WTN: Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling Auslese 2004

Intense ripe red pear and cherry fruit, with very pronounced tertiary aromas like turf and campfire. The botrytis is happily in harmony and adds breadth to the creamy (but not dull) texture. It has a nice little run of ripe acidity to hold it all in. This is nothing short of monumental Auslese. Hold ‘em if you’ve got ‘em. I’m a huge fan of Keller and they’re on my short list of favorites, I just wish the wines were easier to find! 8% alc, $55

[David M. Bueker]

Interesting note. I've had more than my fair share of Keller wines (dry and sweet), and never become a fan. I find their stuff to be the Zind Humbrecht of the Rheinhessen - intensity above all else.

I can´t believe it David, that you never found your way to Keller wines. In comparison, I have the same with Schäfer-Fröhlich Rieslings, I know that the wines are great , but they never touched my soul&heart........

[David M. Bueker]

I can´t believe it David, that you never found your way to Keller wines. In comparison, I have the same with Schäfer-Fröhlich Rieslings, I know that the wines are great , but they never touched my soul&heart........

Your comment hits the nail on the head - the Keller wines lack soul for me.

Dalsheimer is Mosel?

[David M. Bueker]

Rheinhessen.

Thanks, David.

Interesting note. I've had more than my fair share of Keller wines (dry and sweet), and never become a fan. I find their stuff to be the Zind Humbrecht of the Rheinhessen - intensity above all else.

I think I know what you mean, David. I think his style speaks more to his terroir limitations than anything else (where ZH's style is more a product of cellar-work. It could be argued lack thereof but I digress... .) The fact that wines of such quality are made down there (or up there, if you follow the river) is a feat in itself. I guess I see them more like Hessen meets Pfalz, but the ZH reference is interesting. The bottom line (for me) is that I'm glad they're made, they are completely unique, I love the Rheinhessen, and am glad that it too can share in the limelight through some of its best producers. Weingut Keller (with others like Wittmann, Gunderloch, and Wagner-Stempel) really has done a lot to bring excitement and hope to many growers in the Rheinhessen and consumers alike.

Cheers,
Bill

[David M. Bueker]

I have no problem with the Keller wines at all - I'm just a richer man (literally) for not buying them.

But I must say that your understanding of what is done at ZH leaves much to be desired (and I'm not generally a fan of their Rieslings - so no pro-Zh bias on that score).

But I must say that your understanding of what is done at ZH leaves much to be desired

David,

When I visited Olivier at ZH a couple of years ago, I wanted to get to down to tacks about why the wines tasted the way they do. I learned that he is a staunch believer in only using ambient, natural yeast for fermentation, he never uses chaptalization, uses minimal sulfur, favors long lees contact (without battonage), vinifies almost exclusively in fuder and rarely racks or filters his wines,. He offers healthy fruit (as a product of Biodynamic viticulture) extremely low yields (under 40 hl/ha), late harvesting (with or without botrytis), and a long uninterrupted fermentation as the reasons for his particular style. While he sometimes does employ malolactic fermentation in some vintages, I would argue that most of these practices are signs of non-interventionist winemaking (though I hate to use that particular buzz word.)

Moreover, I always enjoy and look forward to your posts for information, have always enjoyed our back and forth dialogue, and have nothing but respect for your opinions. Please refrain from using that condescending tone with me. If you’ve ever read any of my correspondence to you as being in the like, let me assure you that it was completely unintentional and only a byproduct of this impersonal technology. We are both passionate about the same things here.

Only the best,
Bill

David,

you should give Keller a chance. Try 07 "von der Fels" such well-made in this vintage and a steal for 14-15 Euro. You find it at DeeVineWines
in San Francisco for $32.25 ea $309.60 case $25.80 case price/ea

I think his style speaks more to his terroir limitations than anything else

so that's what people mean when they spin hyperbole about him being the greatest winemaker in Germany

[David M. Bueker]

No tone Bill - most of what causes ZH wines to be what they are is in the vineyard not the cellar.

Martin - I've tried Keller multiple times at multiple levels. I'm not a fan.

I think his style speaks more to his terroir limitations than anything else

so that's what people mean when they spin hyperbole about him being the greatest winemaker in Germany

Quite right. If Keller can coax that much expression out of Dalsheim vineyards, what could he do with Rote Hang sites?

Quite right. If Keller can coax that much expression out of Dalsheim vineyards, what could he do with Rote Hang sites?

Ok, but if you want to take that perspective, it still doesn't seem like a justification (alone) for actually buying and drinking the wines. Sure they could be worse, but, do I actually want to drink them?

Not that I have an opinion on Keller, only tasted a few wines and would not pronounce judgement, but am questioning the logic.

Quite right. If Keller can coax that much expression out of Dalsheim vineyards, what could he do with Rote Hang sites?

Ok, but if you want to take that perspective, it still doesn't seem like a justification (alone) for actually buying and drinking the wines. Sure they could be worse, but, do I actually want to drink them?

Not that I have an opinion on Keller, only tasted a few wines and would not pronounce judgement, but am questioning the logic.

It might be another issue, but in the eyes of the VDP, the Hubacker is still a Grosses Gewaechs vineyard. It might not hold the same prestige as those of Nierstein or Nackenheim, but neither does Echezeaux compared to Musigny (OK, that's a little dramatic .)

IMO Keller makes wonderfully distinctive (towering -but gothic towering), aromatic (I like 'pungent' to describe Rheinhessen wines), racy wines. They are important in my estimation. The dry wines are tough to beat in ALL of the Rheinhessen.

Cheers,
Bill

[David M. Bueker]

Bill,

That may finally be the issue I have with Keller - your term "towering" and even "gothic towering" is exactly what I am not looking for in German Riesling (or Riesling in general). The analogy makes a lot of sense to me.

Bill,

That may finally be the issue I have with Keller - your term "towering" and even "gothic towering" is exactly what I am not looking for in German Riesling (or Riesling in general). The analogy makes a lot of sense to me.

David,

What do you think of the some others in the Rheinhessen? I've seen you write highly of Gunderloch and Wittmann.

Cheers,
Bill

[David M. Bueker]

I really like Gunderloch, though to be fair their wines are so focused on one specific terroir, that it's hard to really discern a house style. Wittmann used to impress me, but the wines became somewhat heavy handed early in this millenium & I stopped buying. I'm a big fan of Strub, as the wines are great value, and they have a lightness of touch that much of the Rheinhessen lacks. Geil is a newer one for me, and I really liked a cross section of their 2007s. And there's Gysler, my favorite producer for outstanding value wine. I regularly buy his Sylvaner and Scheurebe liter bottlings, and his "Bundle of Scheu" sparkler was wonderful.

That may finally be the issue I have with Keller - your term "towering" and even "gothic towering" is exactly what I am not looking for in German Riesling (or Riesling in general). The analogy makes a lot of sense to me.

I can see you angle. When I taste Keller's sweet wines, I am very impressed, but almost never moved by the experience. I think his terroirs produce to much power and fruit than is good for sweet wines. It is fun, for sure, but then I'd rather take his Rieslaner (he is making great Rieslaner). For sweet Riesling, I tend to like his Hubacker best, with its excotic exhuberance and firm structure underneath. The 07s certainly are a class act! But in the dry wines, things look different to me. The chalky terroirs of Kirchspiel, Abtserde, and Morstein are to me, and many others, among the prime terroirs for dry Riesling anywhere. Clos St. Hune may not be a better terroir than Abtserde. Time will tell. Compare these wines with Trimbach, or Knoll, or Hirtzberger, not with Prüm and Dönnhoff. This is a valid side of Riesaling too.

Peter

[David M. Bueker]

But in the dry wines, things look different to me. The chalky terroirs of Kirchspiel, Abtserde, and Morstein are to me, and many others, among the prime terroirs for dry Riesling anywhere. Clos St. Hune may not be a better terroir than Abtserde. Time will tell. Compare these wines with Trimbach, or Knoll, or Hirtzberger, not with Prüm and Dönnhoff. This is a valid side of Riesling too.

I fully intend to. I have had several dry wines from Keller (including the G-Max once), but still not enough. In the near future I am going to order a half dozen to check them out fully.

I fully intend to. I have had several dry wines from Keller (including the G-Max once), but still not enough. In the near future I am going to order a half dozen to check them out fully.

These are very laudable intentions. I wish I could be there with you

Peter