Westhofener Kirchspiel, Riesling, Spätlese Goldkap, 2007

The Keller 2007 Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Spatlese is redolent of maracuja and pineapple; opulently ripe to the edge of syrupy; and (not surprisingly, given its mere 7.5% alcohol) delicate. A finishing hint of white raisin underscores this wines sheer ripeness and suggests a flirtation with botrytis. A passionate and prodigiously knowledgeable devotee of Mosel Riesling, Keller is convinced of the ability to achieve the same sort of balance and expressiveness in his own sites, but I miss here the exuberant juiciness, transparency to mineral nuance, and uncanny irrelevance of high residual sugar that are among the hallmarks of great sweet Mosel Riesling. Certainly, though, this undeniably impressive wine will eventually diminish in its impression of sheer sweetness, and might surprise me in its expressivity, if given a decade or more in bottle. Klaus-Peter Keller has acquired in time for the 2009 vintage a piece of Niersteins famous red Rhine shore slopes, but while he is obviously excited by the prospects he is anxious to remind me that in the 15th Century, the bishops in Worms were not drinking wine from the Red Slope, but rather an aptes erden an allusion to the Abtserde vineyard, from which he began rendering dedicated Riesling in 2006 and they were certainly very savvy. Keller considers 2007 the most successful vintage in Germany for dry wine in a long while, and when pressed admits he means an unprecedented vintage, since in his opinion he and his colleagues have been on a steep learning curve and were less well-positioned to take full advantage of past vintages that might have been theoretically ideally suited to Riesling trocken. Today, he says, he aims to achieve slimness and elegance as well as ripeness. Kellers relentless pursuit of quality is encompassing longer cask maturation and later release of his best dry wines as well as experimentation in both red and sweet wine methodology. (Note that for all of the Keller 2007s I have tasted, there are also Auslesen from Hubacker and Morstein; a T.B.A. from Hubacker; and several other wines that I did not have chance to experience.) Judging by Kellers three Pinots tasted from barrel, and then from bottle for him, at least, this is a vintage of exceptional potential in red as well. Imported by Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608 9644, Dee Vine Wines, San Francisco, CA tel. (877) 389-9463, and Frances Rose Imports Inc., Huntley, IL; tel. (815) 382 9533