It’s popular amongst artists to justify their art by the expression “It speaks for itself’. However, that doesn’t quite hold for the existence of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the impossibly steep slopes of a grand cru site in the Mosel. This deserves an explanation.

Dr. Ulrich Stein, call him Ulli, is a staunch traditionalist—firmly committed to ungrafted old vines and steep slope viticulture—yet with a penchant towards the absurd and iconoclastic. Something like soulful audacity.

In a response to the longstanding Mosel ban on growing red grapes, Ulli planted some Pinot Noir in the 80’s to test the limits of the law. When he was found out by the local inspector, he feigned insanity much like King David—claiming the miraculous transformation of Riesling vines overnight. The inspector was confused enough to leave the property without too much trouble that day. The case was eventually taken through the bureaucracy and Ulli’s fight lead to the repeal of the fifty year ban in 1987. So what does one do with renewed freedom in long standing family land? Perhaps twist the knife just a little bit more by insisting that other red grapes be allowed as well as Pinot Noir. And of course, not just insisting for permission but planting Cabernet Sauvignon (of all things!) in his grand cru of Palmberg (of all places!)—an impossibly steep slope in the village of St. Aldegund where Ulli’s holding near a monopole.

In the decades since what was once a bit of a private joke to irk overbearing bureaucrats has turned into a striking wine and a firm notice that the wine world is not the same as it was. Climate change is here and this region that once could barely ripen these grapes is now putting out a wine of substance to rival the great mountain Cabernets of old school California.

It can take a little insanity to work in a world that has gone mad.