Wine Tasting – Max Ferdinand Richter Riesling

 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter has a long history dating back to 1680, when Hans Adam Niessen, an ancestor of the Richter family started a wine exporting company.   The first vineyard property purchased by the Richter family dates back to 1643, the highly esteemed Brauneberg vineyard.  Today, the Max Ferd. Richter estate has 48 acres of steep vineyards located in the middle Mosel Valley between Erden and Brauneberg.  Estate vineyard plantings consist of 95% Riesling and 5% Pinot Blanc, with an average vine age of 40 years.  Dr. Dirk Max Ferd. Richter and his son Constantin are respectfully the 9th and 10th generation in the Richter family to own and operate the estate.

2015 Max Ferd Richter Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, 7.5% ABV, SRP $22
Graacher Himmelreich vineyards have a south west exposure.  The vineyard soils are rich in alluvial deposits from the Mosel river and are composed of  clay and blue slate.

Tasting Notes:  The wine has a light pale yellow color.  Flavors of stone fruit like peaches and apricots are balanced with a citrus acidity of sweet lime.  The texture on the palate is creamy almost honey like.

2015 Max Ferd Richter Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett , Mosel 8% ABV, SRP $22
Brauneberger Juffer vineyards have a southern exposure.  The vineyard soils are an iron-oxide slate giving the vineyard a brownish appearance, hence its name Brauneberger (brown mountain).  The Brauneberger vineyards through history have produced world class wines,  Thomas Jefferson was among the admirers of these historic vineyards.

Tasting Notes:  The wine has a pale golden color.  Peach, apricot, and nectarine are on the flavor forefront with hints of beeswax.  A zesty spritz of acidity balances out the sweetness in the wine.

Food Pairing:  A roasted butternut squash or sweet potato soup with Thai red curry.  The sweetness in in the butternut squash or sweet potato mirrors the sweetness in the Rieslings and balances the heat of the red curry. Try my Kabocha Squash Soup recipe and switch out the kabocha squash for either butternut squash or sweet potato.

The wine samples were provided by Massanois Imports as part of #winestudio, an educational program organized by Tina Morey. Join the #winestudio conversation Tuesday at 9pm EST on Twitter.