There is a plethora of reasons why I’ve been absent (pregnancy, moving etc) but with maternity leave round the corner and the workload lessening, I should be back to a semi regular schedule. Fingers crossed for an easy baby and birth as well. 🤞
Weingut Keller is a German estate that needs little introduction by now. Their G-Max, often described as the “Montrachet” of Rieslings, are highly sought after by Asian collectors and fetch eye watering prices at auction. Other cuvees are sadly overlooked by most but they are most worthy of attention in their own right (especially the Kabinett Limestone, my personal fave!). I get it, German terroir is complicated and G-Max is a nice catchy name that encompasses the best of the best the estate has to offer. Nevertheless it is through trying all the cuvees that you understand the estate style and the skill in translating that terroir into beautiful elixirs. Their ability to craft wines that are simultaneously concentrated, pure, balanced and complex is near unparalleled in my opinion to top wineries and domaines everywhere, not just within Germany.
With Felix (son of Klaus Peter and Julia) joining the Keller team in 2018, we also tasted the latest release alongside the older vintages for comparison.
Tasting Notes
Keller Riesling Trocken 2020: dry trocken Riesling from a number of different parcels, mostly young vines. Lovely honey and flint notes with some stone fruit on the nose, great tensile precision on the palate. Very approachable now.
Keller Riesling Kabinett -Limestone- 2020 ❤️: Blend of Riesling vines planted on, you guessed it, limestone soils, in Hubacker (60%) and Kirchspiel (40%). More citrus and floral notes on the nose compared to the Riesling trocken, with more concentration and sweeter nectarine notes in the mouth. Gourmand and crazy addictive, I can drink a whole bottle by myself easy.
Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling GG 2011: From Kirchspiel, a cooler east-facing site. 2011 was a cold vintage. Floral and flinty on nose and palate, with a more luscious mouth feel. Refreshing.
Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling GG 2019: 2019 was a warmer vintage in Germany but overall great vintage for the region. The 2019s tasted more concentrated and powerful, but still completely balanced and fresh. Relatively closed off but I think will age most impeccably.
Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling GG 2011: From 4ha of vines that have been in family holdings since 1789 and on average 40 year old vines. Ripens later than Keller’s other GGs. The 2011 tasted “sunny”, bright and round, but not excessively rich or ripe. Intoxicating blend of honey, stone fruit and citrus.
Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling GG 2019: Slightly closed and less expressive but still brimming with potential. It is refreshing and zesty with great verve and energy. A real keeper.
Keller Westhofener Morstein Riesling GG 2011: Most important vineyard of the Rheinhessen region and the second most sought-after cuvee made by Keller. I can understand why, with this being the most concentrated and “complete” (if that makes any sense compared to the Kirchspiel and the Hubacker). Gorgeous blend of honey, stone fruit, red apple and white flowers but a deeply intense, structured, sharp mineral palate and an ultra long finish. I wrote, “like sucking on a rock” but a very yummy rock at that.
Keller Dalsheimer Burgel Spatburgunder GG 2012: From small 0.5ha of Pinot Noir in Burgel. Slightly rustic with a rose petal touch but great ripe red fruit on the nose. More pure strawberry, fresh forest floor (sous bois) and mushroom on the tongue. No rusticity on palate. Exceptionally silky and fine.
Keller Dalsheimer Burgel Spatburgunder GG 2018: The same rose touch but with more cherry (younger red fruit) that is crunchy and full of bramble. Fresh with a lot of personality. Qualitatively this wine is better made technique-wise than that of the 2012 but I can’t deny the 2012 is delicious to drink now while the 2018 is still too youthful at the moment.
Keller Dalsheimer Frauenberg Spatburgunder GG 2018: Pinot noir from 0.5ha of Frauenberg not far from Burgel. Similar notes of rose and cherry but with a slightly savoury bent. The palate is very similar to the nose but with great juiciness and succulence. I don’t doubt the ability of this wine to age exceptionally well—hope I can try another bottle in 5 years to witness its brilliant evolution.
Thank you La Souveraine for inviting me to taste the wines in Hong Kong, July 2021.