Kesseler would have liked to as usual render a Kabinett from the Lorcher Schlossberg, but he avers that this would have entailed leaving behind at least 100 grams of sugar, even he of the high wire act has trepidations! And so we have (with the aforementioned three figures worth of residual sugar) his 2006 Lorcher Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese. This smells of vanilla, heliotrope, lilies, quince preserves, and apple jelly. Pure, refined, and clear on the palate for all of its creaminess, sweetness, and hints of caramel, this impressively long wine will need to be enjoyed by those with a sweet tooth (or by risk takers willing to wait a decade for the sweetness to begin backing off). Kesseler suffered a 50% loss in crop from his long-term average, but ruthless selectivity on top of his usual low yields paid dividends in quality albeit at the price of prominent sweetness. Kesseler attempted neither a Kabinett, nor (insisting that botrytis and alcohol would have been too evident) did he essay any dry wines from his estate holdings in Rudesheim. The 2005 vintage reds – bottled in mid-2007 – have fulfilled their excellent promise. Needless to say, from these steep stone sites, and cropped at the levels requisite for top quality, Kesseler Pinot Noirs do not come cheap. But they certainly invite comparison with red Burgundies selling for comparable prices. And while they are all very ripe, none of these 2005s betray their alcohol in bitterness or heat.Various importers including: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA tel. 800 362 4420; Dee Vine Wines, San Francisco, CA tel. (877) 389-9463; Ewald Moseler Selections, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 236-9370