Riesling, Trocken, Von der Fels, 2016
A blend of the younger vines from Kirchspiel, Hubacker and Abtserde alongside fruit from some 45 year old vines in Morstein - essentially all GG vineyards from both Westhofen and Florsheim-Dalsheim - Von der Fells habitually represents some of the best value in the Keller line up. In 2016 cool stones, fine citrus and greengage meet herbs and salt in this crisply mineral dry Riesling. Textbook stuff.
critic reviews
Fresh apple and lime are suffused with chalky crushed stone on a forceful nose and a firm, brightly juicy palate. This finishes with implacable, vibratory grip and features a mouthwatering, crustacean-like alliance of sweet-saline animal and mineral elements, but along with that come chalk, crushed stone, peat and ash. Nor does this multifacetedly mineral libation stint on citric refreshment. Like last year’s Von der Fels, it issues exclusively from vines of some 30 or more years of age, thereby perpetuating a short supply in comparison with the volume of most Von der Fels bottlings prior to 2015. (The vineyard sources for this bottling range across all of Keller’s top sites, though Kirchspiel, Hubacker and Abtserde combined make up close to 90% of its volume.)
The 2016 Riesling Von Der Fels is from up to 25-year-old vines in the Kirchspiel, Hubacker and Abtserde. Its bouquet is clear, super ripe and fresh as well as intense and calcareous. On the plate this is a pure and fresh old-school Riesling with a lot of grip and tension. Very chalky, terribly young but promising. Needs time.