Report and pictures provided by the Keller family. A library of older reports can be found on the Weingut Keller website, here.
2023: A Year of Luck and Precision
With a barrel sample of the finely herbaceous, energetic 2023 Riesling “Von der Fels” in the glass, writing the vintage report feels particularly rewarding. The 2023 vintage has turned out to be outstanding once again—and that makes me very happy.
As a winemaker and passionate wine lover born in a merely average vintage—in my case, 1973—you carry that fact with you for life. Many times, generous wine friends have tried to delight me by pouring wines from my birth year, only to be disappointed when realizing that 1973 wasn’t a particularly strong vintage. In Europe, at least, the wines were often thin, acidic, and not suited for long aging. One particularly clever solution to this problem came from our wine friend and merchant in California, Dade Thieriot, during our visit to San Francisco: “KP—let’s simply reverse the numbers and toast you with a wonderful 1937 instead!”
In 2023, along with determination and passion, a fair bit of luck was required to harvest top-quality grapes. Two hailstorms on August 25 and September 12, with hailstones the size of golf balls, missed our vineyards by just a few kilometers. While we are thrilled about the quality of our own wines in the cellar, our thoughts are with friends and colleagues for whom 2023 will not hold such good memories.
Our aim for the 2023 vintage was to further refine our vineyard work by increasing manual care of the vines. We spent more hours in the vineyard last year than ever before. For the first time, we managed Pinot Noir parcels planted with densities of up to 20,000 vines per hectare exclusively by hand, aided only by an old seat plow we restored ourselves. It was a fantastic feeling!
150 Years of Inspiration and Dedication at Weingut Keller
Since the phylloxera catastrophe around 1850 and its devastating effects on viticulture, the focus in Europe—and globally—has been on how to produce more wine with less effort. However, that was never the goal of my parents when they began planting Riesling vines from the Saar in the Oberer Hubacker 50 years ago. These vines yielded far less but delivered radiant quality.
My wife and I, along with our entire cellar team, have consistently followed this path, and we are delighted that our son Felix also carries this passion. The guiding question of our work is: How can we help restore the reputation of German viticulture to where it stood over 150 years ago?
The key principles are respect for the soil, patience, humility, discipline, and the belief that nature often provides the answers if we observe carefully. This philosophy was especially important in 2023, a year full of challenges.
Navigating the Challenges of 2023
The year began with winter months that didn’t feel like winter—too warm and too dry. Rainfall at the start of the year was only half the average, while sunshine hours were 70% above the long-term norm (which at least benefited our photovoltaic system!). Still, I felt uneasy.
Unseasonably warm temperatures in February and March can coax vines out of dormancy prematurely, exposing tender new growth to frost. Thankfully, rainfall increased in subsequent weeks, and April was cool and wet. Riesling vines budded on May 1, sparing us the risk of late frost.
Budbreak marks the start of the vine’s growth and development phases each year. From May onward, temperatures turned summery, and we scrambled to keep up with the rapidly growing canopy in the vineyard. Flowering began around June 5 for Burgundy varieties and June 10 for Riesling—slightly later than in recent years.
The weather remained warm and dry until late July, keeping downy mildew at bay but requiring vigilance against powdery mildew (Oidium). Timely organic treatments and meticulous manual care helped us prevent issues.
Finally, at the end of July, much-needed rain arrived—just in time, as vines require substantial energy during this stage of development. August, however, brought cool and wet weather, disappointing for summer evenings but perfect for our grapes to ripen slowly and develop their finest aromas.
A Harvest to Remember
By late August, as we felt we had done everything possible to ensure a great vintage, a thunderstorm loomed. On August 25—exactly six years to the day after a devastating hailstorm in Westhofen in 2017—hailstorms narrowly missed our vineyards but caused significant damage in neighboring communities.
In early September, Riesling must weights were noticeably lower than the previous year, while acidity was two to three grams per liter higher—a nearly ideal balance, provided September weather cooperated.
Perfect weather arrived on cue. Sparkling wine harvests began in Zellerweg am schwarzen Herrgott, with the last sparkling grapes picked in Wachenheim on September 8. The Pinot Noir harvest followed from September 8 to 15 in Morstein, Bürgel, Frauenberg, and Zellerweg am schwarzen Herrgott. White Burgundy and Silvaner were harvested under excellent conditions from September 20 to 25.
Finally, we wrapped up the Riesling harvest on October 2, bringing in magnificent grapes. The 2023 harvest was incredibly intense, illustrating how climate change is narrowing the harvest window. Achieving optimal ripeness now requires a fantastic team of employees and friends to be in the vineyard at precisely the right moments.
The 2023 vintage is a testament to dedication, teamwork, and a touch of luck. As stewards of the land and vine, we feel privileged to contribute to this journey—one bottle at a time.
The Keller's wines are sold almost entirely on allocation to customers who have been buying from Candid for years. If you are a retailer it restaurant in Illinois, we are grateful for your interest and would love to try and carve out a small amount of any wines we might have to sell. Please contact us. info@candidwines.com
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