At 11.5% alcohol, the Kerpen 2008 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese trocken is half a percentage lighter than its Domprobst and Alte Reben counterparts and weighs in at precisely the level I wrote that the 2007 (at 12.5%) tasted as though it had, all of which is worth noting simply because this, too, is an uncannily well-balanced Riesling that combines levity and refreshment with an underlying sense of stuffing, enhanced by a polished, creamy texture. Aromas and juicy palate presence of fresh apple and white peach are beautifully accented by peach kernel, apple pit, and walnut, while apple blossom and musky narcissus waft all the way through and into a long, succulent finish. I'd plan on enjoying this over the next 4-6 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