2019 Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett Mosel

The wine-growing tradition of the Dr. Hugo Thanisch family can be traced back more than 350 years. In 1636, the name was mentioned for the first time in the registers of Bernkastel-Kues. The quality of the family’s wines soon extended their excellent reputation far beyond the Mosel valley. At the end of the 18th Century, the Thanisch’s acquired the Berncasteler Doctor vineyard, a very steep site with a deep devon slate structure, situated behind and overlooking the rooftops of the quaint old town of Bernkastel. The Doctor name originates in a legend about Prince Boemond II of Trier who fell sick and then was cured by a wine from this vineyard. Medicinal powers of fine wines are today being rediscovered! Without a doubt, the Doctor Vineyard is the most valuable and most famous German site.

"The 2019 vintage is the best vintage I have ever tasted for German riesling in my four-decade career. Like James, my career as a wine critic began in the early 1980s. The first German vintage I tasted as young wines was 1983 and I can’t remember a vintage like that – until now. The 2019 wines, from dry to classic style with natural grape sweetness are simply astonishing quality, which means 2019 is one of the greatest vintages of modern times and will be remembered for decades, possibility generations." ~Stuart Pigott, James Suckling

The Thanisch estate (the heirs Müller-Burggraef) includes over 12 hectares (over 30 acres) of the best sites in the middle Mosel valley. This wine was produced from grapes grown in various single vineyards of the Thanisch Müller-Burggraef estate. The vineyards are mostly positioned a little higher up off the river, from the middle of the vineyard until the woods. Their soil is fine slate that stores water extremely well. Very lively and fresh Rieslings grow here with racy and stable acidity and extraordinary potential for development.

Tasting Notes: 100% Riesling. The Riesling wines from Bercasteler Doctor are amoung the famous and noble white wines in the world. As soon as it does open up, the variety of aromas is almost overwhelming. It is underlined by a lively acidity and minerality so typical of the Doctor vineyard site. It is an extremely complex wine with tremendous aging potential. Perfect with sushi, oysters, grilled fish, and poultry. Since this is a Kabinett wine, it is off-dry with some residual sugar.