CookDrinkFeast

9.6

This wine had some junk in the trunk! It was full-bodied and had a delightful nose of blackberries and plums with a hint of spice. The slate was rich, ripe, and round. The wine was in a heavy bottle meant for cellaring, so we knew we were in for a treat. It was delicious with short-rib ravioli. — 18 hours ago

with Marcus

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.5

There are some times when the only thing that will suffice is one of the world’s greatest Rieslings. Klaus-Peter Keller @kellerdalsheim is, in my mind, the undisputed master of the Rheinhessen region of Germany. The Keller family has been making wine for 10 generations, and the oldest parcel of Riesling they have has been handed down within the family since 1789. Keller, who apprenticed in Burgundy before studying enology at Geisenheim told me that he looks for “playful elegance” in wine. He wants it to dance on the palate. And I’ve never had a bottle of his wine that hasn’t made ME want to dance. This one marries lemon pith and lemon oil with Asian pear and mandarine orange peel. But all of these flavors are perceived through a quartz-like minerality that evokes the feeling of licking an icicle or exploring a glacial cave. Stunning clarity and incredible acidity makes for a profound glass of mostly-dry Riesling. — 3 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.0

Feels like it’s been a long while since I’ve circled back on The Prisoner. I used to drink the junk out of this juice years back and now that I try it again, it doesn’t seem like much has changed, at least in terms of overall flavor profile - I know the company has been through a lot of changes over the years but they’ve kept the juice consistent (courtesy of the humongous assemblage no doubt). It’s still the ripe, brambly fruit fest that I remember, all laced in espresso, dark chocolate, and spice cake. A fun (but overpriced) blend that certainly has its place. — 4 years ago

with Krystal

Aaron Tan

9.9

One of the best evenings of wine I’ve had this year, and it was just focused on this duo. Opened as inspiration for this year’s red pick at Miao Lu (a name to remember for those reading. I’ll say it here first - some of the best Pinot’s and Chard’s in the world will be coming out of this project high up in Yunnan!), and they both gave great context to the task.

When I harvested with Klaus-Peter in 2017, the vineyards bore the scars of hail, every last one of them. The damage was manifest in what we came to call "hail berries" (misshapen berries). To my untrained palate, they tasted perfectly fine. Naturally, I asked KP why we were discarding them, and his response, while not entirely unexpected, was still astonishing (paraphrasing of course): "I don't need to know precisely what they do," he said, "but if there's even a chance they might diminish the wine by 1%, they're gone. And these? They look capable of much worse."

That unyielding spirit of his was, I must admit, my torment at Abtserde, the vineyard hit hardest by the hail. We spent an entire day sorting and picking a single row - granted, the rows were long, but the pace was glacial. The true enemy, though, wasn’t the relentless sorting, but the wasps. Those little demons made an already grueling task even more daunting, dodging their stings as we plucked berries one by one, like selecting pearls from a troubled sea. What we ended up with were, quite literally, tiny gems - "caviar" berries of purity. By day’s end, the sight was something to behold. Despite the torment, the hard work was unquestionably worth it. The 17’ Abtserde is my wine of the vintage.

I’ve had the 17’ Abtserde on numerous occasions but this takes the cake as the best (note to self: best to decant a young Abtserde hard). It is a marvel of purity and depth, with its nose evoking Meyer lemon, iodine, chalk, and flint. These aromas reappear on the palate with a nearly overwhelming intensity, blending piquant brightness and mineral-rich concentration. With more air, a floral, bittersweet herbal note very typical of the vineyard appears (smells like the place even). As the evening unfolded, the wine seemed to grow younger, each glass more lively than the last. The final sip was almost painfully austere, like drinking pure limestone, its explosive palate held together by sharp acidity and a palpable, phenolic grip. The finish seemed endless. One of my best Keller experiences this year. — 2 months ago

Richard Shin

9.0

2nd time. Liked it as much as first time. Delicate but well balanced. Nice acidity and robust dark fruit. 13% al. — 5 years ago

Chris Wheaton

9.2

Crunchy and intense Dolcetto with plenty of crystal junk floating around at the bottom of the bottle. — 6 years ago

Ed Lehrman

9.1

Gaining complexity over time with some nice savory spices along with light pit fruit, some dry slate and a moderate finish. Lacks a little tension but a nice fat and sassy wine. — 9 months ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.0

Crisp, fresh & tart on the nose with fresh cut hay, herby notes, (under)ripe lemons and a cold, steely very Rheingau core underneath.
On the palate this a fuller, riper mouthfeel, with a hint of creaminess and ripe fruit. Lemon curd, lemon sorbet, a hint of underripe mango, some white peach. A nice juicy, if not overly long, finish.
Nice drinking and has enough weight & structure but not the depth or precision you’d expect from GG level.
Edit: Day 2 with half a bottle left from yesterday. A nice waxy, lanolin character evolved. Seems more serious and complete. 0.1pts up — 3 years ago

Kathryn McCarty

9.2

Will serve with Xmas dessert! — 4 years ago

CookDrinkFeast

9.0

Inky purple. Smells like grape jelly. Jammy notes on the palate with a little tobacco in the finish. It takes some time to open up. This wine has some junk in the trunk – which means it’s full bodied. — 5 years ago