Abts E de Riesling

One of the best evenings of wine I’ve had this year, and it was just focused on this duo. Opened as inspiration for this year’s red pick at Miao Lu (a name to remember for those reading. I’ll say it here first - some of the best Pinot’s and Chard’s in the world will be coming out of this project high up in Yunnan!), and they both gave great context to the task.

When I harvested with Klaus-Peter in 2017, the vineyards bore the scars of hail, every last one of them. The damage was manifest in what we came to call "hail berries" (misshapen berries). To my untrained palate, they tasted perfectly fine. Naturally, I asked KP why we were discarding them, and his response, while not entirely unexpected, was still astonishing (paraphrasing of course): "I don't need to know precisely what they do," he said, "but if there's even a chance they might diminish the wine by 1%, they're gone. And these? They look capable of much worse."

That unyielding spirit of his was, I must admit, my torment at Abtserde, the vineyard hit hardest by the hail. We spent an entire day sorting and picking a single row - granted, the rows were long, but the pace was glacial. The true enemy, though, wasn’t the relentless sorting, but the wasps. Those little demons made an already grueling task even more daunting, dodging their stings as we plucked berries one by one, like selecting pearls from a troubled sea. What we ended up with were, quite literally, tiny gems - "caviar" berries of purity. By day’s end, the sight was something to behold. Despite the torment, the hard work was unquestionably worth it. The 17’ Abtserde is my wine of the vintage.

I’ve had the 17’ Abtserde on numerous occasions but this takes the cake as the best (note to self: best to decant a young Abtserde hard). It is a marvel of purity and depth, with its nose evoking Meyer lemon, iodine, chalk, and flint. These aromas reappear on the palate with a nearly overwhelming intensity, blending piquant brightness and mineral-rich concentration. With more air, a floral, bittersweet herbal note very typical of the vineyard appears (smells like the place even). As the evening unfolded, the wine seemed to grow younger, each glass more lively than the last. The final sip was almost painfully austere, like drinking pure limestone, its explosive palate held together by sharp acidity and a palpable, phenolic grip. The finish seemed endless. One of my best Keller experiences this year.

This trip to Melbourne has been a 07’ riesling galore! Another incredible Keller, although it did not quite hit the highs of the Kirchspiel. Not an AB comparison, but the nose on this Abtserde was a little less explosive and in some sense tighter. It had more a floral, herbaceous drive instead of the fruit basket the Kirchspiel brought. On the palate it was as deep and rich, while still sporting that mineral, herbaceous, focused backend. A pinnacle level riesling, although in my experience, I felt it had more to offer with a little more time or air. Unfortunately that will need to wait till next time as like the Kirchspiel, it evaporated off the dinner table albeit shared among more (i.e. could have used a little more in my glass haha).

Keller’s 2010’s are simply magical and my favorite site, Abtserde, was perfect tonight, stunningly aromatic and ultra complex with amazing weight and texture and racy acids driving everything home. Incredible wine.

lime and stone. Sharp edges. Bright and crystalline. Tight finish. Good

steel and flint on the nose. Some soft floral notes, roses?. Main character is minerality and sharp salinity. Good.

16' has proven to be a rather backward vintage at this stage, so pair that with what's usually the most linear of the Keller vineyards, and you've got a wine that would challenge even the most avid of Riesling fans. Expectedly grand in its weight and just overtly mineral, with the fruit almost completely disappearing into the background. And as always, smells like the vineyard - the herbs and topsoil. It's just pure rock energy here. May well outlive all of us.

😍

2011’s from Keller are simply electric and Abtserde, my favorite bottling is absolutely stunning in this vintage. Abtserde has the power and exoticism of Hubacker and the intense minerality of Morstein. The full package. And each are showcased here seamlessly. After a short decant it’s bursting with intense juicy layers of stone fruits, wet stones and key lime. The palate is ripping with citrus inflicted acids, killer vibrancy, texture and stunning length. And still so young! Amazing future.

Keller with age for me is the Riesling epitome. 2008 I believe is one of the very first GG vintages from Absterde. There is incredible power, focus and intensity showing an exceptionally expressive aromatic bouquet after sufficient air of yellow fruit, stony minerals and an herbal freshness with an electrically energized palate and a persistent finish. Delicious.

Pulsating with energy and ripping acidity. But thanks to an elegant backbone it never gets too much, and its laser-like precision keeps everything in harmony, leading to a long mouthwatering finale.