Kerpen's 2008 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Grosses Gewachs represents a second year in which he and other members of the Bernkasteler Ring growers association (of which he was just elected chairman) have used the term -Grosses Gewachs- - best known for its definition and employment by the VDP growers- association - to designate selected dry-tasting Rieslings. A deeper color and 13% alcohol signify both higher ripeness and a hint of botrytis, from a picking at the end of October. Toasty, nutty, applejack-like aromas lead to a lush, mouth coating palate with piquant bite of apple skin, toasted nuts, fruit pit, and brown spices. This lacks the refinement, freshness, impeccable balance, or clarity of the best dry wines in the present Kerpen collection, but it finishes emphatically and pungently, and should prove useful if cautiously paired over the next several years. In recent years, Martin Kerpen has increasingly proven himself a master of dry Riesling, and the acid structure and relatively moderate accumulation of grape sugar relative to phenolic ripeness that characterize 2008 played into his skilled hand in that genre, in which, additionally, he relied increasingly this year on ambient yeasts. (Of course, he is adept with residually sweet Riesling as well.) it's interesting to study Kerpen's detailed map of vineyard parcels, incidentally, and to see how after the controversial Flurbereinigung or general vineyard restructuring and replanting that is now under way in Wehlen, he will end up with around 8-9 parcels - some identical to his current acreage - or about half the number into which his total landholdings are morsellated at present.Importer: Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300