Dr H. Thanisch: A Legend on the Moselle

The Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch – Erben Thanisch winery in Bernkastel-Kues on the Moselle can look back on a winegrowing tradition documented for over 380 years, dating back to 1636. It was then that the family was first mentioned as vineyard owners in the Bernkastel parish register. The winery takes its name from the Prussian MP Dr Hugo Thanisch (1853–1895), the Prussian Member of Parliament, who led the vineyard to world fame in the 19th century. Following his sudden death, his widow Katharina took over the management, which is why the estate acquired the suffix ‘Wwe.’ (widow) Dr H. Thanisch, which it still bears today. It has now been run by women for five generations – today by Sofia Thanisch and her daughter Christina.

The winery cultivates around nine hectares of vineyards on the steep slate slopes of Bernkastel-Kues, which are 100 per cent planted with the ‘king of grapes’, Riesling . The top wines come from the renowned VDP ‘Große Lagen’ sites Berncasteler Doctor, Bernkasteler Lay, Bernkasteler Badstube and Bernkasteler Graben . Arguably the most famous vineyard is the Berncasteler Doctor, which has been in the family’s possession for over 200 years. In 1882, Dr Hugo Thanisch purchased around 6,000 square metres of this exceptional vineyard at auction for the then staggering sum of over 100,000 gold marks – a price that would be equivalent to several million euros today . The manor house, the magnificent ‘Villa Thanisch’, was built in 1884 by Dr Hugo Thanisch and his wife Katharina in the Neo-Renaissance style, situated directly on the left bank of the Moselle . This architectural landmark has adorned the classic Art Nouveau label of the wines since 1901.

Since 1910, the winery has been a founding member of the Association of Prädikat Wineries (VDP). In the cellar, the focus is on spontaneous fermentation and traditional oak casks, to give the wines their characteristic precision and their enormous ageing potential. A historic milestone was achieved in the centennial vintage of 1921 with the first Trockenbeerenauslese on the Moselle – a bottle of this legendary wine fetched a sensational 11,100 marks at an auction in 1986. Today, Villa Thanisch, with its terrace right by the river, invites visitors to enjoy a wine tasting, thereby preserving the living legacy of this exceptional traditional estate.