Hermann Ludes. Thörnicher Ritsch. "Monster.” Riesling. Kabinett FEI herb 2021
Young passionate producer appreciation post.
Julian Ludes is currently at the helm of the winery. The vineyards are around the city of Thörnich and Ritsch is the grand cru vineyard there.
Screw cap closure. There was a small fizz on the first pour.
On the nose intense aromas typical of this part of the Mosel valley. Grapefruit zest, orchard fruit, white tea. Palate is liquid rock. Salivating on the sides of the mouth and sweet kick in the middle of the tongue. Electricity and tension piercing like an arrow. Noble bitterness hits you in the back palate. It doesn't taste sweet, or acidic, or bitter, but simply complete. It's weightless yet dense. Intensive yet lean. All with 8% ABV so you can drink the whole bottle and still perform an open brain surgery (not a legal advice). Old, mainly ungrafted, vines. Slopes are too steep for any mechanisation, so everything needs to be done by hand. And it retails for €25.
This wine doesn't make sense. It defies the laws of physics, logic, chemistry, economics and quite frankly common sense. It should not exist. Yet it does and the world is better for it. Wines like these are the reason to be in this business.
This will only improve over the next 25 years.