August Kesseler Assmannshauser Hollenberg Spatburgunder Qba, Rheingau, Germany

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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

The 2005 Assmannshauser Hollenberg Spatburgunder trocken densely concentrates both black fruits and stony minerality. Smoky, leathery notes add significant complexity (though one does not even notice the oak) and while this wine too displays a silky texture, there is no question about the abundant and fine-grained tannins that underlie it, and will help support it for at least 8-10 year’s felicitous bottle evolution. 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