On Saturday the annual „Jungweinprobe“ barrel tasting took place at the estate Keller. A group of wine-journalists, sommeliers and friends of the family met in Flörsheim-Dalsheim. A kind of class reunion „Klassentreffen“ in a certain way.
The 2024 Rieslings were terrific with huge terroir expression. According to my friends Michael Quentel/WEINWISSER and David Rayer/MFW both reminded them on the young 2004s. As you all know 2004 is a legend at the estate Keller.
Vintage Report 2024 - The weather god is from Rheinhessen
(by the estate Keller via Google translation)
In the last few days we have tasted the barrel samples of the 2024 vintage with the
family and are happy and grateful to have such excellent wines in the barrels again.
Julia is particularly pleased with the finesse-rich “von der Fels”, Felix is "blown
away" by the salty Chardonnay, and I have fallen in love with a barrel of limestone
from the Kirchspiel - the Riesling dances so beautifully on the palate!
The 2024s bring an enormous amount of elegance and joie de vivre to the glass! A
wonderfully juicy vintage with fine character, extract and excellent balance.
In the elation of the wines we have just tasted, it is particularly easy to talk about the
past season here at the winery.
First of all, I think about how much pleasure it gives us to work with young people,
who do their apprenticeship or internship with us. How often
we hear that the next generation is supposedly disinterested, unmotivated and lazy
and lazy and are no longer used to working hard. In viticulture, however, the picture
is completely different picture: We experience young people to whom we pass on
our ideas and approaches to harvest great quality from the best soils, to get up close
and personal to read, feel and understand the vines. This next generation is
passionate about what they do and live their profession with great passion. The
story of of our journeyman Paul is just one example of many: Paul broke his leg
while reading toe while climbing the stairs at home. Just one day later, he was back
at the winery back at the winery on crutches and also had a wonderfully fragrant
tray of crumble cake with him. with him. "The cake is from my grandma for the
whole team," he said, "and even though even if my toe hurts, I just don’t want to miss
a moment of the harvest here."
As you can see, dear wine lovers, we live and breathe viticulture! Of course, great
soils, weather and climate are incredibly important. Nature’s template must be right in
order to produce great wines, but without the people who work with us in the vines
with joy and passion, these qualities would not be possible. A big thank you to all of
support from F r a n c e
Winter
A cold January gave us hope for a not-too-early start to the season. In cold, clear
winter air, on frozen ground and wrapped in warm jackets, Pruning vines is one of the
best jobs in the winegrowing profession. You think about the past months and at the
same time set the course for the coming years. course for the coming years. For many
years now, we have been practicing gentle pruning according to the Simonit and Sirch
method, which promotes the constant sap flow of the of the vine in the vegetation.
Because good wine is only made with happy, healthy vines.
Already in February it was clearly more mild as in the year before (around 4 C) and this continues in March and April. But as the first tender green emerged from the vines, cold snapes happened which resulted in heavy frost damages at 60% of the german vineyard area. Thankfully almost no damage in Rheinhessen. Only in the colder area of Zellertal were some little damages of 10-20%
Spring
It warmed up quickly in May and the young shoots started to grow extraordinarily
fast, so we had to hurry to keep up with nature. Flowering was largely unproblematic,
with trickling only occurring in Abtserde and Kirchspiel. May and June were also
very wet months, which favored mildew pressure. Plant protection was very
challenging during this time. There were hardly any weekends for us.
However, our predominantly barren rocky soils absorbed the moisture well and
and released it to the plants - lush green and flowering fields everywhere. A vintage
with sufficient water is not only good for the vines, but also for the winemaker’s soul.
Summer
While June was still more than 3 degrees cooler than in 2023, the weather changed
drastically at the end of July: it became drier and warmer and temperatures
sometimes reached a midsummer 30 degrees. While August 2023 was quite rainy
and barbecues fell through, things looked much better in 2024. It was almost 2
degrees warmer in August 2024 compared to the previous year: Ideal conditions for
the grapes to ripen healthily and consistently on the vine.
Autumn
In wonderful conditions, we were finally able to harvest the first Pinot and
Chardonnay grapes for our sparkling wine at the beginning of September: The
grapes did not need not have to be sorted, as they looked crisp and healthy. The
Pinot Noir harvest lasted ten days, including the eagerly awaited first harvest from
the densely planted Pinot plot in our “Am schwarzen Herrgott” vineyard with
20,000 vines per hectare. The grapes were so small-berried and loose that they
seemed to be dancing on the vine in the light wind that always blows in the
Zellertal. It was a wonderful moment of pure happiness during the harvest. The
years of planning the dense planting, the worries and fears, everything was blown
away at the sight of the first grapes from this vineyard. The harvest of the Bürgel-,
Frauenberg- and Morstein-Pinot followed a few days later. 2024 was a classic and
great Burgundy year with great potential! The Sylvaner in Steingrube and
Kirchspiel (small yields, very good quality) qualities) and the Chardonnay u
Steingrube, Rotenberg and the Klosterstück (Pfalz) were harvested from
September 19 to 22. The grapes smiled at us. During this During this time, we had
to thank the Donnersberg more than once, where the storm clouds and rained off
before they reached our vineyards.
The main Riesling harvest started in Nierstein with small-berried, very beautiful
grapes and good yields (!) - finally once again, as the harvest volumes had halved
since 2015 halved due to the dry years. We were able to harvest healthy,
thick-skinned and aromatic Riesling grapes a little later in Westhofen and in
Dalsheim am Oberen Hubacker. Hubacker: The first Riesling harvest from old
vines in Schwarzer Herrgott (Palatinate) was a very emotional experience for the
entire team. Great grapes with bite and lots of character:
We celebrated the end of the harvest on October 7 in the Schubertslay on the
Moselle. The vines there were once again in top form and gave us some great
grapes.
2024 was not an easy year, but it will always remain in our very best memories!
First, I have to apologize, as my TNs are not as extensive as usual. Several background infos to the wines by KP Keller I didńt note. The trip to Flörsheim-Dalsheim was quite stressful. I had to take the plane very early and then we had to wait more than 1h in the plane on the ground. We had a dent in one wing and it was not shure whether we could start at all due to aviation rules. But we had luck, the dent was fixed with tape. No joke!
In addition we had the threat of a strike at the end of the week. Today 13 airports are closed to strikes in Germany. So, I was a bit tired in writing due to stress.
2024 von der Fels
Impressive freshness&finesse and with grip&drive. It dances like a ballerina on your palate. In addition huge extract and with a salty minerality in the finish. Overall such pure&cool and vibrating. Here we have the business card of the vintage.
2024 Kirchspiel GG
Not much notes, as I was such impressed with the Hubacker in the other glass. Overall very similar in style to „von der Fels“
2024 Oberer Hubacker GG „Monopol“
WOW……excellent. Last year I was not convinced with the 2023 Hubacker, but this year „Hubi“ fires on all cylinders. Huge extract and huge minerality combined with grip&drive or in german „Zug&Druck“. BUY
2024 Hipping GG
A lot of energy and finesse.
2024 Pettenthal GG
Fasten your seat belts! What a BIG terroir expression, red slope „Rotliegendes“ all over. Huge spiceness and minerality combined with a magnificent finish. Stunning Riesling and clearly one of the highlights of the day. 
2024 Morstein GG
What a „dirty“ Morstein. Here we have a Morstein of the old days incl. 2004. In the last years it was always closed at the barrel tasting, but this year the famous minerality is alive&kicking. Besides Hubacker&Pettenthal, another highlight for me.
2024 Abtserde GG
I have to admit that I was such overwhelmed from the Morstein that I lost focus&concentration regarding the Abtserde. Normally I always prefer Abtserde for its elegance, noblesse and finesse and no doubt you will find a great balance in the 2024 version. BUT………haha
2024 G-Max
What a calm&quite Riesling. This is not a loudspeaker. I admire the inner peace „innere Ruhe“. The most complete Riesling of the tasting today. OM
2024 Kabinett limestone
Classic Kabi „lightness of being“
2024 Hipping Kabinett
WOW……. Uuups, I cant read my own words. On the other hand, WOW says enough, isnt it. 
2024 Schubertslay Kabinett „wurzelecht“ MOSEL
120 years old vines says all. Simply divine juice. 
„If Raveneau made a Sylvaner from Le Clos, it might taste like this“
Robert Dentice „soilpimp“
Besides the ultra-pure and ultra-mineral Sylvaner „vom Austernfels“ I tend to overlook the Sylvaner a little bit at the „Jungweinprobe“ I have to admit. But not in the vintage 2024. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that „vom Austernfels“ was not produced due to frost damages and therefore 100 liters went into the „Feuervogel“. Anyway I was deeply impressed by the „Grüner Sylvaner + Feuervogel“.
2024 Grüner Sylvaner
The ultimate Spring wine. Fresh, light, uncomplicated and with huge drinking pleasure „süffig“. Perfect for the upcoming Spring food season like asparagus etc. or on the balcony/terrace as a sundowner. Beautiful
2024 Sylvaner „Feuervogel“
Oh la la……this is serious stuff. Such elegant, mineral, spicy and with a certain smokiness in the finish. Pure limestone! I have the feeling that despite the small amount, the 100l from Austernfels had a certain impact. But maybe it is just imagination by me or wishful thinking. 
BUY
Just for the record the system or classification regarding Chardonnay in Germany is new since the 2023 vintage, the VDP allowed 1er Cru.
2023 „Talfels“ Chardonnay
Here we have what in 2022 was „Alte Reben Reserve“. Impressive mineral, clear&pure and with charming fruit roundness „Schmelz“. In addition quite elegant. Convincing start in the Chardonnay segment.
2023 Steingrube Chardonnay Erste Lage (1er Cru)
60 years old vines on limestone soil via un-grafting from Pinot gris to Chardonnay.
Great depth&length with spice and fruit roundness „Schmelz“ and mineral finish. This is really good.
2023 Rotenberg Chardonnay Erste Lage (1er Cru)
„the wine has only one mistake, this is not 1er Cru instead this is Grand Cru“
David Rayer/Mosel Fine Wines
Here we have what in 2022 was „Réserve du Fils“. Lime marl with iron and planting of 18700/ ha vines in Zellertal. In 2025 even 32000/ha vines is planned.
WOW……what a dense structure and with huge complexity, power, spice and salty minerality. Wait for the „Mosel Fine Wines“ report, David Rayer will find the perfect words.
2022 Chardonnay „Réserve du Fils“
mind-blowing. Felix Keller clearly has the magic touch for Chardonnay. What a bright future for German Chardonnay………
“Plantings of chardonnay in Germany are increasing rapidly.
Many of the best chardonnays come from a new generation of German winemakers who’ve grown up in the climate change era and who’ve traveled widely, getting to know the world’s wines and developing networks of producers rather than taking the more insular approach of previous generations.
Mr. Keller said he had wanted to plant pinot blanc rather than chardonnay but that their son Felix had pushed for chardonnay.
“Felix was right,” he said. “Chardonnay is much better adapted to climate change, with thicker skins, and it transmits the soil much better than pinot blanc.”
Felix Keller said by email that his grandfather had tried planting chardonnay in 1988, but that the timing had been wrong.
“Back then, it didn’t ripen every year,” he said. “It took us until 2018 to try again. We believe chardonnay has a bright future in Germany because we now have the climate that used to be in Burgundy in the early ’90s.”. Eric Asimov/NYTimes
2023 was a challenge for Spätburgunder/Pinot. Low yields and phenolic ripeness took a looong time. For example only 600 bottles regarding Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott.
2023 Bürgel GG
Quite rustic „speckig“ and dark + meaty.
2023 Frauenberg GG
Now we are talking! Marked by clarity&freshness and finesse. Very elegant!! BUY
2023 Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott GG
What a finesse and depth incl. a basket of red fruits. I love it. Unfortunately only 600 bottles.
Interestingly, here we have the only (!) wine at the „Jungweinprobe“ my friend Michael Quentel&me were not synchronised. Michael clearly prefered the masculin Morstein and me the feminine Schwarzer Herrgott.
2023 Morstein GG „Felix“
Marked by power&density and black fruits. Too masculin for me.
Oh, and not to forget! The…well, I’d better stop here. Otherwise I’ll get too carried away and I really DO need to work with these Math exams! 
