The Grape and the Winemaker who Inspired Me to Start Fass Selections

You may recall the story that it was a bottle of Scheurebe from Paul Weltner that inspired me to start

Fass Selections.  I tried one of Paul's wines Scheurebes and I was simply blown away.  I knew that these wines from an unheralded grape and an unheralded region (Franken) would be very hard to sell through the traditional 3 tier system as they would be too expensive after marking them up three times.  I also knew that they were unique and some of the best dry wines in Germany.  The only way to sell them was to import them myself, so here we are.

I've successfully sold other Scheurebe's from Paul but I really wanted to sell this wine as it is affordable for all of my subscribers and I really want everyone to try Paul's wines. Today's wine is the 2013 Weltner Iphofer Schuerebe feinherb for as little as $19.99 a 4 pack.  Scheurebe is a bit of a forgotten grape as much of it is made for cheap quaffing; think of Sauvignon Blanc.  Just like Sauvignon Blanc which has several brilliant producers, Scheurebe has Weltner.   Today's wine is possibly the at the top or is the top Schuerebe that I have tasted. Only one that is close is another one that Paul Weltner makes.  When you taste this wine it is an immediate "why didn't I buy more of this?" type of wine.  The fruit is classic Schuerebe. Exotic and kinky with a nervous energy only Schuerebe can bring.  It also has the acid.  Schuerebe needs acid. Without it it is nothing. This has plenty of it and around 7.5 g/l of sugar which is technically Trocken in the Mosel.  It is as a complex version of Schue as I have tasted; it is really complex and different on the palate.  A unique experience.

This wine would cost $30 or more at traditional retail.  Weltner is one of the top producers in Germany and even his less expensive wines would cost $30 or more here.  I buy this direct from the winery and can pass the savings on to my customers.

Weltner is a maverick.  His wines have the incredible intensity and complexity that only great winemakers manage to achieve.  He also has the characteristic of many great winemakers of taking a relatively unheralded grape or region and raising it to new heights.  If you have not tried his wines, you really need to if nothing else than to keep abreast of the top winemakers in Germany.

This wine is sold in Bocksbeutel's which take up the space of two regular bottles when shipped.
 
Lyle Wine Wednesday:  These wines are wines that I feel are
1) fantastic values
2) particularly distinctive in terms of taste and/or style
3) typically made from a grape or in a region that are not popular and would not have broad appeal for this reason.


From previous Weltner offers.

This will be the most unique offer in the Fass Selections Portfolio this year. Please read the whole e-mail.

It may be our most unique producer ever.

It will be the wine that true wine lovers will bring to dinners to shock and awe their friends.

It will be allocated as the production here is miniscule.

Most people, when they hear the grape will think I'm crazy... so I'm not going to tell you about the grape/grapes until after I have described the first wine. Two are a bit wacky and one is the classic grape of Germany.

I'm going to tell you about the winemaking style of an absolute off the wall crazy maverick in Franken.

Franken, yes Franken.

Other than Fuerst, who is way west, are any of the best recognized German producers in Franken? Why would any sane person pick Franken when everyone knows the sexy dry wine region is the Rheinhessen.

Well, mavericks don't do what everyone else does. That's why they're mavericks.