2022 Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese, Mosel

What a beautiful nose of just-ripe peach and fresh herbs this has. A touch of jasmine, too. A stunningly elegant Kabinett with notes of wet slate and lemon zest at the long and vibrant finish. Feels almost weightless! Drink or hold.

94 points James Suckling

Dr. H. Thanisch is one of the Mosel's most historic and respected estates, with a winemaking legacy that stretches back centuries in the village of Bernkastel. Renowned for producing Rieslings of purity, elegance and remarkable longevity, the family has long been a benchmark for classic Mosel wine. Their holdings in Bernkasteler Badstube consistently deliver wines that combine expressive fruit, vibrant acidity and the unmistakable minerality of the region's slate rich slopes.

Bernkasteler Badstube occupies steep vineyards overlooking the Mosel River, where blue Devonian slate soils and excellent sun exposure create ideal conditions for Riesling. The 2022 vintage produced fruit of exceptional balance, allowing the estate to craft a Spätlese that beautifully marries richness with freshness. This is a classic expression of the style, offering generous fruit flavours while retaining the energy and precision that define great Mosel Riesling.

Pale gold with bright green highlights, the bouquet is wonderfully aromatic, revealing white peach, apricot and ripe nectarine alongside notes of lime blossom, mandarin and wet slate. The palate is succulent and beautifully balanced, delivering layers of stone fruit, citrus and green apple. A gentle sweetness is perfectly offset by lively acidity, creating a wine that feels both rich and weightless. The finish is long, refreshing and intensely mineral, leaving lingering impressions of citrus, honey and slate.

This is a superb partner for fresh prawns, spicy Thai curries, roast pork with apple, duck with orange glaze or a blue cheese tart. Equally enjoyable on its own, it showcases the irresistible interplay of sweetness, acidity and minerality that has made Mosel Spätlese one of the world's great wine styles.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2045.