Weingut Thorle Kalk & Kreide Chardonnay

Christoph and his brother Johannes have worked together since 2006 when they left their jobs to take over the family domaine in Saulheim, a little village inland from Oppenheim and the mighty Rhine. The vineyards lie on a mixture of light clay, limestone red sandy loam and in places flint and schist. The drive for perfection in Germany’s highest-producing region, plus homage to centuries of a family’s dedication, are what motivates the two brothers to passionately craft the finest wines today.

All vineyard management is now undertaken organically with a move to biodynamic imminent, a brave step given that a lot of producers still believe this to be akin to witchcraft. In the cellar, the work in the vineyard is continued with by allowing natural ferments and minimal handling. In some instances, the wines reflect a more salt/mineral character, a style that they have found naturally occurs in dry Rieslings from the calcareous soils.

Made of fifty-five percent Chardonnay blended with forty-five percent Pinot Blanc. After selective harvesting in several steps according to the ripeness of the grapes, the berries were lightly crushed in the cellar and left in their juice for six hours to achieve a better aroma extraction. This extract-rich Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc are spontaneously fermented with natural yeasts and stored on the full lees for about ten months. The lees were stirred monthly (bâtonage process) to give this wine even more fullness and creaminess. The maturation took place in 500l tonneau wooden barrels and traditional oak piece barrels with a new wood content of approximately thirty percent. 

On the nose, it is smoky and yeasty with pithy features. On the palate it is opulent and ripe, but it is carried by a noticeable, salty minerality. In addition, there is a fine wood spice that rounds off this liquid work of art. In the finish, this top Burgundy cuvée challenges the palate and shows off its creamy-yeasty length.