These hit Dallas just recently- a producer I have never tried before. I tend to stay in the Spatlese lane, but I occasionally cellar Kabinett if I find it very special (as in Muller Auction special.) A box of these is going into my cellar. They are in the vein of Kerpen and Meulenhof in my mind- lively yet serene, very pure, deceptively simple and I suspect they will also live and improve far longer than their precocious natures might suggest. Note these are under screwcap unless you get magnums which felt to me like they were under cork or some kind of related composite…
pale lemon color, lemon and earth on the nose with a smoky topnote, pungent stones, racy acids, on the palate tart peach fruit, a bit of pear, honeysuckle, increasingly tense across the midpalate into a racy finish of exceptional length, all presented in a restrained and effortless delivery with a certain serenity about it, pretty as it is now a few years in the cellar should bring exceptional results.
(***)+, 2028++
2021 Weingut Hermann Ludes Thörnicher Riesling Kabinett
light lemon color, nose of sweet lemon, saline and stone, blue flowers, smooth riverstones, on the palate a sweet pear fruit leading quickly into a tart grapefruit with intense and tightly coiled acids over the midpalate and into an enduring finish with length to burn, despite their intensity the acids are well-coated by the fruit making this surprisingly approachable, and for all the tension and movement- overall this has a certain simplistic and pure serenity that is quite calming, pretty as it is today- a few years in the cellar are essential to see this at its best, not as feisty as the feinherb Gackes Unten but a bit fuller on the midpalate as well as a tad more down the path of tranquility.
Tom, these are great. I also highly recommend you find the Spatlese “Ritsch” bottling. Both Spatlesen I tasted were very good but this one stood out me even among a lot of 2021s on the table. And definitely if you can find older bottles released into the market, don’t hesitate.
I have my fingers crossed on bottles of that coming here- they are on backorder. We did get magnums, and so as a backup plan I grabbed a few once I saw that there was one bottle of the 21 Ritch Spatlese for sale in the US per winesearcher. Granted, with more and more smaller merchants not using winesearcher or posting their rarities online at all, I am sure there might be more out there- but not where I can readily find it.
Good to hear your recommendation- I will keep seeking bottles since it would be nice to try it at least once young.
After tasting several hundred 2021 wines in Germany I declared Ludes my collection of the vintage. Yes Keller Schubertslay Kabinett AR might be the greatest Kabinett I have ever had, Julian Haart and Willi Schaefer were the top in the Mosel and then Egon nailed it. BUT for reasonable priced, east to find, Ludes was the collection of the vintage! I have said this here before and told everyone I could to buy the 3 liters for $150 we offered at source | material. Young Julian is going to a major star!