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95 VM. "The 1,400 liters of this juice took three full days to pass through Keller’s basket press--and it was worth the wait! Fermentation petered out with a dozen grams of sugar remaining, so that is how he left things. Scents of white peach tinged with mint and smoky black tea lead into a silky, lusciously juicy mid-palate featuring white peach, quince and Rainier cherry further infused with green herbs, black tea and crushed stone. Hidden sweetness undoubtedly helps support the wine’s ripe fruit as well as enhance its textural caress and (thanks to that much less alcohol) its buoyancy. Richness and subtle creaminess do not in any way preclude utmost transparency to herbal and mineral nuances, and there is mouthwatering salinity here beyond what I experienced at this youthful stage with other of Keller’s dry Rieslings. With a wonderful sense of vibrant finishing energy, this manages to at once stimulate and soothe. It’s been a long time since there was such a glorious wine from Hipping, even though great wines are legion in the history of this site, and especially from the portion (known officially prior to 1971 as Flächenhahl) that Keller acquired from Franz Karl Schmitt. (The initials 'HM' on this wine’s label reflect a preference of the British Royal House under Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for Riesling from the Schmitt Nierstein holdings in Hipping, a relationship recently revived by Keller.)" Vinous, May 2016 |