2015 Pinot N Spatburgunder QbA

Dark cherry and boysenberry are laced with licorice and sandalwood both on the nose and plush palate of this sappy and atypically rich rendition of “Pinot N.” I miss the saline and animal savor that has typically characterized this bottling (especially in less overtly ripe vintages), but cherry pit piquancy and a lovely, cooling hint of mint complements this wine’s richness and sweetness of fruit in a lusciously-lingering finish. This represents quite a mouthful of Pinot for the price. And with another year or two in bottle, further savor may well emerge. (There is still a “Pinot N” from Pfalz fruit, but whereas at one point that cuvée – which I consistently found the less distinguished of the two – came to represent the majority of what Kesseler bottles under this label, he has now decided to phase-out the Pfalz version – there is only a very small volume from 2015 – of which he did not offer me a sample.)