A few choice rieslings (Keller, Dönnhoff)

2017 Weingut Keller Abts E® Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen (10/10/2020)
A significantly different wine compared to the 2018. They share the same mineral and acidity structure, but where the 2018 has fruit to put on that skeleton, the 2017 is a barebones exposition of the raw structural power of riesling. It’s nowhere as fruit forward, and perhaps even slightly austere, and shows more a herbal, green style than the tropical, voluptuous younger sibling. Impressive for its stature, but I prefer having the flesh (and fat) on the skeleton, and give my nod to the 2018. (93 pts.)

2018 Weingut Keller Abts E® Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen (10/10/2020)
A little reduced on the nose initially, but then this hits like a ton of bricks. Ripe, large-scaled, and incredibly opulent with an abundance of ripe tropical fruit that is incredibly expansive on the palate. The structure of this wine is hidden by the generous fruit (and that comparison is all the more stark having this next to the 2017) but both the mineral cut and the veins of acidity are there if you look for them. For my palate, I feel that this is the better of the pair given the added richness from the fruit and has more long term potential as well for that reason. (93 pts.)

2007 Dönnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Spätlese Auction - Germany, Nahe (10/10/2020)
It has been ages since I opened a bottle of this and this is really firing on all cylinders right now. It’s like sweetened crushed rocks. So drinkable and fresh, and with so much minerality you get that kind of tannic feeling on the palate. 2007 has always struck me as a bit fleshy but this bottle has no excess fat at all. It is sculpted, shapely, and just mind-bendingly delicious. I’ll have to start picking off a few more of these now that I know how good they are currently. (93 pts.)

2018 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe (10/10/2020)
I’ll be the first to admit that despite Dönnhoff being the second-largest holding in my cellar, I’ve never been a huge fan of their GGs (Emrich-Schönleber takes the crown in the Nahe). This bottle is amply impressive though, and I suspect it has to do with the relatively opulent and generous vintage, which gives this wine a richer, fleshed out body to complement the green herbs and mineral cut. Very impressive in its stature, this is a bottle that I may well have to consider putting into my own cellar… (93 pts.)

I really like the 2018 GGs but not as much as the delicious aciddriven 2017s. Looking forward to the 2019 GGs

“2018…and has more long term potential as well for that reason”


I beg to differ, 2017 has clearly more long potential than 2018. Its the high acidity of the cool-climate vintages 2017 or 2013 or 2010 which provides the long term potential. Trust me.


Gin Gin
Martin

Nice group of wines. I am surprised that you rated the Keller and Dönnhoff equal and that they all got exactly 93 points : )

I think it’s deliberate and an attempt to make a point (although I think unsuccessfully)

I will beg to differ with your begging. Balance is the key to long aging. When one component is too prominent there is a high risk of imbalance as time goes on. I am not worried about 2013 or 2017, but 2010 is questionable in my mind.

I was thinking the same thing about the 93 point ratings. Then I thought it was to troll the “all wines are 93 points” thing. I wasn’t sure though.

Regardless of the scoring, I really enjoyed the notes. Those are some great wines I would love to try. Thanks for sharing!

He used to link to his actual scores on Cellartracker, but you can still look them up there. The scores were (in listed order): 95, 95, 95, 93, so Robert’s surprise is still in order (although both Keller were higher than the Donnhof GG).

thanks for the notes! they sound like a pretty great group of wines.

Ah. That makes sense. Well done on the mini troll A. So.

Time will tell. 2010 is still young. However i believe that vintages with expressive acidity will give most pleasure in the long run. 2004 and 2008 GGs are far more interesting now than 2005 and 2006 IMO
2017 Kabinett, especially Spätlese IMO, Auslese and GGs are beacons. 2019 likewise

Nah. The historically long-lived vintages of German wine, 1959, 1971 (less so), 1976, 1983 are all fleshy wines with generous ripeness. 2010 is best at the GKA, BA, TBA level and to my palate 2013 is a whiff. I haven’t tasted enough 2017 to make a determination, but I’m placing my bets on the ripe vintages.

And besides, GGs haven’t been around long enough to demonstrate their true aging potential, so you’ll excuse me if I take any pronouncements about aging potentials of GGs with a generous pour of salt.

Feel like the 18s have come around really quick, initially I thought they were just too big. Now they’ve toned up a bit. I still really like the 17 Kellers tho in comparison to 18. Who knows where any of these wines will be in 25+ years

Yep. Many of the new wave German producers have pushed the acid too far for my taste. I’m deeply suspicious of their aging potential too. I’m sticking with the houses I know.

Keller 2013 is a whiff?

Was thinking of Mosel more than Keller. Whoops.