2014 Westhofener Kirchspiel Grosses Gewachs
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Tasting notes
Chalky, ashen inflections; piquancy of peach kernel and citrus rinds; and a firm feel all pull this athletically lean, lithe, energetic Riesling in a slightly austere direction, but infectious primary juiciness of white peach and grapefruit preserves a sense of generosity. Pungent mint and sage tweak the nostrils and lend a stimulatingly cooling note on the palate. A vibrant, indeed downright mouth-shaking finish resolutely retains both fruit intensity and stony, chalky, ashen underpinnings. If all goes well, this already formidable bottling will gain in nuance and charm with time in bottle.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
From vines planted in the mid 1960s, the 2014 Westhofen Kirchspiel Riesling trocken Grosses Gewachs offers a very clear, fresh and precise bouquet of white fruits, lemon juice and chalky flavors. Intense and piquant on the palate, with a lingering juiciness and fruit intensity of old vines, this is an impressive cru with a very good, tension-filled length and stimulating salinity.
Tasted at Justerini & Brook’s tasting in London on 9 Sep. A little more restrained on the nose than I remember some previous vintages. Rather tough and dry on the end with massive extract. This is telling the taster to back off and wait. Solid rather than expressive. (I wonder whether it is still exhibiting the post-bottling symptoms that persuaded the Kellers not to show it at the annual VDP showing of GGs in Wiesbaden this year? They bottle their Grosse Gewächse months later, in mid August, than many other producers to prolong the period of lees contact. They report that the wines often show quite well one week after bottling but start to close down over subsequent weeks.) (JR)
About the producer
Based in the Rheinhessen, Keller is one of the finest Riesling producers in the world, and has set the benchmark for German Pinot Noir.