Weingut Thörle

The village of Saulheim lies in Rheinhessen’s northern interior, within the Nierstein district, one of Rheinhessen’s three Bereiche.  Saulheim is about a 20-minute drive west of the Rheinfront with its famous red slope (the Roter Hang). Saulheim is where brothers Johannes and Christoph Thörle have been steadily transforming their multigenerational estate since taking over in 2006 into one of Rheinhessen’s leading wine producers. The previous generation, Rudolf and Uta Thörle, recognized the potential of Saulheim’s limestone soils and began to plant more Riesling and Pinot Noir in the hills around Saulheim. With their sons taking the mantle, Weingut Thörle is today certified organic and practicing biodynamic. 

Amid Thörle’s 28 hectares are three vineyards that would qualify as grand cru among Germany’s wine elite. These are Saulheimer’s Schlossberg, Probstey, and Hölle. Schlossberg is the coolest of the three, with deep clay and limestone marl soils, and gives the most elegant Riesling of the estate. Probstey is south-facing with exposed limestone at the vineyard’s heart. Voluminous complex Riesling and Silvaner are the results of Probstey’s sun and soil. Hölle, as the name suggests, warms up quickly and is wind-protected. The ground of Hölle is calcareous clay loam giving opulent Riesling and Spätburgunder while retaining precise acidity and an intense mineral impression. 

Johannes Thörle insists upon spontaneous fermentation and vinification in stainless steel tanks and aging in oak ranging from traditional large Stückfass to tonneau to Burgundian pièce, depending on the wine. Spätburgunder is fully destemmed, and after the Gutswein, most of the reds see a small percentage of new oak. While Riesling and Spätburgunder are the main varieties at Weingut Thörle, Silvaner, Sauvignon Blanc, and Burgundian varieties are all excellent here. For all the attention (and sensational ratings from critics like Stuart Pigott) the Thörle Rieslings and Pinots have gotten, Silvaner should not be overlooked here; the Probstey Silvaner is incredibly salty and smoky. There’s also an impressive Chardonnay reserve, planted in 1993, shortly after the variety was first permitted in Rheinhessen.