Tasting Notes: 

Classical and typical dry Riesling of the Mosel valley. Precise fruit, fresh and crisp fruit acid. It’s spicy and zesty on the nose with hints of smoke, anise, herbs, white peach and licorice. It’s got beautiful aromatics throughout and fun prickly acidity. The palate is fresh and led by flavors of anise and candied grapefruit. 

Max Ferd. Richter Wines: 

The estate of Max Ferd. Richter has been passed down from father to son for the past 300 years. Today the winery is run by Dr. Dirk Richter, the 9th generation, and will eventually be passed down to his son Constantine who is working beside him today. 

Max. Ferd Richter is known for producing world-class Riesling from some of the most esteemed vineyards in the Mosel and all of their production comes from their own estate holdings. 

Riesling: 

This German grape is considered by many to be one of the most unique white varietals in the world, though it has yet to reach the same popularity in America as it has in Europe. Riesling can range anywhere from a light bone-dry white with an alcohol level somewhere around 8 percent to a beautifully thick sweet dessert wine. It is a wine with a huge richness of flavor and fruit that is complemented by an intense acidity. Riesling is a beautifully balanced wine but it is also extremely temperamental. It needs to be planted in optimum conditions to produce such a flavorful yet delicate wine.

Mosel, Germany:

By far one of the most famous premium wine regions in the world, the Mosel can be synonymous with its most planted varietal Riesling. Mosel is Germany’s third largest wine region in terms of volume but is considered to be one of the top regions in terms of prestigious wine production. Winemaking has been a dominant presence in the Mosel region since the 2nd century when the Romans started planting vineyards along the river. 

Roughly 62% of the Mosel is planted to Riesling, which can be made into bone-dry, off-dry and even dessert style wines. But other grapes are planted here as well including Elbling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Kerner and Auxerrois. You can also find a little bit of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay here which is typically used in the sekt sparkling wines. 

The flavor of Mosel wines are typically more floral rather than fruit forward. They are clean saline wines that often reflect the aromas of what rain smells like as it hits rock and stone. They are characteristically high acid and have clearly defined flavors. 

Food & Wine Pairing: 

Depending on its sweetness level, Riesling can be a helping pairing tool when it comes to fried or spicy foods. They're delicious with foods that have "green" flavors, like the lime, jalapeño and tomatillo in this snapper dish. Their vibrant acidity and minerality can also be terrific with rich dishes flavored with a squeeze of lime, like beef curry. Much like white Burgundy, full-bodied Rieslings are great with earthy flavors and perfect with luscious sauces like the ones in the dishes here. 

If a dish is so intense or fiery that beer seems the only option, try an off-dry Riesling instead. The extra sugar in the wine counters the heat, while the chiles in the dish make the wine taste less sweet. Whether light or decadent, dishes that combine sweet and savory flavors work best with sweet Rieslings that still have refreshing acidity.

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