2008 Riesling Winkeler Jesuitengarten Spätlese

As I wrote last year, you generally can't go wrong when choosing a wine from this estate. Two thousand eight may not have quite the depth of fruit that 2007 did, but the rieslings are all crisp, pure and animated, from the light dry kabinetts to the majestic trockenbeerenauslese. In fact, as they are often light compared to the denser variants from the other top estates in the Rheingau, the 2008s are sometimes a bit too taut, without the complexity of a Leitz or a Schonborn, but they are nonetheless eminently drinkable-and fairly priced. Generally the rieslings from the Doosberg vineyard are more modern in style, often taking advantage of wild fermentations, while those from Lenchen remain more classically Rheingau in profile, but those differences were a touch muted in 2008. Also recommended: 2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling Kabinett Trocken (85), 2008 Ostricher Doosberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken (86), 2008 Ostricher Doosberg Riesling Spatlese Trocken (88), 2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken (86), 2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling Spatlese Halbtrocken (87), 2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling Kabinett Trocken (87), 2008 Ostricher Doosberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken (87), 2008 Riesling Charta (87), 2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling Spatlese (89),2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling Auslese (89), 2008 Ostricher Doosberg Riesling Auslese (90), 2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule (92), 2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling Beerenauslese (92), 2008 Ostricher Lenchen Riesling TBA (93), 2008 Ostricher Doosberg Riesling Eiswein (90). Other wines tasted: 2008 Riesling Trocken, 2008 Riesling.