2017 Nieder-Flörsheim FRAUENBERG Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs Q.b.A. trocken Klaus Peter Keller, Rheinhessen (0,75l)

Vinous - 2017 Nieder-Flörsheim FRAUENBERG Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs Q.b.A. trocken, Klaus Peter Keller

A penetratingly sharp and high-toned nose evokes fresh sour cherry, kirsch, holly berry, black tea, lemon peel and mustard seed. Bittersweet floral and pungent dried green herbal notes point to the roughly 35% of intact clusters retained in the ferment this vintage. (For information about Keller’s unique recent approach with the stems of Pinot Noir, see my review of his 2016 Frauenberg Spätburgunder.) There is a silken textural appeal on the palate, but allied to underlying firmness. As you work this around in your mouth, savor of marrowy red meat as well as of shellfish stock adds to the already abundant complexity anticipated on the nose. The superbly sustained finish is tongue-tingling and saliva-inducing. In its salinity, sense of chalk infusion, brightness, aromatic penetration and cut, this is a Pinot that displays strong Riesling kinship. I must confess that I am in that majority of those lucky enough to taste Keller’s annual lineup as well as a considerable number of mature Rieslings, in that I have virtually no experience with his Pinot Noirs except in their youth. So my speculations concerning ageworthiness – including my generous prognostication for this particular wine – should be read with that in mind. - David Schildknecht, Nov. 2020