Product Description:

This is the first Mosel estate we’ve taken on in nearly nine years – that should tell you something of how important we think it is. The truth is, my teeth haven’t ached as much as they did after tasting with Julian and his uncle Hermann Ludes (pronounced “LOOD-es”) since tasting with Erich Weber of Hofgut Falkenstein around 2009. Have no doubt, these are old school, unflinching Mosel Rieslings of a rather bracing severity. Hermann Ludes, who took over the estate in the 1970s, went against nearly every fashionable and economically beneficial trend of the region’s heyday. As people planted more on the flatlands, he bought back vineyards in the dramatically terraced Thörnicher Ritsch, where simply everything must be done by hand. As yields went up, his came down. As Mosel wines got more plush and ever-sweeter, his wines retained a simply ruthless austerity. In a time of instant gratification, these are wines that demand time. Julian Ludes now works with his uncle and together they are a formidable team. Along with Hans-Josef Becker, Ulli Stein, and Erich Weber, Hermann Ludes is one of the few remaining estates championing this old school Mosel. We are beyond thrilled to be working with them. They were worth the wait. - Importer