The Daily August Riesling

Family-owned Weingut August Kesseler, based in Assmannshausen in Germany’s Rheingau, was inherited by August Kesseler at 19 and transformed from a bulk-wine operation into a respected estate focused on Riesling and Pinot Noir. Its vineyards occupy steep, VDP-classified Erste and Grosse Lagen, including Assmannshäuser Höllenberg, Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg and Lorchhäuser Seligmacher, with slate and loam soils across the region. Certified sustainable through EcoStep Wein PLUS, the estate emphasizes low yields, traditional vineyard work and long-lived wines. Each site is vinified separately before blending; Rieslings are shaped for clarity, freshness and drinkability, while Pinot Noir undergoes classical mash fermentation and barrique ageing. Winemaker Max Himstedt leads the cellar, with the estate also belonging to the VDP and German Barrique-Forum.