The Kesseler 2008 Spatburgunder trocken mingles licorice, sassafras, and ginger with blackberry and red currant for a tart, subtly chewy, yet simultaneously both silken and mouthwateringly refreshing display. Hints of espresso and black tea add to the roots and berries in a finish of sappy, mouthwatering cling. A hint of tannic severity is also threaded through this impressively-concentrated, highly-stimulating, and memorably distinctive effort, so that one would probably do best to relish the corresponding “Pinot N” bottling for now, and to savor this cuvee at between 3 and 6 years age. August Kesseler and his cellarmaster Max Himstedt promise great things from their 2009 Pinot Noirs but they were not yet ready to show them last September. In light of that allegedly outstanding quality as well as of the difficult market, they decided that their 2008 collection in red should culminate at the Cuvee Max quality level and not include vineyard-designated bottlings. In his usual conservative and market-sensitive approach, Kesseler also elected to bottle from 2009 one of his smallest Riesling collections in memory, inter alia forgoing any attempt to capture what little botrytis was present. Irrigation was critical during the late summer drought, insists Kesseler, “otherwise, we would have harvested grapes in the Rudesheimer Berg of only 80 or 85 Oechsle.”Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

Kessler professes to like the lower than usual alcohol, higher acidity, and pronounced minerality that accrue to his basic 2007 Spatburgunder trocken, and so do I. Scented with lose hip, almond, and cherry pit, it offers a bright, brown-spiced palate, and infectious juiciness without any obvious sweetness of red or black fruits. Polished in texture and subtly invigorating in finishing salinity, this will prove highly versatile over the next half dozen years, and is one of those wines that even in its youth reminds us Pinot is not always about fruits and berries. 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

Kesseler’s basic 2005 Spatburgunder trocken exhibts charming, ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit, a refined, texture, and the overtly stony underpinnings one associates with this estate, grape, and sites. A soothing finish preserves the wine’s sappy, ripe fruit intensity. This will be versatile and lovely to follow over the next 2-3 years. 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

The basic 2003 Spatburgunder trocken displays a lovely, balanced, amalgam of ripe yet tart-edged fresh cherry and red currant fruit, marrowy meatiness, and a creamy texture. The aromas are subtle and nice poised between red fruits and meats as well. Satisfying mineral suggestions build as the wine opens in the glass, and it is clear that this has class and flavor interest, not to mention the sort of refinement of red wine fruit and textural allure that only Pinot Noir can deliver. Not many years ago, August Kesseler was vinifying – in addition to the Pinot Noirs for which he has long been known – almost entirely dry Rieslings that were seldom seen outside Germany. Nowadays, he is reveling in residually sweet Rieslings and has launched an aggressive export program with the intention of becoming a major force in the U.S. market. Given the amazing price/quality rapport of some of the wines I tasted, he should succeed brilliantly in that endeavor.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. (50) 236-9370