WTN: That's Grosses

[David M. Bueker]

2009 Weingut Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen (2/1/2017)
This wine is an aromatic powerhouse. The nose is mesmerizing, captivating and finally invigorating. The fruit salad of aromas keeps pulling me back in again and again. Then I take a sip, and there is no way for it to live up to how the wine smells. There is a nice interplay of fruit and mineral, but it does not soar. I go back to smell it again, and I am astonished. Taste again, and I am let down. It's a bizarre dichotomy. I ended up with a few sips sitting in my glass because I loved smelling it, but was not thrilled to drink it. I have had wines before where I was more than satisfied to just smell them, but the taste came close. Weird!

Let down in terms of the flavors? Or something about the body/structure/energy?

Not your usual positive note David?

[David M. Bueker]

Let down in terms of the flavors? Or something about the body/structure/energy?

Energy. On the palate it seemed to just lay flat.

Let down in terms of the flavors? Or something about the body/structure/energy?

Energy. On the palate it seemed to just lay flat.

Well, it is the Rheinhessen

Do you think it's a stage? Have you been tracking the wine over time?

[David M. Bueker]

No idea. I just had this one bottle purchased as part of a 6 vintage vertical.

[Jenise]

So do I understand correctly, this is a GG and therefore totally dry? I presume it wasn't that which created the disappointment?

So do I understand correctly, this is a GG and therefore totally dry? I presume it wasn't that which created the disappointment?

It is a GG but they can have some RS, I believe up to 10 grams.

[David M. Bueker]

So do I understand correctly, this is a GG and therefore totally dry? I presume it wasn't that which created the disappointment?

It was not bone dry, but that was not the issue. The issue was a heaviness/flatness on the palate. It needed more acidity/lift.

The GG Rieslings more often than not tend to leave me disappointed with the lack of balance and severe lack of elegance, to the point where I don't even consider purchasing anymore unless at a significant bargain (as in well under ex-cellar price). I much prefer the Erste Lage and village trockens from the top producers.

More concentration rarely equals more pleasure, but they have to do something to justify the increase in price, right?

So do I understand correctly, this is a GG and therefore totally dry? I presume it wasn't that which created the disappointment?

It was not bone dry, but that was not the issue. The issue was a heaviness/flatness on the palate. It needed more acidity/lift.

Isn't that largely a 2009 problem?

[David M. Bueker]

Not completely. It's not a flabby vintage compared to some other years (e.g. 2003, 2011). Granted I have not had many Rheinhessens from 2009, so it could have been worse there.

Elsewhere the Keller apologists are insisting that I did not treat the wine with sufficient respect.