Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2022

96 Points - Vinous

The 2022 Riesling Westhofener Kirchspiel Grosses Gewächs was harvested from vines planted in 1964. The nose is a cool, pure breeze of lemon balm and freshly cut, ripe lemon. The body is taut and tender, shimmering with ripe Mirabelle on the fluid, compact mid-palate. A fine phenolic web holds this together as the concentration seems to seep lemon-juice-like into the depth of cool limestone. This is driven and zesty, bone dry. The finish holds a shimmer of lemon and limestone with a frisson of seductive, riper stone fruit, very fine and elegant. (Bone-dry) Drink: 2025-2050.

95 Points - James Suckling

A super-elegant, high-end, dry riesling with the combination of restrained ripeness and lively and subtle acidity that characterizes the best side of the 2022 vintage. The aromas at the front are very stone fruit-focused, but at the back it turns decisively in a citrusy direction and there the chalky minerality builds and builds. All this is deftly supported by fine tannins. Drink or hold.

95 Points - John Gilman

The 2022 Kirchspiel from the Keller family is truly exceptional. I often wonder why this wine seems to get a bit less respect than several of the other Keller GGs, as it is truly a brilliant terroir and I have a lot of Kirchspiel in my own personal cellar that I value equally with my bottles of Morstein or Abtserde. As I shared these 2022ers with a few friends that I taste with regularly, I was delighted to hear one person say that “Kirchspiel is always my favorite of the Keller family’s GGs”. The 2022 version is brilliant, coming in at an even thirteen percent octane and offering up a classic nose of tart orange, pink grapefruit, a complex foundation of limestone minerality, orange peel, still a touch of wild yeasts, dried flowers and incipient notes of smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off stunning depth of fruit at the core, with a superb foundation of minerality, bright, zesty acids, exceptional balance and great length and grip on the complex and racy finish. Fine, fine juice in the making. 2032-2075