A Kesseler 2008 Rudesheimer Bischofsberg Riesling Kabinett trocken favors green herbs and citrus zest over the flesh of citrus or pit fruits, and displays a denser but also harder palate impression than the corresponding generic from Lorch vineyards. But it’s impressive for the sense it engenders of straining mineral matter through your teeth, and for a finish of impressive sheer intensity, if austerity. I’d plan to drink it young. “We had to wait a long time to get ripeness,” says cellarmaster Max Himstedt by way of explanation, “but then we had to be careful that the fruit not go into the golden stage and loose freshness. Cellarmaster Max Himstedt said he and August Kesseler had decided they would de-acidity if the acids in Riesling did not drop below a certain level (not a problem in the Rudesheimer Berg, but a potential one in lesser sites of that village and in Lorch). In the event, it was possible to let the fruit hang long enough to avoid this, and after the significant tartrate precipitation of the winter, the measurable acid levels don’t even seem extreme on paper, although brightness is certainly a trait most of their Rieslings this vintage have in common. A sign of the internal assessment of any given vintage at this address is whether two, one, or no Erstes Gewachs bottling is essayed – and Kesseler’s record on that score has been very conservative. In 2008, he bottled two. On the other hand, no sweet wines – botrytized or otherwise – were attempted. The Kesseler 2008 reds were too immature to assess on the occasion of my last visit there, and as usual I have chosen (and he prefers) to offer an assessment of his finished wines, in this instance of 2007.Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

Lean and bracing. Packed with minerals and underlying citrus and earthy notes, this could use a bit more substance to balance its structure. Drink now through 2004. 200 cases made.??–BS??Region: Germany / Rheingau Select to Add

An orange nuance creeps into this dry '98 white, though the main theme is nectarine. A bit stiff, but it may relax with time. Drink now through 2003. 250 cases made.??–BS??Region: Germany / Rheingau Select to Add