The 2006 Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule has acidity, sap, and structure to carry its load of sugar and of a confectionary and perfumed personality more successfully than any of the other wines in this year’s Kesseler collection. Marzipan, peach and yellow plum preserves, anise, honey, and sweet flowers inform this creamy, refined and pure expression of noble rot and Riesling. A yeasty aura accentuates the patisserie aspect of the flavors that unfold, almost as though they had been baked into a cream-filled vanilla pastry, and both the length of finish and the scents left in the empty glass should keep you happily occupied for several minutes. Bottles of this should keep at least 20 years, and it will be fascinating to see how the wine’s personality unfolds. 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