Thörle Probstey Riesling, Rheinhessen

This single site wine comes from the Probstey Vineyard near Saulheim in the north-eastern sector of Rheinhessen, the largest of Germany’s 13 major wine-producing regions. This vineyard, with records dating back to the 13th century, is on a steep, warm, south-facing slope. The yellow sand and limestone soils result in a rich, full-bodied wines, balanced with precise acidity.

Hand-picked grapes are crushed and left for 18 hours on skins to extract maximum flavour. Natural fermentation in used, 600 litre oak barrels up to 50 years old is followed by 7-8 months maturation on fine lees before bottling. Probstey Riesling typically shows stone fruit and citrus (especially dried orange) aromas, with a base of salty limestone minerality. The palate is deep and full-bodied, but also precise and pure with ripe acids and a long finish. Ageing potential is 10-15 years.

The Thörle family has been making wine at Saulheim in Germany's Rheinhessen region since the 16th century. Christoph Thörle and his brother Johannes have been running the estate since 2006. The vineyards are managed organically.