Klaus Peter Keller Riesling Kirchspiel GG 2009

Lobenberg: Extremer Zug am Gaumen. Verspielt in der Nase: Tabak und hoch reife Zitrusfrüchte. Seine Harmonie strahlt aus ihm heraus. Das beste bisher von mir probierte Kirchspiel. 97/100

Mosel Fine Wines: The 2009er Westhofener Kirchspiel Trocken GG offers a magnificent and superbly refined nose including smoke, herbs, spices, almond cream, candied grapefruit, quinine and mint. The wine proves superbly balanced on the slightly smooth but nicely dense palate and leaves one with a great feel of focus and grip in the immensely long finish. A great saline, spicy and smoky side in the after-taste underlines the finesse of this remarkably fresh dry Riesling. Now-2039 95/100

Parker: The Keller 2009 Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Grosses Gewachs features pungent, piquant lime zest, peach kernel, and cherry pit allied to tart citrus and yellow plum, salt and chalk, all of which make for an almost fiercely penetrating and invigoratingly persistent if spare and lightly astringent performance. This certainly isn’t about flattery or ingratiation. German growers and critics love applying the word “puristic” to such a Riesling, which I suppose is better than “puritanical” – but my, is this wine strict! As it took on air, a slightly more enticing, saliva-inducing sense of salinity and shellfish reduction emerged. I don’t envision it ever achieving the delicacy and poise that its 2008 rendition displayed even at this young age, but it should certainly be fascinating as well as palate-stimulating to follow in the course of the coming decade. While Keller has now begun to implement the plan I discussed in issue 187 of releasing some Grosse Gewachse only in the year after bottling, that delayed release will not apply to either the Hubacker or Kirchspiel, although based on my perception of the latter’s personality, it above all should be considered as a candidate.

Galloni: White peach, basil and salted almonds on the nose. Silky and refined, with very pure kiwi fruit enlivened by zesty acidity. Salty finishing minerality will assure this wine of a long life.