2015 Riesling Von Der Fels
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Tasting notes
In 2013 and 2014 the challenge for the growers was to find grapes ripe and healthy enough. There was no such problem after the long hot summer of 2015. Intuition in management of the vines and instinct when to pick were required, to avoid ending up with too much opulence at the cost of elegance. The 2015 von der Fels reflects the generosity of the vintage with aromas of dried fruit but in a gentle, rather than opulent way. Once again on the palate, the fruit is ripe, but not too sweet or overbearing and well balanced by healthy acidity. A subtle measure of salty minerality adds a third dimension. A wine full of energy and vibrancy. (MS)
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Cooling oregano and zesty fresh lime and lemon inform a penetratingly pungent nose and a firm, concentrated palate in this amalgamation of fruit from Keller’s Grosses Gewächs sites. Juiciness and crunch of cucumber and ripe apple highlight the virtues he rightly associates with his 2015 fruit as well as the virtues of high-active-lime soil. The consummately refreshing finish is vibrant, remarkably buoyant and transparent to nuances of chalk, stone and iodine. Keller elected to limit his source material this year to vines of 30 years or older, resulting in a smaller production of Von der Fels than in other recent vintages.
The 2015 Riesling Von Der Fels has been sourced from up to 30-year-old vines for two years, so it is based on ten-year older vines than in recent times to better express the chalky minerality. The wine opens pure, fresh and with crushed stone and bright, perfectly-ripe fruit aromas. Intense and lush on the palate, but well-organized and mineral, this Riesling from Keller's best vineyards reveals ripe and intense, yet still clear and fresh fruit flavors. It is a very elegant, vital and pretty expressive Riesling with tension, finesse and grip. The 2015 juiciness and intensity is as present as the the pronounced acidity, the remarkable concentration and lingering salinity. This is an excellent terroir Riesling.
This included some fruit from older vines than usual – eg Morstein and Kirchspiel and Abtserde – they put some in because the older vines gave more substance in a dry year. Only half the volume of normal – 3,500 bottles. Older vines coped better with the dry season. RS 4 g/l. Highly aromatic with lemon and lime fruit, and a light herbal character from the spontaneous fermentation. Medium-dry sweetness balanced with beautifully intense but not harsh acidity. The wine had been recently sulphured (40 ppm) as it was about to be bottled and I did sense this on the nose at the moment. But on the palate there is intensity and purity. There’s a light note of orange here too. Has depth and intensity but also a light touch. (JH)
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.