Kesseler has long tried to champion the Silvaner from these slopes, since there is a lot of it in great locations and the vines are mostly very old. (Who in their right mind would plant Silvaner nowadays?) Now he has hit on a better idea, a 2004 Riesling – Silvaner trocken, a blend that has unfortunately been all but neglected in modern Germany. Simply labeled, and with a screw-top closure, this exceptional value smells of lime, almond and flowers. Juicy and vivacious on the palate, with persistently invigorating notes of apple skin, lime zest, and mineral salts, its sappy Silvaner fruit and brothy, nutty notes dovetail perfectly with the minerality of Riesling. When you taste this infectiously juicy and versatile wine, you will have an “I can’t believe it’s Silvaner” as well as an “I can’t believe it’s just thirteen dollars” experience. 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