The Moselle Valley is full of vineyards, each with its own unique history. Thanisch’s history officially begins in 1648, although the family and the vineyard have been around longer than that.
Not only Riesling
Petra Thanisch welcomes me and presents the wines. With a skilful and experienced hand, she guides me through the different varieties. Everything from a fresh, clear rosé made from Spätburgunder, to an interesting Grauburgunder and two different Chardonnays, so similar, yet completely different in character and style.
But yes, of course also Riesling
But of course Thanisch also has several Rieslings on its menu. We are, after all in Mosel. What all the wines have in common is the clear and distinct minerality. So typical of the area. But one that stands out from the others is the Alte Reben Reserva from 2022. The 65-year-old vines put their mark on this fresh, clear wine, the scent and taste brings to mind honey-dipped red apples. It is a very concentrated wine in both smell and taste and if I were not travelling, I would immediately buy a box and save to drink the first bottle in four or five years. Whoever does so, I believe, will have a wonderful wine to watch develop and mature.
The challenge
With a smile, Petra says that she will not show me the next bottle but instead let me tell her what it is (to be honest, a challenge for every Sommelier). The colour of the wine is a deep honey yellow. The scent is a veritable explosion of honey, flowers, nuts, marmalade etc. The flavour, while fresh and youthful with an alert minerality, is pregnant and full of forest honey, flowers, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts. The aroma and flavour of Botrytis is evident, but by no means overwhelming, instead only giving depth and character to the wine. That it is an Auslese is clear. The question is, from which year? It is a mature wine, but the freshness and clarity of the acidity makes me guess that it is after all only 4-5 years, ie from like 2018, which I know was a special year here.
I was wrong!
The bottle says 2001!
Not without pride Petra tells me that several high end restaurants has this wine on their menu, and I can totally understand why.
An exceptional wine, from an exceptional vineyard, run with commitment and love.
Maria Scharffenberg
Sommelier
