Keller 2007 Spatlese R: "Natural Balance"

"So maybe this is a 38-year wine?"
2007 Keller Riesling Kirchspiel Spatlese "R"
Lavish, Exotic Rheinhessen Riesling from the Master

This is what happens when Klaus-Peter Keller lets an 1,800 liter barrel of Riesling from the awesome 2007 vintage ferment spontaneously and find its own "balance."

What you end up with is a Spätlese of nearly overwhelming concentration - this is, after all, an expression of the already legendary 2007 vintage (the bottle was simply released later by Keller).

This 2007er flaunts exotic fruit that seduces the palate, a textural play that is spellbinding and a style and length that is very impressive. There is not a rough angle to be found in this wine - not a gracious curve out of place - this is supremely elegant, a flowing gown of a Riesling with layer after layer of texture.

This is a LOT of Riesling, in just about every sense of the word. We might even call this wine "Baroque," were it not for the 7.2 grams of acidity that power it, that lend the ripe fruit serious lift and energy. This is where the thrill resides, the definition of the wine provides a foil to the absolutely staining, ripe fruit.

Hedonists take SERIOUS note: You will like this wine a lot. (Those of you with more austere palates, cellar this bottle and prepare for fireworks in 10, 20+ years.)

At as low as $31.50 on the four-pack, this is simply an epic Riesling deal (the four pack gives you one to try now, three for the cellar). While we border on sounding like a broken record here, it's worth noting once again the outrageous value offered by Riesling. This is a world class bottling from one of Germany's greats, a Riesling that deserves to be in the cellar of every Teutonic scholar - and it's just over $30 bucks.

As one of my most insightful clients/Riesling fanatic friends said after he took a bottle home: "So, maybe this is a 38-year wine?"

To be perfectly honest, I had a similar thought, slowly tasting a bottle of this over three days. There is a weight, a palate presence, a seductive density here that reminds me of the Rheingau Rieslings of yore, big wines with big bones not only meant to go the distance - but wines that really find their most profound expression with age.

Even now the wine needs time to "settle down" as my friend said; I had a similar experience. If the wine was too brash and explosive on day one, by day two and even day three it had found more calm and presence - the minerality of the Kirchspiel comes to the forefront and while the fruit remains nearly tactile, rich and unctuous, it has definition, clarity.

On day three, while it hardly feels dry, the acidity is much more present - my friend said it reminded him a bit of a "slightly fruitier Von der Fels," referencing Keller's cult value dry Riesling.

For this lovely, mild Friday we offer out but one small parcel of this wine (remember, only 1,800 liters made); as with everything Keller does, we expect demand to be strong.

While Keller's dry wines grab all the attention, have no doubt that Klaus-Peter approaches nothing without the utmost severity and respect. This is a serious Riesling from a spectacular vintage built for the long haul and deserving of the cellar.

To order, email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Stephen Bitterolf
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyers
Crush Wine & Spirits

Special Email Bottle Price: $33.95
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Special Email 4-Pack Price: $126.00 ($31.50/btl)
Drink one, cellar three

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