Kirchspiel at a Tender Four Years of Age
2006 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel GG
Small Back-Vintage Tranche - Near-Release Pricing
In a short, short time the "Grand Cru" dry Rieslings of Klaus-Peter Keller have become among the most coveted dry Rieslings in Germany.
It's been absolutely incredible to watch, to experience.
At this point, it's hard to keep these wines in stock for any duration - we are, in fact, already fielding regular inquiries for the not-yet-released 2009s!
So today, amidst our German Futures Campaign, we go the opposite direction, taking a quick glance back over our shoulders into the not-so-distant past with a small parcel of Keller's 2006 Kirchspiel GG.
For those of you still paying attention before the big July 4th weekend, this is a rare back-vintage treat from Keller at prices that have moved very little from the original release prices.
We have been touting the Kirchspiel as the greatest value in Keller's arsenal of Grosses Gewächs for one reason: Fine-ness.
If the Hubacker is broad and luxurious, the Kirchspiel is razor sharp, with a form that is so agile and seamless. Beautiful high-toned fruit, astounding clarity (you can smell the limestone) and incredible grip. For those of you that know the Abtserde, the Kirchspiel feels a bit like its little brother. No, it does not have the force or focus of the Abtserde - but it also doesn't have the $100+ price tag.
In his initial review in the View from the Cellar, John Gilman wrote about the 2006 Kirchspiel: "Looks to be extremely promising, to put it mildly... a superb wine in the making." Today we present a wine four years closer to this promise.
If 2006 has a problematic reputation in Germany, especially in the Mosel where rain and warm weather spread rot and botrytis quickly through the vineyards, the Rheinhessen fared much, much better. The rain was not nearly as prevalent and temperatures were cooler. In short, as John Gilman wrote in View from the Cellar: "2006 was a terrific year for dry wines, as the small amount of September rain that fell here came while the skins were still thick and therefore did not cause any splitting of the grapes. October saw very little botrytis in Klaus-Peter’s vineyards (the little bit that was there was selected out and reserved for making traditionally styled wines, so that the dry rieslings would not lose any precision with the addition of botrytized grapes)."
This is a spectacular bottle of wine; now with four years of development post-vintage it should be developing just magically, though no rush - this has a decade and more of potential.
For the lover of dry German Riesling, I cannot recommend this wine enough. Though, as you've likely come to expect, quantities are incredibly limited... we expect to sell out very quickly.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com immediately or call the store at (212) 980-9463. All orders, alas, subject to confirmation.
Stephen Bitterolf
Wine Director
Crush Wine & Spirits
2006 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel GG
David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Grosses Gewachs leads with musky floral notes, high-toned almond, and piquant peach kernel; displays toasty nuttiness along with generously juicy citrus and peach fruit (and persistent floral perfume) on an opulent, texturally-refined palate; and finishes with persistent muskiness and rich fruit, seemingly just hinting at sweetness (even though there are under eight grams of sugar) but with offsetting and haunting piquancy. Amusingly, given its name, this puts one in mind of Forster Kirchenstuck in its exotic decadence."
"Klaus-Peter Keller says his grapes weren’t soft yet when the August rain hit, and he harvested late by local standards – from 6th-26th of October – by which time the nights were cool, which in his opinion preserved the aromas, warded-off botrytis, and allowed him to achieve normal crop levels, expressive ripeness and dry wines in the 11.9-13% alcohol range."
View from the Cellar: The 2006 Kirchspiel Grosses Gewächs looks to be extremely promising, to put it mildly. This is from the yellow limestone larger section of the vineyard, and this was planted in 1964, making these vines a healthy forty-two years of age in 2006. The bouquet is stunning, as it jumps from the glass in a blaze of grapefruit, apple, lemon zest, great crystalline minerality and incipient notes of the petrol to come. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, racy and beautifully balanced, with great delicacy to go along with its intensity, and “cooler” fruit tones and great cut on the long, soil-driven finish. A superb wine in the making."
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