Hermann Ludes Thornricher Kabinett T "Im Schneidersberg" Mosel, Germany 2022

FROM VOM BODEN

THE WINE: The 2022er Thörnicher Ritsch Riesling Kabinett -t- “Im Schneidersberg” was made from fruit harvested at 78° Oechsle on 80-85 year-old vines in this prime Lieu-Dit and was fermented down to off-dry levels of residual sugar (15 g/l). The nose is captivating from the start, with hints of bacon smoke, residual spontaneous fermentation, and lots of fine spices. Then come aromas of vineyard peach, dried white flowers, gunflint, lime, grapefruit, and gooseberry. The wine comes over as straightforward and lean on the palate, with dynamism provided by some salivating acidity. The finish is taut, long, and tart, and clearly still austere. It will need a few years to soften. This lively, airy, and racy dry wine is remarkable, and will appeal to fans of this style.

THE PRODUCER: Weingut Hermann Ludes has flown under the radar for decades for a number of reasons. First, the village Thörnich is located in an upper-section of the Mosel, far away from the famous “Hollywood Mile” of the Mosel. Further, Thörnich is legendary for shaping wines that are raw and tensile; the wines of Hermann Ludes especially can be brutally structured. In other words these are not easy wines. Second, the founder’s son and Julian’s uncle, also named Hermann Ludes, speaks no English and has made, over the decades, exactly zero attempts to market himself or to try and placate any whims or fashions, customers, exporters, importers or journalists. He has made his wines his way; he has spent a lifetime in his vineyards. That has been enough.

These are truly old-school Mosel Rieslings; in my mind these are the rustic, transparent, bracing – even a touch brutal – Mosel wines that were probably common decades ago. Yet this style has been nearly forgotten, pushed aside by the riper, fruitier, easier style of plush-and-giving Mosel wine.

To my mind, Hermann Ludes, Ulli Stein and Erich Weber are the current canonical masters of this style.