2002 August Kesseler Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese Rheingau

When August Kesseler took over his parents’ establishment, which was founded in 1924, he was only 19 years old. At that time, mostly bulk wine was produced and the vineyard area was just over six acres. Today, under August’s guidance, the estate has become one of the flagship producers of the Rheingau area and has also attained an impressive international reputation. The estate spans 80 acres of vineyards located in some of the best Rheingau sites, such as Assmannshäuser, Höllenberg, Rüdesheim Berg, Schlossberg, Lorchhäuser, Seligmacher, Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen, and many more. They produce 60% Riesling and 40% Pinot Noir and are a member of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) and the German Barrique-Forum. VDP includes only the top 197 producers in Germany.

Max Himstedt, who joined the team in 1989, is the estate’s head winemaker, has been pushing forward the production of world-class wines. Simon Batarseh, an ambitious oenologist, has been with the winery since 1993 and is August’s right-hand man, working on blending, sales, and exports. Together, August, Max, and Simon will continue to ensure quality wines are produced at the highest level.

This wine comes from, Berg Schlossberg, the steepest location in the Rheingau (65% slope inclination). The vineyard is located west of Rüdesheim at the height of the Mäuseturm in the so-called "Binger Loch" where the Rhine bends and flows north again. The site is unique due to extremely high sun intensity and permeable soils of Taunus quartzite and phyletic slate.

Tasting Notes: 100% Riesling. This wine is off-dry, Spatelese with some residual sugar. When you ask cork dorks and sommeliers what is the one wine they would want to bring with them to a desert island, it's aged Riesling like this. These wines are exceptionally long-lived. With age, Riesling shows quintessential petrol notes on the nose, as the tertiary flavors of sun-baked peaches, dried apricots, and caramelized orange rind. This is truly a meditation wine that will pair with just about anything due to the cornucopia of flavors and aromas. Consider pairing with any and every cheese imaginable.