96 4-pack)
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