Pollux Membership April 2023: A Memorable Legacy and Fountain of the Wolves
The picturesque village of Bernkastel, with homes sprinkled along a sinewy curve of the Mosel river.
“A Memorable Legacy”
Weingut Dr. H Thanisch Riesling Kabinett “Bernkasteler Badstube”, Germany 2019
It is a dynamic time to be a woman in the wine industry; if this sentence seems obtuse coming from a male writer, I beg forgiveness: I can’t speak from experience, but I can speak from observation, and I do think the term “dynamic” is particularly apt, with both of its adjective definitions coming into play. The principle of “Constant change and activity” is most certainly true, as the role of women in wine continues to evolve almost daily, and the personal characteristic of dynamic defined as “positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas”? Well, there seems to be a wealth of women exhibiting these traits in a variety of different roles, from sommeliers to salespeople to winemakers.
Consider the situation in our own Washington, DC, where a prominent food critic’s faux pas during an online chat session last summer has been the wellspring from which a whole river of new energy and recognition has flowed. During a July 2022 edition of his weekly online chat session, Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema was asked to recommend his favorite spots for dining under the guidance of a female sommelier, and in a truly flabbergasting response checked off a few establishments while admitting that he couldn’t actually remember the names of the ladies who ran these respective programs. The resulting online firestorm was not unexpected in today’s culture, but even though some venerated female sommeliers from the area kept it classy by coming to Mr. Sietsema’s defense and attempting to cool things down, I have to admit in reading both the initial story and subsequent follow-up pieces that I didn’t feel particularly sympathetic-in fact, my first gut reaction was “I’ve been out of the restaurant scene for several years and I could still name at least 15 fantastic female somms off the top of my head!”. Perhaps Mr. Sietsema’s blind spot stems from his overall commitment to writing about wine in his reviews, something I could (and may yet still) devote an entire Member essay to, but I think it was more so an unfortunate reminder that, as far as we’ve come with the sheer number of women in positions of importance within wine, the per capita improvement hasn’t necessarily garnered the attention, the recognition, or the sheer “take us seriously” factor the female sommeliers and wine professionals in our community deserve.
Of course, this struggle isn’t new, and given historical context, the work of women in previous generations to achieve and maintain their status in a male-dominant industry is an amazing testament to those who paved the way. One of my favorite wineries is, by happy coincidence, an outstanding example of this: the Mosel’s legendary Riesling producer Dr. Thanisch, whose female ownership/winemaking approaches its 5th generation.
Sofia Thanisch with her daughter and future estate director Christina.
“If you stop rowing on a river, you drift backwards.” These words calling for adaptability, for dynamic action in the face of change, were uttered by Sofia Thanisch, owner of Weingut Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch in Germany’s Mosel River appellation. As a 4th-generation female owner of the famed Thanisch estate (and 11th overall), Sofia knows everything there is about being a woman in a man’s world. Even the name of her family’s winery is a mouthful of gender-based history: the original estate was founded in 1636, and by the late 1890s was owned and run by Dr. Hugo Thanisch, a member of the Prussian House of Representatives. In 1895, Dr. Hugo’s untimely passing left his wife, 29-year old Katharina, with three small children and a venerated winery to run. The Thanisch estate’s name was modified to include reference to Katharina (Wwe is an abbreviation of “Witwe”, meaning widowed). As it turned out, Katharina was more than capable of stepping into this role, and her passion for maintaining the family’s vineyards, talented winemaking, and business acumen saw her become a founding member of the “Grossen Ring”, a group of the most esteemed wineries on the Mosel River, and eventually a founding member of Germany’s wine classification system, the VDP, in 1910. Perhaps Katharina’s most enduring legacy is her female leadership; indeed, Dr. Thanisch has been run by three generations of women since, and now current owner Sofia is poised to hand the reins over to her daughter Christina who, like her mother, studied winemaking at Germany’s acclaimed Geisenheim Institute, and upon ascending to the ownership role will become her family’s 12th generation of owner/winemakers, and the 5th straight woman, a period spanning over 125 years.
The Mosel wine region takes its name from the curving, undulating river that flows throughout, and whose serpentine course coupled with the impossibly steep pitch of the vineyards that cling to plots on its banks make for one of the most postcard-perfect areas in the entire world of wine. In this more northerly latitude, the grapevines of the Mosel (nearly all of which are planted to the crown jewel of German wine, Riesling), the best of which are aided by their southerly aspect and nearly all of which benefit from the precipitous slopes of the vineyards (often 60-70 degrees!) that bring maximum sunlight exposure and warming reflections off of the river itself, are in a constant battle to stave off the colder climate. Of course, the lower temperatures are not a total nuisance, as they allow for the Riesling to ripen slowly and retain its trademark racy acidity, distinct petrol-scented mineral character, and beautifully evocative green apple and pear fruit. The Thanisch estate is in the village of Bernkastel, where for over 400 years the family has had a presence, including over 200 years of owning parcels of the famed “Doctor” vineyard (named not for Dr. Thanisch but rather from a legend of a traveling nobleman falling ill and being healed by wine from the plot), the most expensive viticultural land per hectare in all of Germany. Indeed, the Thanisch estate has not just been treading water for centuries: their Rieslings have been on the tables of Royal courts in Germany and England, and in the 19th century found their way onto lists at the top hotels and restaurants in Europe. The Bernkasteler Badstube vineyard (named after the communal bath houses, “Badstube”, the tradition of which was brought back to Germany by returning Crusaders) is situated directly astride the “Doctor” vineyard, and while the Doctor benefits from a strict south-facing exposure, Badstube trends more west-southwest. The slope is also flatter than Doctor, at about 25%, making the resulting wines traditionally more opulent and therefore less highly prized, but Sofia Thanisch’s emphasis on spontaneous, natural fermentation and gentle aging in traditional oak Fuder barrels that are all a minimum of 50 years old, softens the trend towards richness and gives this wine a lively vivacity that balances the juicier fruit. Capable of lengthy aging, the Badstube is an excellent relative value compared to the now-astronomical costs of some of its neighbors, and a fitting tribute to this legacy of women proprietors that seems poised to be carried on into a bright, distant future.
Candles light the way in the cellars of Dr. H Thanisch.
In our own place, in our own time: how did the DC restaurant critic's female sommelier snafu resolve itself?
In a picture-perfect illustration of the “positive attitude and energy” that defines the word dynamic, this one incident ignited a movement that turned into something much bigger than a critic’s memory lapse: a group of local female wine professionals (Erika Parjus of Bottles Wine Garden, Diane Gross of Cork Wine Bar, and Fabio Trabocchi and Maxwell Park alum Niki Lang among them) began a list of women working in wine all over the area; by the fall it included over 100 names and was a testament to not only the female-identifying talent onhand in our region, but also a helpful guide for industry HR, foodies looking to support women-owned or women-run programs, and critics alike. As it turns out, the list was only the beginning: three of the ladies (the aforementioned Parjus and Lang, along with longtime area sommelier-turned-sales professional Vanessa Cominsky of distributor Prestige Ledroit) started WOW (Women of Wine DC), which in its short existence has swelled to over 300 members and is heading towards non-profit status this year. A quick visit to the WOW website reveals all kinds of ways that the female wine community is moving forward and giving back, from mentorship to WOW-based events, like the once-a-week female somm takeovers that took place in March at venerated French bistro Le Diplomate.
So, what does this have to do with me, a guy who is no longer a sommelier on a restaurant floor and most definitely not a woman? Well, perhaps more than even I originally thought, for two reasons. Reason One: upon reflection, I have been most fortunate to have worked for and with female management, owners, and sommeliers at each and every stop along my restaurant journey, and perhaps even luckier still to have represented women winemakers and winery owners throughout my career in sales and now with GWC, and while I certainly take no credit for any of the success of the female wine community that we have, I do smile at this latest iteration of positive energy that has come about, as friends and colleagues come together to celebrate their place in our local wine universe. I remember being mentored by future Master Sommelier Kathy Morgan as she led our DC wine tasting group that I was hosting at Central Michel Richard, and working with her at Citronelle during that restaurant’s final days. Especially considering that this was 12-13 years ago, Kathy had an uphill battle leading a wine program in a French restaurant dominated by old-school (and mostly just plain old) men, and I personally observed her dealing with obstinance of the first order from both male staff and guests, which she always handled as the consummate professional. While I can’t speak for Kathy (who now consults and educates in NYC), I would venture that becoming one of only 25 female Master Sommeliers in the Americas (compared to 143 men) took on much more meaning than as merely a validation of her credentials in wine.
And Reason Two? I have two daughters, Audrey and Claire. They are 5 years and 21 months old, respectively, and they are rock stars who bring a never-ending river of activity, energy, and positivity into my world. They are the definition of dynamic, and as they grow, I will always advocate for them to come of age in a world where their talents and hard work are recognized. Thank you to all of the great female and female-identifying wine pros, in our region and around the world, who have supported and enriched my career in wine, and whose work is helping to one day ensure that, when their time comes and in whatever vocation they choose, the names of my girls won’t be forgotten-D.
Weingut Dr. H Thanisch Riesling Kabinett “Bernkasteler Badstube” 2019
Country of Origin: Germany.
Places and People: The Dr. Thanisch estate has roots dating back to the 17th century, and in the 1890s began a now century-old period of being led by women winemaker/proprietors, the 4th of which, Sofia Thanisch, currently runs the winery. Located in the village of Bernkastel in the heart of Germany’s Mosel region, the “Badstube” vineyard faces west-southwest at slopes of 25-30 degrees and sits astride Bernkastel’s famed Doctor vineyard.
Soil: Devonian slate of blue and black color.
Grape Varieties: 100% Riesling.
Winemaking: Spontaneous, natural fermentation of the grapes is performed in stainless steel tanks.
Aging: Depending on the vintage, the Bernkasteler Badstube spends 4-6 months in traditional large Fuder oak barrels, all of which are at least 50 years old, prior to bottling.
Flavors and Foods: The Thanisch Bernkasteler Badstube might do well to come with a postcard hung over its long-necked bottle, because from the very first glance at the glass to the last remnants of the palate’s finish, this wine screams Mosel Riesling. The nose is chock full of the petrol-laden smell that always seems to accompany Mosel slate soil, along with a preview of coming flavor attactions: scents of bartlett pear, lychee, and bright green apple abound. The electric freshness of these fruits is present from the outset on the palate, walking hand in hand with a pleasantly spritzy textural verve. The mid-palate brings some non-fruit elements, with the aforementioned slate earth making its case along with subtle white pepper, warm baking spices (cardamom, nutmeg), and a gently honeyed sweetness that actually heads into the orange family of fruits by the finish (marmalade). This residual sugar on the Bernkasteler Badstube is firmly in the Kabinett spectrum, which is to say that you notice it only as it bridges the fruits on the attack to the secondary notes mid-palate; by the time the wine’s citrus-infused, mild finish (only 9.5% abv) comes around, the sugar is a pleasant memory. Oh, the food pairing possibilities! The low alcohol and high acidity are a natural conduit to spicier Asian cuisines; Thai curries and even peppered protein dishes (beef ka paow) would be excellent, as well as hotter Indian dishes (Vindaloo, rista rista). For something closer to home, the apple-and-pear combination would be stellar with pork-think pan roasted chops with spicy dijon or the dense richness of grilled pork belly with apples and herbs.
Service and Cellar: The “Bernkasteler Badstube” ‘s flavors and textures are bold, and consequently a good chill on the wine doesn’t diminish its luster-serve this Riesling on the lower end of the white-cellar temperature spectrum (48 degrees F). The 2019 vintage was all over the map within the Mosel, but the Thanisch’s 9.5% abv and lively acidity make this wine one that will age well for another 10 years easily.
A Chateauneuf-du-Pape fairy tale in the shadow of the forest; Chateau de la Font du Loup.
“Fountain of the Wolves”
Chateau de la Font du Loup Chateauneuf-du-Pape “Les Demoiselles”, France 2021
I was once out with my brother-in-law in DC when we stopped into a newly-minted hot spot for a glass of wine after dinner. In the leadup to the sommelier’s arrival at the table, he accused me (rightly so) of being a little fancy when it came to food and wine. The somm, a friend and professional colleague of mine, arrived at the end of the discussion and very helpfully affirmed my brother-in-law’s assertion of my fanciness, despite my protests that I was nothing more than a down-to-earth guy with a little bit of a developed palate. Not to be outdone, the wine list provided the final blow to my defense: we opened it up to find (I’m not making this up) a section of the menu entitled “In Case You’re Feeling Fancy”, only to discover that I had sold the sommelier five of the six wines being featured.
Ok, so at some point during this whole Journey, I became a little…I’m ok with it now…fancy. Years and years of tasting, blind tasting, serving, and discussing a wine’s merits will do that to you, I suppose. I steadfastly maintain, however (he says with wry smile) that “fancy” does not have to mean “snotty”. Wine is still for me about shared moments on the Journey, about friends and families, as opposed to corporate buzzwords and sales jargon. Accordingly, I like to test people that I meet in the world of wine, to make sure they still have some humility and a sense of humor about themselves and this business (that word again) that we’re in. When introduced to producers, I admit I like to make things potentially awkward and ask them about neighboring estates, even those I know to be direct competitors or rivals. How the vignerons answer these questions tells me a lot about them as people, and whether or not I will in actuality feel compelled to work with them and their product. Do they diplomatically gloss over the mentioning of other wineries (self-absorption)? Do they take that moment to muckrake people they undoubtedly see on a daily basis (ego and insecurity)? Or do they genuinely champion another person’s vision of their region with respect, and yet still show their strength by contrasting said vision with their own? Personally, I love this last approach, and I encountered it this month when meeting Anne-Charlotte Baschas, owner and winemaker for her family’s estate in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chateau de la Font du Loup.
Fourth generation winemaker/owner Anne-Charlotte Melia Baschas.
Feature content coming soon!
The elevated perch of Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s La Crau vineyard, where sandy soils reign and the famed galets roulets lie few and far between.
Feature content coming soon!
Chateau de la Font du Loup Chateauneuf-du-Pape “Les Demoiselles” 2021
Country of Origin: France.
Places and People: The Melia family has owned the castle of Font du Loup for four generations; the Chateau is a beautifully situated castle in the eastern part of the appellation (the winery is located within the communal boundaries of Courthezon but in fact is south and west of the village itself, just above Chateau VIeux Telegraphe). Font du Loup, named because the Chateau is near several wellsprings where wolves would come down off of the larger slopes to drink, is a smaller estate of 20 hectares; what's unique about the winery is that where many domaines have vineyard holdings all over the appellation and blend the varied terroirs together, Font du Loup's vineyards are all located on their property surrounding the Chateau, lending the wines a specificity that is refreshing. Current owner/winemaker Anne-Charlotte Melia Bachas has continued the family’s practice of making refined, elegantly-styled wines and of respect for their historic terroir (the domaine works organically and is certified Haute Valeur Environmentale by the French government). The 25 year old vines used for the “Les Demoiselles” are located on Le Crau, Chateauneuf’s highest point-the plot features northern exposure and descends downwards, avoiding the scorching summer sunlight.
Soil: Contrary to cliche, the soil in this area of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is composed primarily of sandy soils with very little of the galet roulets (rolling stones from the once-wider Rhone River) for which the appellation is famous.
Grape Varieties: 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah.
Winemaking: The grapes for “Les Demoiselles” are fully destemmed before pressing, and the juice is vinified very traditionally in concrete tanks; fermentation is strictly controlled and kept very low.
Aging: 9 months of aging in these same concrete tanks (Anne-Charlotte is a stickler for avoiding oxidation, so most of her wines are fermented and aged in the same vessels to avoid aeration).
Flavors and Foods: What I love about the “Les Demoiselles” is it doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not; this wine is a truly pure expression of terroir. When you take into account the high-elevation vineyards, northern exposure away from the sunlight, a healthy dose of Syrah under these conditions, and the presence of sandy soils, which typically in CDP mean you’re going to experience a softer, more elegantly-textured wine, the flavor profile of Les Demoiselles speaks for itself, which is to say that if you’re expecting an overripened fruit bomb, well, don’t. A fascinating nose includes dark red cherries, red currants, pomegranate, dried violets, varietal spice notes from the Grenache of vanilla and clove, and black olive and fresh rosemary from the Syrah. For a grape that represents just 20% of the blend, the Syrah’s influence is also felt on the palate (I have seen this happen in many wines where the Syrah vines don’t get a ton of sunlight), bringing a bevy of notes such as freshly ground black pepper, charcuterie (Rosette de Lyon), and wild thyme and tarragon (who put the Northern Rhone’s Cote Rotie into my Chateauneuf?). The red-dominant fruits continue on the palate, and the Grenache allows for delightful ripeness without over-arching tannin levels. The texture is silky-smooth and graceful, and the finish is delightfully understated while still possessing enough warmth to remind you you’re in Chateauneuf. The restrained brilliance of this wine allows for more food pairing possibilities: seared tuna, a platter of olives, charcuterie, and tangy cow’s milk cheeses such as Tommes de Savoie, a tagine of roasted chicken, or pork tenderloin rubbed with fresh rosemary, dijon mustard, and sherry.
Service and Cellar: The 2021 “Les Demoiselles” is meant to be a cuvee that can be enjoyed in its youth, and its approachability at the moment is both surprising and welcome. Although I believe the wine will continue to age well for another 10 years, I don’t think there is enough developmental potential to warrant cellaring-you can enjoy this wine guilt-free right now. I actually enjoy the way this wine unfurls with being open in bottle rather than decanting; 15-30 minutes of breathing time is adequate. Serve at 58-60 degrees F to enhance the elegance of texture and keep any alcohol notes at bay.