Visiting the half-timbered scenic town of Bernkastel is a pilgrimage for any traveler interested in the beautiful and history of Germany.  This gorgeous medieval village is stunning in every way and, surrounded as it is by some of Germany’s most dramatic and very best vineyards, it’s a sight that will, if you are lucky enough to approach the town from the bend in the Mosel River that reveals it, take your breath away. It’s like turning a corner and discovering ‘Romanee Conti’ etched on a stone wall right in front of you!  The long-acknowledged king of Bernkastel’s surrounding vineyards is the Badstube, a vast expanse of steeply pitched Dorset slate that contains within it the iconic parcel called Doctor, truly one of the world’s most venerated vineyard sites.  The Doctor has been lovingly farmed by the Thanisch family since 1636 and continues now to produce some of the most famous and long-lived wines in the entire country.  The current generation of Thanisch is represented by Sofia, the fourth generation woman to run the estate, and her two daughters are now waiting in the wings to become the fifth.  While they produce the complete range of Rieslings ranging from light and dry to intensely sweet and unctuous, we’ve become particular fans of their intensely-flavored Kabinett-level wines, Rieslings that deliver incredible concentration, roundness and laser beams of slate-y, citrusy mineral acidity at low alcohols and ultimate food-flexibility.  And while the Doctor will always be the Doctor in terms of price (and the thrill that gold embossed label provides), it still remains one of the finest deals we’ve ever come across for a top Mosel Riesling at this quality level.  We’ve got just a precious few cases of the Thanisch’s recently arrived 2022 Doctor Kabinett to offer you.  Perfect for the summer season now upon us, it has enough fruity roundness on the palate to make it a lovely drink all on its own, or with any kind of dish that combines herbal with sweetness and spice.  It’s the wine’s amazing natural acidity that makes it seem almost dry on the palate despite its softness and immediate appeal.  You can drink this by the case and never feel fatigued…the ideal partner for whatever sort of fare you can imagine.  I love it with smoky, spicy Szechuan-style eggplant, string beans and minced pork. The 2022 vintage is built for immediate gratification but it will also cellar decades.  Try it!  Or go completely for the gusto and open a bottle of the 2022 Thanisch Riesling Grosse Gewachs Trocken, one of the world’s most stunning examples of dry Riesling:  Old vines, superb winemaking and the potential to age decades in the cellar make this a real collector’s item but, thanks to the extra horsepower that came in 2022, there is a thrilling amount of forward fruit to enjoy even now. Imagine Puligny-Montrachet made from the Riesling grape and you get the idea! It’s a classic that still offers up great value when you consider the quality of wines against which this compares.

 
James Suckling on the Kabinett: "Wonderful, golden fall-fruit aromas fill out this concentrated yet delicate Mosel Kabinett that has all the finesse and filigree character we associate with this category. Spot-on balance of slatey acidity and ripeness, Very long, cool finish with a pronounced smoky note. Excellent aging potential. Drink or hold. 96 Points.

James Suckling on the GG: At once compact and warm, sleek and filigree, this is a great dry Mosel riesling! Stunning concentration of delicate stone fruits, but also plenty of smoky minerality. This expands and expands as it aerates in the glass. Super-clean finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2024. 97 points