Loewen’s dry-tasting, superficially Sauvignon-like 2008 Riesling Varidor – about whose nickname and origins see reviews of previous renditions – smells of gooseberry and lime; comes to the palate palpably dense, juicy and tart, with the chew of berry skin; and finishes with pungent and invigorating grip if a certain austere underlying stoniness. This will need careful pairing but should prove worth following for several years. Karl-Josef Loewen associates the measurably high dry extracts of his 2008s with their ability to buffer high acids but also to convey mineral characteristics. He was pleased to point out that not one of his dry wines reached 12% alcohol this vintage, and only partly on account of that vintage itself. Especially with his oldest vines, pruning for multiple short canes and de-leafing at critical junctures are among the techniques being employed to diminish the accretion of sugar and maximize flavor. Small berries and clusters are also critical, says Loewen, who does not believe in green harvesting. “The trick,” he opines, “is to make little wine from many bunches, rather than little wine from few bunches.”Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300