The Germans descended upon Tribeca this week, celebrating the fruits of the 2008 riesling vintage—and what a vintage it is. This noble grape, which is expressed in endless riffs—from the stone dry to the honey sweet and everything in between—is the Rhineland’s aromatic gift to the drinking world. More than 30 producers brought their best, from the Mosel, Pfalz, Baden, Rheinhessen and Rheingau regions. There was also a smattering of wines from nearby Alsace in France (it was German back in the day), as well as Austria. The reasons to drink German rieslings are legion: The wines are amazingly fragrant, with notes of orange blossoms, apples, peaches, pears, apricots and even the occasional pineapple. Their crisp acidity and minerality make them go-to wines for pairing with assertively flavored cuisines, from barbecue to Mexican to Thai. The Germans (unlike us) generally avoid oaking, which means exceptionally pure fruit flavors. Lastly, the wines are lower in alcohol than ours, so you can easily split a bottle with a friend.—Michael Anstendig