This is an estate we were introduced to by Klaus Peter Keller. Peter Leipold, the young son who is taking over the winery, simply has “the touch,” I don’t know how else to say it. Nearly every wine I’ve tasted from the estate is incredibly linear, light, incisive and penetrating yet also electric. Two words keep coming to mind: saturation and evaporation. The wines have a super-fine, glycerine density to them, yet then they are gone, weightless… only the energy reverberating. These wines are Silvaner as mineral scalpel; drink carefully.
This is his 1er Cru – 30 year-old vines, also German clones, but according to Peter “better genetic material” (which likely means no Marienfelder, the Pinot clones all Germans love to hate, but still use nonetheless). He says the grapes come in smaller, airier clusters and look more French than German. Comes from a cooler, east-facing vineyard. Raised in used barrique from Liger-Belair as well 30% new oak from Francois Freres. 2 day cold maceration, 20% whole cluster, 18 months on the gross lees, no fining, filtration. More structure here and less generous – a more thoughtful style.
