KELLER - barrel tasting vintage 2023

I would say the most important info for YOU is to buy a lot of 2022 Spätburgunder. Pick your favorite estates.

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I seen posts here about it and believe I also saw Keller mention it on insta. From what you understood is this across regions? As far as it’s possible to generalize of course… or are there certain regions doing exceptionally well?

I have to admit I rely on the judgement of KP, as so far I only tasted 2022 Spätburgunder/Germany from Keller only, but he speaks from whole (!) Germany.

On the other hand based on my experience of Keller Spätburgunder since 20 years, 2022 is clearly something special or in my terms „another level“. The depth&length&structure incl. the fruit I have never tasted or experienced before at this level or quality at the estate Keller.

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Thanks Martin, I will for sure look out for the 2022s :wine_glass:

Martin… I thought we had an agreement. To NOT talk about these wines, so that we can have them for ourselves instead. Without the whole world looking for th same wines as we do. No need for this (or your) post… Please move along, boys and girls. There’s really nothing to see here. I don’t know how happy Klaus-Peter Keller will be when I say this, but I’ll advice all of you to stay away. There will be better vintages. And better wines. From others. Why fixate so much on this producer in the tiny village of Flörsheim-Dalsheim? Surely you must have better things to do?

Regarding the sparkling wines, I think we’d better try to stop Felix making more sparkling wines already here and now, while we still have a chance. Otherwise, I’m afraid he’ll take over the complete sparkling scene and outcompete even the superstarts in Champagne. Ohhh, they don’t know what they are doing, like Bérèche taking him in as an apprentice and then these dinners and tastings with Anselme Selosse. One day the Cuckoo will throw out others from the nest… B) (said with tongue-in-cheek, as they are best of friends and not competitors - I believe that their friendship, sharing of knowledge and experiences and above all their mutual passion will benefit us consumers by them reaching even furter heights of sparkling winemaking - can’t wait to see what will come out of this bubbly passion).

The 2022s are, in my humble opinion, the best wines so far from the estate - in the Pinot noir range. I’ve probably had as delicious wines before in some rare vintage but I think they have never been as delicate, aromatic and sheer brilliant as in this vintage. The word here is pure elegance and if KP would just, ahummm, part with some bottles I have zero of, I’d be happy to host a Burgundy Grand Cru blind tasting anytime, anywhere, with these babies placed inside as ringers. I predict a lot of head-scratching once the wines are revealed… Super low yields, perfect ripening, very small berries with thick skins, made up the formula to some extraordinary wines. I actually treated myself to a fun little experiement with the wines once the tasting was over but that’s a another and much longer story…

The Sylvaner wines were not so much to discuss - I mean, the Feuervogel Alte Reben… Come on. Are there still people who haven’t discovered this diamond yet? What was maybe the biggest take-away, was that I finally “got” the Bamberg version (Sylvaner “vom Austernfels”). I mean…this is indeed a Singular Wine. Truly remarkable in its own way. There’s nothing like it. Completely Unique. I should know, since I too have been harvesting it (but not this vintage). I had the same epiphany regarding Freisa when I first tasted Nadia Curto’s version. And exclaimed a big, cheerful “Ahhaaaaa!!”.

The 2023 Rieslings? As I said, nothing to see here. Please move along. The discussion around the table was if the 2017, the 2021 or the 2023 was the best Riesling von der Fels ever. I can’t help but smile at the instagram post I saw lately - “Imagine DRC would declassify their Grand Crus from sub 25-year-old vines and sell them for 50 euros”. :smiley: I rest my case. The 2023 Schubertslay Riesling GG I can only smile at. I scored it according to taste, nose and texture, as I always do, trying to forget the “slight” bias that I myself harvested it together with the other members of Keller’s famous A-Team. This is…unfortunately a wine on top of that shining hill that few of us mere mortals will ever encounter, let alone drink and enjoy. I hope this wine will NEVER be bartered and used as an investment but rather opened, shared and ENJOYED, with joy and laughter, by passionate wine lovers around the world. Oh well, not that many, I guess. Because the yields were almost non-existing. I personally made damn sure that the production was kept at almost zero. Klaus-Peter complained and bickered like a mad dog behind my ears in the steep vineyard and pleaded, no BEGGED, to please, please, PLEASE drop a grape ever now and then INTO the bucket and NOT just eat every single bunch but, as I explained to him in a calm and very poised voice, HE of all people should know that meticulous Quality Control is of the very essence of a serious wine producer. What would the world come to if we didn’t upheld this unprecedented Quality Control? Chaos would rule. It will cost a fortune, it comes with a three digit score but it will be worth every single penny and drop. Period. The G-Max was simply superb but not the best wine this evening… :sunglasses: That trophy wen’t to another wine I don’t dare to mention. And then…I haven’t even talked about the Kirschspiel Riesling GG this year. The Kirchspiel. The Kirchspel. See, now I have mentioned it three times. Do what you will with that hint…

Overall, take it for what it is, one of the most unique and brilliant winemakers showing his best wines. Anything less than stellar would be a surprise at this address. The vintage overall, isn’t an easy one. There were many challenges throughout the regions and I’ve talked to winemakers who said parts of their plots (with young vines) died or weren’t even harvested because of difficult conditions. The combination of high yields and a dry summer posed some serious challenges for those who didn’t have the resources and determination to be constantly heading out in the vineyards. This is when size matters - big estates with vast, vast vineyards scattered over a wide area, versus small-scale, family-run estates that really worked with attenton to every detail and could do so because they have total control over their vineyards…well, I predict consumers will notice some differences. For the very small percentage of growers with old vines and low yields, it will be a year to remember will lots of smiles.

At the very end of the tasting, I summed it up with some words directed at, not Klaus-Peter, but to his son Felix. A direct quote by myself goes like this: “Felix, the wines were delicious as usual, some wines were even brilliant, but the biggest and far most enjoyable take-away from this evening was…you”. Those who know, knows. No other explanation is necessary. He seemed happy about my comment. At least he understood it. :stuck_out_tongue:

Here endeth my short impression from an evening (and night - thanks, Sir Pinot…) I will never forget.

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Sometimes heaven is here on earth… :face_with_peeking_eye:



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DANKE my friend. :clap:

Always a pleasure to meet you.

“2019 war leichter zu handeln und perfekter von der Trauben.

Aber 2023 hat dort, wo gut gearbeitet wurde, teilweise großartige Ergebnisse gebracht. Kleine Erträge und alte Reben waren im Vorteil und Weingüter, die nicht zu groß waren und perfekt immer dann am Stock waren, wenn die Trauben perfekt waren im Herbst. Das Erntefenster wird eher kleiner (Klimawandel) und es wird immer wichtiger sehr detaillversessen zum richtigen Zeitpunkt am richtigen Ort zu sein.“

KP Keller


©estate Keller

P.S. 2023 vdF will be released starting 15 May

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P.S.

Good to know that 2023 „von der Fels“ is indeed something special, after other friends from the estate Keller also were deeply impressed by the 2023 version in the last days.

New is that a „Frauenberg Terrassen“ Riesling went into the vdF.

As I said so often, for 25€ you will get GG-quality.

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No offence, but every vintage since, atleast 2019, I heard that the VdF was something special. So hard to know if they really are and which one thats the “special one” :grin:

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No arguing of it being a good wine or perhaps still great value for money but I reckon we need to recalibrate what the price is for the wine.

You benefit from the friends and family direct from cellar prices (which I think is nice to continue with - those loyal since the before fame deserve it!).

Not possible to find the wine at that price, not even with the fair retails - in reality the lower prices in Europe/Germany is around 30-35 euros (and that’s not secondary market price). So it means it is getting to GG price level… And the wine might still be worth it of course.

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I got the message!

For the future :zipper_mouth_face:

23.90 vs. 27.90 for the 2022 vdF…

But let‘s not forget the RR, the 2021 is stunning at the moment.

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Martin it wasn’t a criticism. I’ve just seen this hype for every vintage now. Not just from you, but from a lot of sources, so I just found it a bit funny that it happens every year.

It is undeniable a good wine and I enjoy your posts on Keller’s wines, so keep posting :slightly_smiling_face:

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Yes, I think we bought at the same place with very limited bottles (?). Bought rest of my bottles for a little more than 30, then most others had it for 35 ish.

Thanks for mentioning, will see if I can find a bottle next time I’m by the storage!

And Martin, please keep sharing the excitement - you’re always very positive and share many interesting insights!

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And for sure it’s not the case with just Keller. According to some it seems like almost every new vintage for every property is the best ever in Bordeaux, Rhône etc as the winemaking and vineyard management improves each year. What a great time to be a wine drinker (unless traditional low alc Beaujolais is your thing)! :grinning:

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DANKE for your feedback. :slightly_smiling_face:

More and more I think of GG as a style more than a quality level. I know it’s contrary to the VDP cool-aid, but I don’t see VdF as a GG style wine.

It’s lighter, and preferable to a great many GGs but I don’t see a real similarity style wise.

But I also appreciate Martins posts and we are overdue a dinner!

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Good idea, Russell. :+1:

Let me know when you’re in Berlin. Come to casa Zwick for dinner.

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I don’t think vdf is supposed to be GG in any terms (for me it’s refreshing metamorphose of dry kabi/ort/GG) but I still prefer it over many heavy hitter producers GG. It also age way better than many GG does and while it’s now harder to find than some years ago you can actually buy one without special relations to retailers which is not the case for higher end Keller wines. I don’t like overhyping the wines/vintages neither and generally only trust my own palate these days but I have to say that I have bought several wines during years based on Martin’s tips from here or ig and I have to say they are more than often on point. Don’t hate the player hate the quality of German wines :sweat_smile:.

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