Kirchspiel Riesling

Those who know me well know just how much I adore the wines, the family, and the place. There’s a certain magic at Keller, one that many fellow Riesling-lovers can attest to. But this bottle, this 17’ Kirchspiel, holds a little more weight than most for me. Not just because it’s an extraordinary vintage, though it most certainly is. But because I was there working harvest that year

Sorting the Kirchspiel fruit was relentless work. Many passes. No shortcuts. We removed anything botrytised and hail-afflicted, every last questionable berry. Pressing was just as meticulous: whole bunch, long and slow cycles, gentle pressures (never exceeding 1.8 bar) to keep the botrytis influence to an absolute minimum. It was all about purity. And purity is exactly what defines the 17’ Kirchspiel.

I’ve had this wine a number of times, but this bottle, slow-oxed since lunch, was something else. A near-perfect showing. Lemon, grapefruit, flint, and white floral, all wrapped up in a saline, chalk-laden precision that feels like liquid geology. Every element in place, nothing extraneous. A dense, electric core of energy, though slightly quieter than its rowdier siblings. The structure is packed, tightly coiled, and unmistakably Kirchspiel.

Effortless energy, but born from backbreaking work. Very worth it.

I believe that ‘glides’ is the right word.

Definitely a little more open than the first bottle this year. A gift lugged back from Germany about four months back, and opened some four hours before dinner to breathe. A touch of petrol on the nose when it was first poured out on the table, but that quickly blew away with subsequent pours and by the last pour, the wine was simply bonkers! Like the ocean - so broad, deep, and immensely saline. While second to minerality, the fruit concentration was no laughing matter too. For me, WOTN on it’s own but it was perhaps a little too overpowering for the fried pipefish which elevated the 19’ Dauvissat La Forest to another plane on this evening.

Decanted, but it never really opened up across our 4-hour dinner. Not as viciously austere as the 16’ Abtserde we had a few days back, but in similar fashion, it does put minerality first. Firm reduction on the nose, which eventually gave way to some herbal and chalky notes, as well as hints of citrus fruit. On the palate, it was more approachable - weighty with huge extract, riper stone fruits, juicy acidity, and intense chalkiness. Really enjoyed this, but it’s certainly in need of some serious cellaring time.

Tasted blind— called exact bottle! Keller Kirchspiel 2017 🤩

From the superb Weingut Keller, terrific balance and racy energy. Ripe stone fruits, lemongrass, crushed rocks and minerals. Already drinking very nicely and improves with a decant. Was a great way to reenergize the palate after a long day of drinking.

After a bad ‘16 Hipping I made the dumb late night mistake and popped this beauty. My goodness it’s delightful rich and zingy gem. Should have given it more time and air but who has the patience.

In magnum

I made a big mistake with this wine. Opened it a day before the intended drinking time, but totally forgot about it, so it was left open in the fridge for 3 days. Usually I would say KP's wines would fare well even after that amount of oxygen intake, but my critical mistake was taking it cross-country on a flight after that 3 days. The result - a slightly oxidised Kirschpiel. Who would have thought that, given how tight this cuvee typically is when young. Anyway, lesson learnt. The structure was impressive though. Tasting notes for the taster glass I had when it was first opened was consistent with previous run ins - like drink liquid rock, cool, precise, concentrated, only hints of exotic ripeness, lengthy. Playing favourites, and rating it based on this 😉

Such a nice bottle. Gone in seconds. Wish I had seconds.