Julien Ludes and his uncle Hermann (the current proprietor and son of the eponymous founder, Hermann) spend 17-18 hours a day, 7 days a week, in their vineyards on the Grand Cru of Thörnicher Ritsch.... Read More

Julien Ludes and his uncle Hermann (the current proprietor and son of the eponymous founder, Hermann) spend 17-18 hours a day, 7 days a week, in their vineyards on the Grand Cru of Thörnicher Ritsch. Hermann speaks no English (only an old Mosel dialect). They've never attempted to market themselves, and they make the sort of wine that hasn't been fashionable since Hermann was a child.

This is Riesling where fruit plays second fiddle to the slate, and there may or may not be residual sugar to temper the raging acidity. They are rustic, "anti-fruit", slate-imbued wines that speak solely of their place: the chilly, free standing hill of Ritsch in the lower Mosel.

The Ritsch has more in common with the open valleys of the Saar — wind whips around from the backside at night, which keeps acidity high. It's a site worth knowing, even if its relative obscurity has been another hurdle in the Ludes' marketing.