Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Erben Thanisch 2023 Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese 750ml (96 V, 96 JS)

The Wine

"The 2023 Riesling Berncasteler Doctor Auslese was made with just 10-15% botrytized fruit and golden, ripe grapes. It immediately comes alive with chervil, white peach and bergamot notes. The palate is all peach compote, finesse and citrus. It's vividly energetic, flowing, pervasive and so very light. This is a marvel with such poise and citric length. Wow. (Sweet)" - Anne Krebiehl MW Vinous 12/24 

The Winery

Bernkasteler Doctor is one of the most famous single-vineyard sites in the Mosel wine region. This remarkable 40%-60% gradient slope is not just one of the most expensive vineyards on Earth and the most famous Riesling vineyard in Germany, it is full-stop one of the most famous vineyards planted to any varietal anywhere in the world, easily making most any global "top 5 vineyards" list.

The average age of the vines hovers around 60 years (with vines of 100 years or more not uncommon) and that it is estimated that anywhere from 30-40% are ungrafted. A brief walk (climb?) through the vineyard and one quickly understands why the Doctor has been the source of some of the most sought-after German wines of all time. The wines from this vineyard are at once rich, profound and even spicy, as it’s a rather warm site where the snow melts before than in the surrounding vineyards. But at the same time, the wines are refined and finely structured, a magic combination that is not so common in the wines from other famous German vineyards.

Almost all of this vineyard is owned by members of the Thanisch family, and in addition to this incredible "Doctor" vineyard lies the fact that 'Wwe. H Thanisch - Erben Thanisch' is the most long-lived female-led company in the global wine history. 

The original owner of this iconic vineyard, Dr. Hugo Thanisch, died in 1895 at a young age. His 29-year-old widow took over the estate in what is the German equivalent of the Veuve Clicquot story. It goes without saying that, for a woman in Germany in 1895 to do something like this is a monumental feat given the discriminatory gender norms at that time.

In comparison to the Clicquot story, which lasted but one generation under female leadership, the Thanisch story is remarkable in that it has had over a century of female leadership and, rather than being owned and operated by the world's largest luxury goods corporation (LVMH, which owns Veuve Clicquot), the winery remains family owned. And not only have they had women at the top, but also in each leadership role, from vineyard management, to winemaking, to sales, down to the 1905 design of their iconic art nouveau style labels.

Today's current leader, Christina Thanisch, is busy leading the most successful era yet for the winery, especially when it comes to wines made from "The Doctor" vineyard!