GENERAL INFORMATION

Producer: Dirk Richter
Country: Germany
Region: Mosel
Founded: 18th Century
Annual Production (of all wines): 120,000 bottles
Farming: Sustainable and Vegan
Website: www.maxferdrichter.com

Click here for the 2018 harvest report

The estate of Max Ferd. Richter has been passed down from father to son for the past 300 years. The current reins are held by Dr. Dirk Richter, the 9th generation, and will eventually be passed down to his son Constantin. Max Ferd. Richter produces world-class Rieslings from some of the most esteemed vineyards in the Mosel, and all production comes from estate holdings. Additionally, they produce two top monopole vineyards: Mülheimer Helenenkloster and Veldenzer Elisenberg. Mülheimer Helenenkloster is considered by many to be among the best Eiswein vineyards in Germany.

The possession of Veldenzer Elisenberg dates back to 1813 when ancestor Franz Ludwig Niessen found out that Napoleon Bonaparte planned on uprooting the beloved Veldenz and Mulheim vineyards, and negotiated a personal payment to the General to prevent him from destroying the vineyards. As thanks, the town gave him the entire slope of Veldenzer Elisenberg and it has remained in the family ever since.

The terroir of their steep vineyard sites is generally grey slate with different compositions of ferruginous (Brauneberg), mineral quartz (Veldenz) or clay (Graach, Wehlen, Mülheim) soils; those deeply influence character and flavor of the wines. In order to reduce quantity and increase concentration, pruning is severe and in prolific years a green harvest is carried out in August. The vintage is picked much later than that of most growers and is done entirely by hand. Three passes are done to select the best qualities to eliminate all inferior grapes and to keep perfect botrytis bunches or single berries for Auslese qualities and above. The same attention is paid to all vines from the QBAs on up through the Eisweins. Through the entire line of wines, their hallmark balance is evident in every glass.

Max Ferd. Richter supplies a large variety of single vineyard wines.

Wehlener Sonnenuhr

Graacher Dompropst

Graacher Himmelreich

Brauneberger Juffer

Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr

Mülheimer Helenenkloster

Mülheimer Sonnenlay

Veldenzer Elisenberg

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