Spreitzers said they engaged in de-acidification of two or three component lots of finished wines; let most of the wines ferment spontaneously; and felt no need to chaptalize the grapes, not even for their generic 2008 Riesling trocken, a blend of primarily fruit from Lenchen (vinified in tank) and Doosberg (vinified in cask) that is bottled in liters. Fresh autumn pear and apple are tinged by wood smoke in the nose, while subtle impingement of cask graininess, toasted nuts, and crushed stone. A faintly Chablis like sense of minerals and chicken stock underlies the juicy fresh fruit exuberance of the finish. Once again this bottling offers terrific value that will last for the next 2-3 years in bottle. If there were 50 distinctive generic Rheingau Rieslings with its degree of quality-price rapport and culinary versatility, the reputation of this region would once again soar (something tiny quantities of Erstes Gewachs couldn’t accomplish even if more of them were truly distinguished). But I doubt there are more than half a dozen such values. Andreas and Bernd Spreitzer report having still been dropping selected bunches and dividing (i.e. cutting away half each) of others all the way into mid-October to guard against under-ripeness and rot, and they only began their “real” harvest near the end of that month. This late thinning is an approach they have instituted in general. “We’re going to get the requisite Oechsle anyway,” explains Andreas Spreitzer, “but what we want to achieve is extract without more sugar. Watch out then! If you cut away bunches too soon, the remaining ones explode.” The Mosel-like sense of delicacy so frequently encountered at this address is, not surprisingly, enhanced in vintage 2008.Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300