August Kesseler
The winery August Kesseler is located in Assmannshausen in the Rheingau wine-growing region and specializes in Pinot Noir and Riesling. These grape varieties are emblematic of German viticulture and are predominant in the Rheingau. August Kesseler, the current winemaker, has played a significant role in shaping the industry and has produced exceptional wines that have made winegrowing history.
The vineyards, located in VDP-classified Erste Lagen (Premier Crus) and Grosse Lagen (Grands Crus), are spread throughout the Rheingau. The lower Rheingau has steep vineyards with slate soils along the Rhine, while the middle and front Rheingau have loamier soils and a more extensive Rhine valley. Riesling is the primary grape variety in this area.
The winery was founded by Josef Kesseler, who took over the former winegrowers' cooperative in 1924. His grandson, August Kesseler, has been responsible for the estate since 1977 and has gained practical experience in France, Italy, and the USA. The vineyards cover 33 hectares of vines in single vineyard sites, and more than half of the vineyards are planted with Pinot Noir and Riesling and Silvaner. The winery places great importance on yield limitation, selective manual harvesting, and preserving the terroir through strict vat separation.
After fermentation, the red wines are aged in barriques for 12 to 15 months, while the white wines are fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks under temperature control. The winery also produce bottle-fermented sparkling wines and are members of the VDP and the German Barrique Forum.
The Pinot Noirs are grown on the steep slopes of the world-famous Assmannshäuser Höllenberg, where the slate soil provides excellent acidity. The Rieslings have a distinctive character that comes from the very specific terroirs of our steep slopes in Rüdesheim and Lorch and the clayey sites in Hattenheim, Erbach, and Kiedrich. Working in the steep slope is laborious, but the resulting wines justify the effort.
Kesseler's Pinot Noirs are considered among the top in Germany due to their stylish, pure, and moreish expressions. August's Rieslings are a balance between Mosel and Rheingau styles, with great lightness of touch and innate power. The warmer sites around Rudesheim are reserved for Grand Cru Dry wines, while the cooler terroirs around Lorch produce fruity sweeter wines.
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