Weingut Keller
Bürgel Spätburgunder
Rheinhessen, Germany
Another Burgel data point. Was a surprisingly easy blind for the group - last red, so perhaps everyone’s palate was better calibrated by then. Cool fruited, but with a little more flesh and concentration compared to the Swiss Pinot. Apparent woody spice, some bacon fat and leather, herbal nuances, silky texture, and bright acidity. A streak on salinity in the back end completes the wine, though I found it less obvious than the similarly mineral Swiss Pinot. In a sense, same same but different. Still very young at this stage and will improve as it sheds some baby fat.
Another Burgel data point. Was a surprisingly easy blind for the group - last red, so perhaps everyone’s palate was better calibrated by then. Cool fruited, but with a little more flesh and concentration compared to the Swiss Pinot. Apparent woody spice, some bacon fat and leather, herbal nuances, silky texture, and bright acidity. A streak on salinity in the back end completes the wine, though I found it less obvious than the similarly mineral Swiss Pinot. In a sense, same same but different. Still very young at this stage and will improve as it sheds some baby fat.
Nov 2nd, 2022Needed a good decant to open up and blow away some initial reduction. Still so primary at this stage, with a more elegant fruit profile than the 07'. Pure, juicy red fruits with some really impressive concentration focused around the mid-palate. Super silky texture and some mineral drive in the backend, though not as palpable as the 07'. Still needs time to develop more depth and I'm inclined to say that it would eventually surpass the 07'.
Needed a good decant to open up and blow away some initial reduction. Still so primary at this stage, with a more elegant fruit profile than the 07'. Pure, juicy red fruits with some really impressive concentration focused around the mid-palate. Super silky texture and some mineral drive in the backend, though not as palpable as the 07'. Still needs time to develop more depth and I'm inclined to say that it would eventually surpass the 07'.
Oct 7th, 2022Burgel study courtesy of FK and MJ. I thought this was the better of the two wines, mainly because it was more complete at this stage. Time has brought about that inner sweetness, mineral backbone, black tea notes, and just that touch of sous bois which I really enjoy. I'd prefer a little more red fruit and more oak to shed away, but overall it was drinking well.
Burgel study courtesy of FK and MJ. I thought this was the better of the two wines, mainly because it was more complete at this stage. Time has brought about that inner sweetness, mineral backbone, black tea notes, and just that touch of sous bois which I really enjoy. I'd prefer a little more red fruit and more oak to shed away, but overall it was drinking well.
Oct 7th, 2022
It is just a wonderful Pinot with plenty of red fruit, salty and minerally with a great freshness. The Rieslings are almost without any competition but he makes great Pinot too which can (should ?) be drunk and enjoyed young. Maybe the only negative is the price which clearly gets influenced by the reputation,fully deserved, by the quality and scarcity of the whites.
It is just a wonderful Pinot with plenty of red fruit, salty and minerally with a great freshness. The Rieslings are almost without any competition but he makes great Pinot too which can (should ?) be drunk and enjoyed young. Maybe the only negative is the price which clearly gets influenced by the reputation,fully deserved, by the quality and scarcity of the whites.
Sep 29th, 2021Delightful German Pinot. Red fruit backed with a wonderful saltiness. I love Keller’s Rieslings that are clearly world class but the pinot’s are not far behind.
Delightful German Pinot. Red fruit backed with a wonderful saltiness. I love Keller’s Rieslings that are clearly world class but the pinot’s are not far behind.
Jun 15th, 2021Love the cleanness and perfect delineation of Keller’s Pinots. Perfectly salty and delicious.
Love the cleanness and perfect delineation of Keller’s Pinots. Perfectly salty and delicious.
Apr 9th, 2021Clean, fresh, salty with plenty of red fruit. Excellent PN , could be a beaune.
Clean, fresh, salty with plenty of red fruit. Excellent PN , could be a beaune.
Jan 30th, 2021
Been waiting to try this out and exceeded all expectations. Checks all the boxes for what I like: fresh, funky, rustic, vibrant, and wishing I had more.
Been waiting to try this out and exceeded all expectations. Checks all the boxes for what I like: fresh, funky, rustic, vibrant, and wishing I had more.
Dec 20th, 2020I love KPs pinots, they can compete with some of the lighter cote de beaune’s, more minerality and more salinity and a fresher more floral nose.
I love KPs pinots, they can compete with some of the lighter cote de beaune’s, more minerality and more salinity and a fresher more floral nose.
May 27th, 2020KP likes to say that he makes pino for fun. However, if this wine is of any indication, KP's pino's are as serious as any of his rieslings. The 11' Burgel would easily give the Burgundies of the vintage a run for their money. In fact, it's apt to say that the wine was very Burgundian, given how most placed it in the region in our blind.
The wine's in a great spot for drinking at the moment. No greeness or lady bug. Bouquet of red and black cherries, sous bois, floral spice, mushroom, soy. The palate's energetic and tangy, fruit's a little more dried out with a more profound spice element, and a touch of creaminess. Silky texture, with tannins and oak fully resolved. There's a sort of balancing VA, which also brings savouriness - I feel this is what makes it quite Burgundian. Up for discussion of course.
It's good to see a pino from when KP still bottled them in riesling bottles - perhaps from when he still thought of them as "fun". This is the oldest pino that I've drank from Keller (would have been the 07' Burgel Felix last year if it wasn't corked. FU cork!) and I think it's safe to say he never did treat his pino's lightly. I mean, it's arguably even crazier now - we did spend four days just sorting the Morstein pino grapes, berry-by-berry, in 2017.
Unpopular opinion: KP's spatburgunder's are not value buys anymore (heck! The 2015 Morstein had a hammer price of 610€ in last year's VDP auction). For me, there's still better wines to be found in Burgundy at the prices that the Keller pino's go for. That said, with the rising prices of the latter, this opinion may soon be invalid.
KP likes to say that he makes pino for fun. However, if this wine is of any indication, KP's pino's are as serious as any of his rieslings. The 11' Burgel would easily give the Burgundies of the vintage a run for their money. In fact, it's apt to say that the wine was very Burgundian, given how most placed it in the region in our blind.
The wine's in a great spot for drinking at the moment. No greeness or lady bug. Bouquet of red and black cherries, sous bois, floral spice, mushroom, soy. The palate's energetic and tangy, fruit's a little more dried out with a more profound spice element, and a touch of creaminess. Silky texture, with tannins and oak fully resolved. There's a sort of balancing VA, which also brings savouriness - I feel this is what makes it quite Burgundian. Up for discussion of course.
It's good to see a pino from when KP still bottled them in riesling bottles - perhaps from when he still thought of them as "fun". This is the oldest pino that I've drank from Keller (would have been the 07' Burgel Felix last year if it wasn't corked. FU cork!) and I think it's safe to say he never did treat his pino's lightly. I mean, it's arguably even crazier now - we did spend four days just sorting the Morstein pino grapes, berry-by-berry, in 2017.
Unpopular opinion: KP's spatburgunder's are not value buys anymore (heck! The 2015 Morstein had a hammer price of 610€ in last year's VDP auction). For me, there's still better wines to be found in Burgundy at the prices that the Keller pino's go for. That said, with the rising prices of the latter, this opinion may soon be invalid.