2007 Keller and Schonleber

5/17/2008 -

The chatter has started and 2007 is turning out to be a spectacular vintage for Germany. I barrel tasted at a few estates in February (Knebel, Heger, Schnaittman & Van Volxem) and I was very excited as to what I tasted, even if the wines were in an infantile form. They are clear as a summer day with an azure blue sky with scinitillating acidities, lots of extract and fruit and they have stupendous length. This is the first of many offers on the 2007's. The wines will be a touch more expensive than the 2006's but that is the trend these days as the dollar is not worth much versus the Euro these days.

There are murmurs that the best growing area in 2007 was the Rheinhessen and there is no better estate than Keller. The wines are just plain soul stirring and the quality from top to bottom is amazing. Dry, sweet, half-sweet, non-Riesling varietals, this winery can and does it all. They have one many awards from the Gaut-Milau guide to German wines and are getting better known in America as their wines sell out in Germany within the first few days they are released. If there ever is a cult wine in Germany it is Keller. They are wonderful wines, with lovely textures, pure and dynamic fruit and chiseled strucutures. There is not much wine to go around in this offer so jump on this quick. Some wines will arrive in June while others will arrive in September.

Emrich-Schonleber is part of the holy triumvirate in the Nahe that includes Donnhoff and Schafer-Frohlich. Werner Schonleber's wines are alive and full of vim, verve and vigor. They also have a wonderful terroir stamp. I have never had a wine from Werner Schonleber that I would not consider excellent. His two main vineyards are the Halenberg and the Fruhlingsplatzchen. I always find Halenberg to be more minerally while Fruhlingsplatzchen is more fruit forward but is not lacking in minerality. The wines are pure and electric and also are very long agers. Emrich also makes one of the best Eiswein's in all of Germany and 2007 was a cooler vintage so perfect for profound Eiswein to be made.