Fresh blackberry, red currant, kirsch, soy, pistachio paste, and marzipan lend Kesselers 2008 Pinot N Spatburgunder a combination of almost confectionary sweetness, saline savor, and sheer refreshment such as, among reds, only Pinot Noir can deliver, and that nevertheless engenders no sense of disharmony. Chewy fruit skin and piquant fruit pit notes add to the sense of invigoration; marrow-like meatiness lends an aura of mystery; while generous glycerin adds to the richness and textural allure displayed by this astonishing value that should continue to shine for at least 2-3 years. 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