WEINGUT WWE. Dr.H. THANISCH, ERBEN THANISCH 2022

INTRODUCTION THE 2022 VINTAGE THE WINES TO ORDER

Introduction

Heat? What heat?

The 2022 vintage across Europe is shaping up to be more traditional in style and fresher than was expected during the growing season. Perhaps nowhere is this truer than in the Mosel valley. The summer was one of the hottest and driest ever. So how have the wines turned out so wonderfully chiselled and precise?

Will Hargrove and I tasted at the estate with mother-and-daughter team Sofia and Christina Thanisch (here harvesting in the Doctor vineyard), under the rainy skies of August 2023. The picture they painted was one of a testing growing season, during which some vines shut down temporarily under the pressure of the summer’s prolonged heat. This partly explains the retention of acidity in 2022, in addition to a cool harvest period, in contrast with some other parts of Germany which saw a more extended summer.

We left with big smiles – these are unexpectedly elegant 2022s, of lowish alcohol and great approachability. As always, the wines of the iconic Doctor vineyard, the smallest Grosse Lage in the Mosel, have performed particularly strongly. And don’t miss the two Grosses Gewächs, the ‘GG’s. There is no Auslesen here in 2022 and the quantities of Spätlese are low, so don’t delay in getting your orders in. A classical vintage and a great success for the drier styles, from decidedly unclassical conditions.

GUY SEDDON
HEAD OF FINE WINE BUYING
October 2023

THE WINES More about the producer

THE 2022 VINTAGE

Sofia Thanisch described the 2022s as “lean in style, like 2021”, before adding that “the character is riper than 2021, and more floral.”

2022 was a challenging year due to extreme weather conditions: a dry spring, followed by an equally dry and hot summer, during which some blockages of maturity occurred.

September and October were different though, as if nature wanted to make up for what had gone before, with a rainy, cooler period.

Harvest took place amid these cool conditions in the Mosel, which were unlike those in much of the rest of Germany. It started on 26^th September and finished nearly a month later, on 20^th October.

As Christina Thanisch put it, “A lot of organisation was required but thanks to our experienced harvest team, we were able to produce average volumes of very attractive wines.”

Alcohol levels are on the low side (around 12% abv for the dry wines, 10% for the off-dry and 8% for the Prädikats), with a tight backbone of acidity throughout.

There are no Auslesen at Thanisch in 2022. The 2022s have such innate poise, I would expect them to drink earlier than the 2021s in many cases.

KABINETT

This term was originally derived from the English word ‘cabinet’, which before the German wine law of 1971 was used as a mark of quality wines. Kabinett is the ‘lowest’ (least rich) of the six German wine Prädikats. Mosel Kabinetts are particularly light in alcohol and might be described as off-dry.

THANISCH ESTATE RIESLING KABINETT

The Estate Riesling comes mainly from vineyards around Kues, on the left bank of the Mosel. Flinty aromas of lemon and lime lead into a juicy palate of white peach, green apple and lemon zest. 10% abv. Bottled in April 2023, under screwcap.

Corney & Barrow Score 17+
Recommended drinking from 2023–2027

£95 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
£110 / CASE OF 3 MAGNUMS, IN BOND UK

BERNKASTELER-KUES RIESLING ALTE REBEN

The alte reben (old vines) here are around 30 years old. This ranks between the previous estate wine and the following single vineyards. A wine of pure white stone-fruits and fresh acidity, with a gently creamy density. 11% abv. Bottled in April 2023, under screwcap.

Corney & Barrow Score 17
Recommended drinking from 2024–2029

£110 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK

BERNKASTELER BADSTUBE RIESLING KABINETT

This forms a pair with the Feinherb (below). The only difference is the length of fermentation, which here is halted earlier (around 10 days), making this a touch richer and allowing a lovely low alcohol level of 8% abv. Plump stone and lime fruit, with a hint of crystallised ginger. Perfect summer aperitif drinking. Bottled under screwcap in April 2023.

Corney & Barrow Score 17 - 17.5
Recommended drinking from 2023–2032

£120 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK

BERNKASTELER BADSTUBE RIESLING KABINETT FEINHERB

This ferments for slightly longer than the ‘straight’ Kabinett (above), resulting in a marginally drier style. Stylishly slaty on the nose, leading into a mineral-driven palate of zesty lemon and lime fruit. Poised and classical, with an underpinning of stony extract. 10% abv. Bottled under screwcap in April 2023.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5
Recommended drinking from 2024–2032

£120 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK

BERNKASTELER LAY RIESLING KABINETT CUVÉE CHRISTINA

This is a selection from the Lay vineyard, named for Christina Thanisch. Smoky bacon aromas, leading into a palate of pure lemon and lime fruit with juicy acidity. Two barrels only. Bottled July 2023, three weeks before we tasted.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 -18
Recommended drinking from 2024–2032

£140 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK

BERNCASTELER DOCTOR RIESLING KABINETT

The Doctor Kabinett: a legend in the Mosel. Intense, slaty minerality on the nose, with lime cordial. The palate has that luminosity of the Doctor, with astonishing transparency and immediacy, in a slightly more exotically fruited, flamboyant guise. Slaty minerality and extract on the finish. Fermented and aged in traditional 1000L oak vats. Lovely low 8% abv. Bottled in May 2023.

Corney & Barrow Score 18+
Recommended drinking from 2026-2038

£185 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
£200 / CASE OF 3 MAGNUMS, IN BOND UK

SPÄTLESE

Literally ‘late harvest’, within the Prädikat system, Spätlese is a step up in grape sugar, as measured at harvest time. Many consider Spätlesen to be the sweet spot (or in the other sense, not so sweet really) of Riesling – where the full expression of grape variety meets terroir.

BERNKASTELER BADSTUBE RIESLING SPÄTLESE

As Christina says, the Spätlesen in 2022 are riper but not that much sweeter than the Kabinetts. Luminous limey fruit, with spicy delicacy, coming to a nice point on the finish. The mid-palate is fleshy and giving. A wine which will age well but which dares you to drink it young (I would do both, ideally!)

Corney & Barrow Score 17
Recommended drinking from 2024–2032

£135 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK

BERNKASTELER LAY RIESLING SPÄTLESE

Bernkasteler Lay is a Grosse Lage site, Lay being a traditional name for slate, pronounced ‘lie’ in German. It extends to nine hectares in total, on the lower slopes of Badstube. This is spicy and ripe in 2022, with apricot and crème brûlée richness. Honeycomb texture on the back-palate, with fresh, steely acidity.

Corney & Barrow Score 17+
Recommended drinking from 2024–2032

£150 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK

BERNCASTELER DOCTOR RIESLING SPÄTLESE

The majestic Doctor vineyard looms beneficently over you as you taste at the estate. This is a Spätlese of white flower perfume and honeysuckle aromas. The palate is pure, driving, and fine, with salty minerality balancing against the rich pear fruit and lemon zest. Fine, taut acidity provides a compelling backbone. Very complete, this will be a star. Fermented and aged in traditional 1000L oak vats. 8% abv.

Corney & Barrow Score 18.5+
Recommended drinking from 2026–2040

£245 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
£260 / CASE OF 3 MAGNUMS, IN BOND UK

GROSSES GEWÄCHS

These two wines sit apart from the rest of the Thanisch line-up in that they are totally dry. As such, they are labelled Grosses Gewächs, or ‘GG’s, a pan-German term for the highest quality tier of dry wines, which come from Grosse Lage sites (similar to Burgundy’s Grands Crus). The system started in the Pfalz and Rhine some 25 years ago but was not adopted in the Mosel until around a decade ago. Some producers, including Thanisch, choose to include the word trocken on the label also, to underscore that these are bone dry wines.

BERNKASTELER GRABEN RIESLING GROSSES GEWÄCHS (TROCKEN)

Bernkasteler Graben is a cooler site, adjacent to the Doctor vineyard. As Christina explains it, the style of Graben, made since 2015, is “really straight and clear”. The vines are 60-80 years old. The family has a 0.5 hectare holding here, all of which is reserved for the GG. Bottled three weeks before we tasted in August 2023. A steely nose of green melon and aromatic limes, leading into a taut palate sustained by bright acidity. Fermented and aged in an old oak 1000L vat. 12% abv (actually, a little below).

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 +
Recommended drinking from 2025–2040

£180 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK

BERNCASTELER DOCTOR RIESLING GROSSES GEWÄCHS (TROCKEN)

One of the top sites of the Mosel, the Doctor is a relatively warm vineyard. A nose of spicy, smoky green citrus. Bright and pure. The fruit weight here builds on the palate, which is full of nerviness and energy, sustained by poised acidity. Slaty minerality persists on the finish. This is fermented in one old oak 1000L Mosel foudre and one stainless steel tank. It stays on its lees until February, when it is racked into stainless steel. 12% abv.

Corney & Barrow Score 18 - 18.5
Recommended drinking from 2025–2040

£245 / CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
£260 / CASE OF 3 MAGNUMS, IN BOND UK

TO ORDER

Wine Region

Mosel, Germany

Vineyard

9 hectares

We left with big smiles – these are unexpectedly elegant 2022s, of lowish alcohol and great approachability. As always, the wines of the iconic Doctor vineyard, the smallest Grosse Lage in the Mosel, have performed particularly strongly. And don’t miss the two Grosses Gewächs, the ‘GG’s. There is no Auslesen here in 2022 and the quantities of Spätlese are low, so don’t delay in getting your orders in. A classical vintage and a great success for the drier styles, from decidedly unclassical conditions.

GUY SEDDON
HEAD OF FINE WINE BUYING
October 2023

"Sofia Thanisch described the 2022s as “lean in style, like 2021”, before adding that “the character is riper than 2021, and more floral.”

2022 was a challenging year due to extreme weather conditions: a dry spring, followed by an equally dry and hot summer, during which some blockages of maturity occurred.
September and October were different though, as if nature wanted to make up for what had gone before, with a rainy, cooler period.

Harvest took place amid these cool conditions in the Mosel, which were unlike those in much of the rest of Germany. It started on 26th September and finished nearly a month later, on 20th October.

As Christina Thanisch put it, “A lot of organisation was required but thanks to our experienced harvest team, we were able to produce average volumes of very attractive wines.”
Alcohol levels are on the low side (around 12% abv for the dry wines, 10% for the off-dry and 8% for the Prädikats), with a tight backbone of acidity throughout.
There are no Auslesen at Thanisch in 2022. The 2022s have such innate poise, I would expect them to drink earlier than the 2021s in many cases.