Every year the arrival of the wines of Max Ferdinand Richter are my bellwether for the quality of the upcoming vintage from Germany. Not only are the Richter wines usually the first arrivals from each vintage, but they offer a snapshot of the entire Mosel Valley thanks to their wide range of vineyard sources. Max Ferdinand Richter, in my opinion, qualitatively ranks in the top third of all German wine producers—and, when you factor in their affordability, they end up being one of the best producers on a dollar-for-dollar basis alongside Dr. Loosen, Fritz Haag, and Dönnhoff.

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