Max Ferd. Richter, “Graacher Himmelreich” Riesling Kabinett Trocken Cheap

Max Ferd. Richter, “Graacher Himmelreich” Riesling Kabinett Trocken

The Richter family is part of the Old Guard of Mosel wine: Their first vineyard purchase came in 1643, they became a wine exporter in 1680, and their current-day cellar was built in 1880.  Today, the estate is run by Dirk Richter, who’s training his son Constantin to become a 10th-generation proprietor. Because they’ve been dominating their field for centuries, not much has been altered—manual work in the vineyard and natural ferments in the cellar with traditional oak “fuders” is the norm.

Between the exotic Riesling aromatics and the hint of viscosity imparted by the residual sugar, it certainly flirts with being off-dry before the acidity and minerality work their mouth-watering magic. In the glass, it’s a bright yellow-gold moving to light green at the rim, with good glass-hugging tears advertising its concentration. The aromas are textbook Mosel, with an intriguing mix of stone (white peach, apricot) and citrus (white grapefruit, lime blossom) fruit vying for attention along with scents of white flowers, wet stones, exotic spices, crushed chalk, and that heady, gasoline-like note politely referred to as ‘petrol’ in tasting circles. Medium-bodied, racy, and bracingly mineral, it is at once palate-coating and palate-enlivening, jump-starting the salivary reaction like few wines can. We’re constantly recommending Thai and other Asian preparations to pair with wines like this because it’s a wine that can handle heat from spice; your favorite green curry or pad thai recipe would be a no-brainer