THE WINES OF
SOFIA & CHRISTINA THANISCH

The Estate Riesling comes mainly from vineyards around Kues, on the left bank of the Mosel. Aromas of lemon, lime and pepper herald a supple, pliant palate of white peach, green apple and lemon zest. 10% abv. Bottled in April 2022 under screwcap.

The alte reben (old vines) here are over 40 years old. This ranks between the estate wine (above) and the single vineyards (below). White flowers, green citrus and lemon rind aromas, with slaty minerality. A palate-cleansing attack, textured and racy on the mid-palate, coming to a fine, focused point. 11% abv. Bottled in April 2022, under screwcap.

The more generous sibling of the Feinherb (below). The only difference is the length of fermentation, which here is halted earlier, making this a touch richer and allowing a lovely low alcohol level of 8% abv. Candied citrus and fresh lime, with wet-stone minerality. Hard to think of a better bottle for a warm summer’s day. Bottled under screwcap.

This ferments for slightly longer than the ‘straight’ Kabinett (above), resulting in a marginally drier style. Pronounced slaty mineral aromas, with clean green citrus fruit. The palate is juicy and supple on the attack, finding a tangy focus on the mid-palate, with a slaty-mineral bite and texture to the finish. 10% abv. Bottled under screwcap.

The Doctor Kabinett: is it too much to call this a Mosel legend? I don’t think so. Fine, slaty minerality on the nose, with a sherbety, lime-rind zest. The palate is luminous, with a perfectly visible skeleton of minerality and dry extract. A lovely low 7.5% abv. Bottled at the end of May. Christina Thanisch thought this was just starting to open at the time of our tasting in August 2022. A third less than usual was produced in 2021 – only around 2,000 bottles.

As Christina Thanisch says, “this is a wine I could just drink now.” Lemon and lime rind, with wet-stone minerality, this is a mere 8% abv and was fermented a little longer than usual, resulting in a drier style. Candied tension to the finish. This will keep but it’s so tempting to enjoy it early.

From the majestic Doctor vineyard, which looms beneficently over you as you taste at the estate. Aromas of white flowers and zesty lime. The palate is joyfully energetic, with a nice sherbety zing detailing the Doctor’s extra notch of fruit ripeness. Fine-boned tension to the finish, wonderful. 8% abv.

This is a real rarity in 2021, just one barrel of Auslese-level wine having been produced at the estate. Lime, peach and apricot aromas. This is an astonishingly airy, elegant Auslese, with smoky-slaty minerality and wet-stone purity. The palate is taut and nervy, with lemony acidity and phenolic bite. Fruit ripeness lingers on the long, focused finish. 7.5% abv.

Bernkasteler Graben is a cooler site, adjacent to the Doctor vineyard. As Christina explains it, the style of Graben is “really straight and clear”. The vines here are 60-80 years old. The family has a 0.5 hectare holding here, all of which is used for the GG. This is cool, focused and steely on the nose. The citric palate revels in lime zest, with a tangy, grapefruity finish. Crisp and cleansing, with serious ageing potential ahead. 12% abv. Bottled in July 2022. The whole production fits in one old oak foudre and one stainless steel tank.

One of the top sites of the Mosel, the Doctor is a warmer vineyard, which combines fruit ripeness and fine, elegant minerality. This has a more generous fruit presence than the Graben GG, with a disarmingly intricate, lacy texture. Finely hewn, sherbety and clipped, with a long finish of ripe citrus fruit, compressed extract and slaty minerality. Bravo Christina and Sofia. 12% abv.