In my opinion wines like Keller Von der Fels, Emrich Schonleber Mineral or Schafer-Fröhlich Schiefergestein (just three examples) are generally from Grand Cru quality vineyards. They are perfect for drinking 1-7 years after the vintage, of course they will last longer, while you are waiting for the GGs to be ready! I have actually been buying more of these lately because they drink so well young and trying, not all together successfully, to let my GGs age.
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There are plenty of ortswein picked from GG classified vineyards/parcels but IMO vdf is always the best / most serious. Closest contender was also Christmann Neustadt -V- which was basically a single vineyard wine picked from Neustadter Vogelsang that was/is potentially even better but since 2020 labelled as GG that costs over 3x what ortswein was and probably still worth it’s price. Müller-Catoir still produces ortswein from there and while it’s all from new planted young vines it’s very, very, good. Hugely overlooked vineyard with interesting history (almost vanished & went under buildings before Christmann & M-C took it over).
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Well since I buy 5 cases every year and have every vintage back to 2004 I can’t argue with that!
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I would say that you have to establish a second home in Germany, Robert.
You would be in the region for visiting the estates and we will help you to reduce your inventory. Just for scientific reasons of course. 
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P.S.
one in Berlin for the music&clubs and one at the Mosel
It seems that the first bottles of 2023 vdF were delivered to customers in Germany. A german wine-lover published his impressions yesterday. Use a google translator.
No doubt, he enjoyed it. Most important part for me, when he mentioned a „present and crisp acidity“ and „fine balance“.
Riesling von der Fels trocken mit 12,5 Vol.% Alk.,Pr.Nr.16/24, 45er Naturkork ND
„frischer, etwas hefiger Kräuterduft ( dürfte vom Kirchspielanteil herrühren ). Macht auf der Zunge schon einen recht seriösen Eindruck in Richtung GG gehend. Verspielt, feine Balance, zeigt Biss und Schliff, präsente und knackige Rieslingsäure. Zuckerschwänzchen ( gottlob ) nicht vorhanden, durchaus fordernd, so liebe ich junge Rieslinge.
Da ist jetzt schon eine gehörige Portion Trinkspaß in der Flasche. Wird laufend überprüft , meine Weinfreunde werden mir dabei uneigennützig Unterstützung leisten.“ Leo
P.S.
if there are understanding/translation problems, let me know
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On Friday Stephan Reinhardt/WA wrote an article for the german newspaper FAZ regarding the frost 2024 chez Egon Müller, really heartbreaking (!) and some hints regarding 2023 Keller. Surprisingly no paywall!
„The estate Keller has some fantastic 2023er in the cellar. This you can already taste in the 2023 „von der Fels“ which was probably never such subtle&sublime „feiner“ as in 2023. Also the Silvaner „Feuervogel“ is something special. And with the Chardonnay from the Wachenheimer Rotenberg the estate opens a new chapter which has to be reported soon.“
„Klaus Peter Keller etwa, Winzer in Flörsheim-Dalsheim (Rheinhessen), hat mit Sohn Felix phantastische 2023er in den Fässern. Davon zeugt schon der Riesling „Von der Fels“, eine Assemblage der Grand Cru-Lagen des Hauses, die wahrscheinlich nie feiner war. Auch der sinnliche Silvaner Feuervogel ist ein Ereignis. Und mit dem Chardonnay aus dem Wachenheimer Rotenberg eröffnet das Weingut ein neues Kapitel, über das zu berichten sein wird.“
AND a general statement regarding 2023
„The 2023er wines based on my first impressions, they are such good that they could be benchmarks in the years ahead.“
„Dieser Jahrgang hat, ersten Eindrücken zufolge, Weine hervorgebracht, die so gut sind, dass sie über Jahre als Referenz fungieren könnten.“
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“The tasting clearly showed that 2022 is the best vintage ever in Germany for Pinot/Spätburgunder, period.“
March, 2024
I got the new MFW report this week incl. review of the Keller wines while staying near Lucca in Tuscany.
Good to see that my old tastebuds are still working.
2022er Keller Westhofener Morstein „Felix“ Spätburgunder GG
„The 2022 Morstein Spätburgunder Felix, as it is referred to on the consumer label, was made with 100% whole cluster. It offers a very pure and aristocratic nose of fine and oriental spices, morello cherry, peony, red rose, violet, eglantine, licorice, and leather, all wrapped in a whiff of wood spices. The wine is initially tight, yet it develops huge complexity and intensity. It seems to dance on the palate, as there is no power but beautiful finesse and energy. Here too, there is a trace of fine wood impact, very slightly noticeable in the tannins, which will integrate over the years. This is easily the finest young Pinot Noir we have ever tasted in Germany: What a wine!“
97+ Mosel Fine Wines
Greetings from Tuscany
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for the keller experts, is there a difference between the limestone kabinett with gold kapsel vs white?
There is
Riesling trocken
Riesling limestone Kabinett
Riesling limestone (off dry, not made every year, not in 2023)
Gold capsules must be for the Kabinett, white (or dark) for the others. But I cannot check right now.
As we speak, we are collecting the shards of a Riesling trocken 2022 (dark capsule) …
the kabinett i drank in the eu recently was gold, while same vintage (22) available in the states has white…
I wouldn’t read too much into this. They changed the labels a couple years ago, maybe they also started rotating the capsules. There used to be (maybe still is) a separate bottling for a posh German wine bar/restaurant, always a gold capsule. Maybe that’s what you had? Most likely the same wine.
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There is indeed a difference between the Keller Limestone Riesling Kabinett with white or gold capsules, and been so for quite many years by now. The Goldkapsel version has some added fruit from younger plants in Abtserde (in Westhofen), with the highest active soil content.
Unfortunately, this creates an uncanny ultra-fast evaporation once you pop the cork, with the content disappearing in the blink of an eye. I have lost count on the number of occasions I have promised myself that I will save some bottles for later consumtion but… Well-well, at least I gave it a try. 
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I’ve found that I prefer the entry-level Keller Limestone over the slightly more expensive Limestone Kabinett, so I’m bummed to hear it wasn’t produced in 2023. The Limestone Kabinett is a bigger and more opulent wine in my limited experience with it, whereas the ostensibly plainer Limestone has a more light-footed and electric elegance to it. That said, I expect the Kabinett will age more gracefully in the long run.
Love this framing of GG as a style as much as a quality designation. Really insightful.
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Robert do you have a target you are looking for when aging GG’s ? Also can you comment on why ? Do you think the acidity becomes more balanced and the fruit profile more nuanced in GG’s with a certain amount of age? Its a question I have wrestled with. Of course some of it is vintage and producer dependent but speaking in generalities i think 7-8 years of bottle age really helps but isn’t always needed to enjoy a great GG. Thank you.
Personally I love GGs at every age. Every once in awhile you find one that is shut down especially the really high end bottlings like Keller Pettenthal or Morstein. Generally they are open and just different all along the aging curve. I personally don’t like them better younger or older. I like both.
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I dont like my wines with too much acid so this is better news for me.
Have a look, a 2015 Kirchspiel GG showed the best of both worlds over 2 days.
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As Robert says, it can be good anytime.
I know it gets a bit old, but I continue to push back on the idea that we can have a short-hand summary for GGs. Nobody would expect that for ‘Grand Cru’ wines in France.
GGs vary by grape, region, vineyard, vintage and producer. So many variables. It’s not very useful to think of them as one category.
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