2014 Riesling Von Der Fels

A greenhouse-like amalgam of leaves and flowers accompanies scents of apple, grapefruit and lime, whose fruit dominates a firm but brightly juicy palate. The pit piquancy, cooling herbal as well as chalky infusion are all present here, just as they were in the corresponding “basic” bottling. But in this instance--involving material from Keller’s top sites, including a couple of lots he had considered incorporating into the Morstein Grosses Gewächs--we have more polish, less tendency toward bitterness, greater persistence, and above all a yet more vibrant sense of animation which Keller, like many wine growers, ascribes to the presence in his soils of high active lime. At 42,000 bottles, this is the estate’s most important wine and hence a widely traveled ambassador for Keller, who repeatedly emphasizes how important it is to him to offer enophiles good value and not just be known for wines that have achieved cult status and high prices.

Keller's 2014 Riesling Von Der Fels Trocken was born as a selection of younger vines, but these are more than 25 years old today. Sourced in the grands crus, this Riesling trocken shows a highly expressive shell limestone flavor with flinty/smoky aromas of crushed stones, and the typic lemon flavor of chalky soils along with white fruit flavors. Full-flavored, very delicate and finesse-full on the palate, this is an elegant, filigreed, lovely, pure and very frisky Riesling, with ripe fruit flavors and a stimulatingly salty finish. With just three grams of residual sugar, it's the driest von der Fels so far.

Really quite opulent on the nose. Pungent with cordite notes and a little undertow of waxiness. Lots of fun. I’d happily choose this in a restaurant – though to drink with food rather than on its own. (JR)