Carol and Jürgen Keller were in IT sales and marketing but he was brought up in the Rheingau and long lamented the dearth of fine German wine outside Germany.
They have now set up a wine company in Maidenhead, The Wine Keller, with some seriously interesting French, Austrian and of course German wines. Producers they import from include Keller (naturally, though no relation) and Winter from the Rheinhessen (both stalwarts of wines of the week), the excellent Shäfer Fröhlich of the Nahe (see my 450 tasting notes on 2005 Germans), Knipser from Pfalz and Knebel, a new Schildknecht favourite, from the lower Mosel.
Their limited French list includes Les Temps Perdus, the new Chablis producer run by the old Brocard winemaker we have been discussing in members’ forum recently, Henri Mandois of Champagne and Domaine Sainte Rose, another past wine of the week.
They started out selling mainly to sommeliers, notably at nearby Cliveden, but are now selling direct to us drinkers too via their website www.thewinekeller.co.uk. They prefer to sell unmixed cases but tell me that they can mix cases. Perhaps you can send feedback.
It’s great to have another source of new wave German wine to add to the energetic Iris Ellmann at The Wine Barn, David Motion at The Winery, both of whom supplement the work of the rather more traditional merchants listed in Where to buy German 2005s.
They are having a tasting on Nov 12 in which you might be interested. You can contact the appropriately named Kellers at
The Wine Keller
'Little Orchard'
Cox Green Lane
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 3EL
'Little Orchard'
Cox Green Lane
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 3EL
Tel/fax +44 (0)1628 620143
[email protected]
[email protected]
