2018 Keller, Westhofener Brunnenhauschen Abtserde Riesling GG, Rheinhessen

Vinous

A high-toned, penetrating aromatic display features mint, thyme, iris, honeysuckle, zesty lime and prominently pit-inflected white peach. Shades of this year’s Hubacker: The palate impression here is almost shocking for its sheer lusciousness of fruit, with drippingly ripe honeydew melon joining the peach and lime. Not that this beauty is wanting for Abtserde-typical inner-mouth floral perfume, or for a mineral dimension; a mouthwatering savor akin to raw scallop incorporates salt, chalk and iodine nuances. It’s just that it boasts a generosity of forward fruit and a torrent of primary juiciness as well. A silken feel adds to the wine’s seductive appeal. Musky floral, salty mineral and lusciously fruity elements play against one another on a vibrant, sensationally sustained finish that tugs at the salivary glands and leaves the taster both invigorated and refreshed. This should for many years stand as a high point of its vintage as well as of the Grosses Gewächs genre. Drink: 2020-2040. (Nov 2020)