The Kesseler 2007 Assmannshauser Hollenberg Spatburgunder trocken (like his Cuvee Max, 14.5% in alcohol) exudes licorice, vanilla, tart yet ripe cassis and blackberry, and suggestions of black tea and peat. Full-bodied and glycerin-rich yet well-defined and retaining considerable sheer refreshment, this finishes with grip, staining concentration of dark berries, and three-alarm smokiness. A powerful yet bright style of Pinot, it should be well worth following for the better part of a decade. 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