Weingut Keller has just announced that from 2018 they will be taking over 0,7 Ha of Piesporter Schubertslay, previously farmed by Julian Haart - so it almost stays in the family, so to speak.
This vineyard is extremely steep and with very old (or very, very, very old as Mr Trump would have said) ungrafted Riesling vines, it 'll be most interesting to se how things develop.
Julian and Nadine Haart and the oldest son at Kellers - Felix - will be looking after the vineyard.
The best of these old, steep vineyards can give fantastic wines, but unfortunately they are so labour intensive that many have been abandoned during the last century for financial reasons.
So as a winelover itâs nice to learn that this move is more a labour of love than a rational investment.
I saw the announcement. But not that the vines were previously tended by Julian Haart, only that they will be now. Was there something else published?
I saw on Instagram a German sommelier writing that Julian Haart will be âtaking care ofâ Nieder Flörsheimer Frauenberg. So it seems that they are swapping vineyards.
They ar eclose friends but I take that that the legal side has agreed upon somehow.
more precisely: Keller has acquired Schubertslay and Julian Haart has acquired a part of the Frauenberg vineyard with Riesling on limestone soil.
Well one if the best sites in Mosel and the best vigneron.
Makes sense
More clarity here. So no more Julian Haart Schubertslay:
Thanks Russel - I drink too much and study too little 
I would say they are two of the best vignerons. Sad to see Julian not have Schubertslay. I wonder if the Keller team will make similar wines Pradikats and trocken/GG. Also excited to see what Keller does especially if he makes Pradikats. Also, I would like to know more about FrauenbergâŠ
Can Keller make a GG in the Mosel? Would he have to apply to join the Grosser Ring?
He certainly has the ability. Can he call it GG? He might have to apply as you glibly put it. I was more thinking outloud, that I hope he makes wine as great and in a similar style as his compatriot Julian Haart. And I bet he can! I personally just donât like the idea of losing anything that Julian Haart makes.
Itâs a genuine question. Do you need to be in the Mosel VDP to make a GG there or can you âpassportâ your VDP membership.
I just asked this questio in Germany
I asked them directly. They were not sure. In any event I think they want to make Kabinett.
From VDP website (http://www.vdp.de/en/vdp/klassifikation/the-refined-vdpclassification/vdpgrosse-lage/):
A dry wine from a VDP.GROSSE LAGE© is designated VDP.GROSSES GEWĂCHS© and is bottled in a special bottle embossed with the âGGâ logo. The use of the adjective trocken is mandatory.
It looks to me it is a VDP proprietary term. I would be surprised you are allow to use it if you are not a member. If you are a member why should you not be able to passport it?
Because each VDP is separate, it quite possibly hasnât happened before. Klaus Peter wasnât sure. I asked him.
Basically, the same question applies if Keller wants to make a Kabinett âErste Lageâ VDP. I understood it works.
Kruger-Rumpf is situated in Nahe. A few years ago they bought vineyards in Binger Scharlachberg right over the boarder in Rheinhessen. They make a GG from there and I think they did that from the first year. So seems to be no problem to make wine from another region and still name it GG.
Then of course Schubertslay is not considered a VdP Grosse Lage or Erste Lage as of today. So Keller would first have to apply for a classification.
Itâs within Piesporter Goldtröpfchen isnât it?
See http://shop.weingut-vereinigtehospitien.de/riesling/2015-piesporter-schubertslay-demi-gg.html
It is considered a einzellage on its own, but geographically it is within Goldtröpfchen. But I see it IS already classified as Grosse Lage. I did not know that. But Vereinigte Hospitien is a VdP-member and owns the vineyard.
Then I think it is no problem for Keller to bottle this wine under his name and label it GG or Erste Lage kabinett.