The wines of Max Ferdinand Richter at Bottle Apostle

Last Thursday I was excited to attend a tasting with Dirk Richer, owner and winegrower (not 'winemaker'! ) of Max Ferd. Richer, one of the top estates in the Mosel. A Richter wine was one of my first really good Mosel Rieslings - it was the 1998 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese, and I still have the empty bottle. I obviously enjoyed that wine, almost a decade ago, but there were some equally memorable wines on show at this tasting, including an unforgettable Eiswine....
Dirk Richter spoke of the history of the Riesling vine in the Mosel, and how the long season, slate soils and unique topography of the Mosel valley allow the vines to ripen their fruit perfectly, despite day-to-day weather conditions being similar to the southern counties of the UK. Thanks to all the folk at Bottle Apostle for another top tasting - get in touch with them if you'd like some of these wines. Here are my notes.

Riesling Classic 2011 TrockenThe relatively-new classic designation for off-dry wines is a useful one, with Mosel wines carrying this designation having under 15 g/l residual sugar and a minimum alcohol level of 11.5 %. This was quite heady and expressive with ripe white peach and clementine fruit on the nose, going in an almost tropical direction with touch of banana skin (sounds odd but it was there, and I liked it!), and a perfumed, almost rose-like floral lift. If those don't sound like classic Riesling descriptors, then the palate might seem more recognisable with its fine balance and weight, invigorating tangerine fruit and light spritz. Lovely stuff

Zeppelin Mülheimer Sonnenlay 201110.5% alcohol. Less fruit-led than the Classic, with a precise lime, floral honey and white pepper nose. A touch more sweetness is evident on the palate, with finishes with some attractive citrus pithiness. Less definition on the palate than the Classic for me, and a slightly lower refreshment value.

Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett 20119% alcohol (all the Kabinetts are around this level). Elegant restraint on the nose, with its sweet honeysuckle, clementine and peach juice framed by lightness and precision on the palate. 7.6 g/l acidity, 57.5 g/l residual sugar. Will be excellent in a few years.


Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett 2009Dirk described this as a 'perfect' vintage. Apricot, ripe red apple and sweet meadow flowers on the nose here, with that lime-cordial-turning-to-kerosine aroma that I love in good Riesling just starting to add some weight and complexity to the nose. The roundness of the mouthfeel is quite evident, the palate feeling generous but still balanced by 9.1 g/l acid. Lovely grip on the finish.

at the moment.

Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett 2008Seems to have developed faster than the 2009 - I'd describe it as lime marmalade on just-burnt toast, with a sprinkle of white pepper. There's a delicious sense of minerality and savoury depth on the palate, yet that fresh balance of tangerine fruit sweetness and acidity is still the spine of the wine. More angular and developed than the 2009, but at this moment I prefer it.



Baruneberger Juffer - Sonnenuhr Auslese 2006Moving on to the sweeter styles, the golden yellow colour of this wine precedes a nose of rich candied pineapple, tangerine, pink grapefruit, lime cordial and barley sugar. Those crystalline fruits give the palate a lovely broad richness, yet, as you would expect, the acidity keeps it clean as a whistle as it finishes very long with tropical dried fruits. Still very primary, but this will be delicious in 10 years +!
at the moment, + in time

Graacher Dompropst Riesling Auslese 1992A treat to taste this currently unavailable wine. The heady, kerosine-edged nose carries a little savoury cheese rind and flint/smoke along with preserved stone-fruit and lime cordial aromas now. It is undoubtedly still very fresh, with impeccable balance, the sweetness 'drying out' over time (Dirk's words) and leaving us with quite a feminine, delicate wine in this case. Very striking


Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein 2003Well we were lucky to taste this, for sure. Everything is magnified in this fabulous wine, its nose exploding with candied tropical fruit, dried mango and apple, marmalade, and ginger spice. Tremendous concentration and opulence on the palate, each mouthful evolving kaleidoscope-like as you drink it as those crystalline fruit move though honey, barley sugar, lemon peel and spice. Staggering and unforgettable now in what is still a fairly primary stage - I'm sure it will continue to impress over many years.
My first in 50 or so posts this year on Bunchpressed.