Kees-Kieren Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese * 2005 9,5% AP AP 2 583 092 20 06
Kees-Kieren made my favourite 2003 Riesling, so I had hopes that they would do very well in another hot vintage. The Kabinett is pretty lousy I'm sorry to say. The nose is so over-ripe that it smells of rotting fruit. The palate is better with fine minerality but very little acidity. It even seems to lack Riesling character. Maybe an off bottle?
The Spätlese is very fine, almost even being Heavenly as the vineyard indicates it should be!
Pure friendly minerals abound with all the classical Riesling aromas but with an intriguing and very pleasant earthy note. Here Kees-Kieren does manage well with the warm year: even the acidity is noticable (though can there ever be enough acidity?). The aftertaste is wonderfully intense, ripe and acidic and mineral and very, very long!
Conclusions on the 2005s so far tasted: I like them, but do not love them. I like more noticable acidity than what these have had. Also a couple wines had the rotting fruit to them which I actively dislike. Also the wines were a bit heavy for their classes.