Senior Editor Stuart Pigott has spent the past few weeks tasting the single-vineyard wines (Germany’s equivalent of Burgundy’s grand crus) of the 2023 vintage that are released Sept. 1. Each trip has increased his conviction that this is as great a vintage as 2019, 2007 or 2001, which are all now legends. The Thörle brothers – Johannes and Christoph in Saulheim – also make great dry rieslings, but it was their pinot noirs from the 2022 vintage that wowed Stuart the most. This began with an astonishing entry-level wine, the Thörle Spätburgunder Rheinhessen 2022, which is brimming with black cherry and violet aromas, plus delicate savory and spicy nuances of the kind we associate with single-vineyard wines. And Stuart has no doubt that the Thörle Spätburgunder Rheinhessen Hölle 2022 is one of the greatest red wines ever made in this region. It has astonishing Amarena cherry, raw meat and peppery complexity, and is also very concentrated and compact with velvety tannins and a salty freshness. Hot on its heels is the Thörle Spätburgunder Rheinhessen Probstey 2022, which Stuart described as like entering a dark forest with all the berry, wildflower and forest floor aromas. The huge structure of this wine is so beautifully integrated it carries you away on the magic carpet of its silky finish.

Thörle Spätburgunder Rheinhessen Hölle 2022 – 99 points

The aromatic beauty of this astonishing German pinot noir is worth making a big effort to experience. Great Amarena cherry, raw meat and pepper complexity. Very concentrated and compact, with a velvety texture and salty freshness that must be experienced to be believed. And then the huge wave of savory and chalky complexity washes over you. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Spätburgunder Rheinhessen Probstey 2022 – 98 points

Welcome to the dark forest with its berries, dry floor and wildflowers. Incredibly deep and complex on the nose, but that barely prepares you for the density of spices, dried Mediterranean herbs, licorice and sandalwood on the rich, medium- to full-bodied palate. There’s a huge structure behind all this, but it’s beautifully integrated. Just let the wine carry you away on its magic carpet at the silky finish. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Riesling Rheinhessen Hölle trocken 2023 – 98 points

This great Rheinhessen dry riesling has everything that a really great dry white wine needs: depth and structure, minerality and vibrancy. But you can also find aromas from oyster shells to jasmine via delicate peachy notes. Incredibly fine texture as well as a wonderful saltiness right through the extremely long finish. From organically grown grapes from a site with an extremely high limestone content in the soil. Vegan. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.

Thörle Riesling Rheinhessen Probstey trocken 2023 – 97 points

How can a wine be simultaneously extroverted and deep? This is so expressive and complex, with a wonderful tension between the citrus fruit, smoky minerality and very elegant acidity on the medium-bodied palate. Incredible integration of juiciness and raciness in the very long, complete finish. Some spring flower power, too. From organically grown grapes. Wild-fermented and matured on the lees exclusively in large neutral oak casks. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Riesling Rheinhessen Schlossberg trocken 2023 – 96 points

Already the deep spicy and smoky nose announces the seriousness of this great Rheinhessen dry riesling. Imposing stature on the medium- to full-bodied palate, but every bit as much structure, in which fine tannins and minerally acidity deftly interlock. Still very youthful, with intense, salty, preserved lemon character in the cool, extremely long finish. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.

Thörle Silvaner Rheinhessen Probstey trocken 2023 – 97 points

This great dry silvaner has almost nothing to do with the mass of wines made from this grape in Rheinhessen. Deep aromas of Mirabelle plums, singed sage and grilleded baguette. Then, when you’re just beginning to wrap your head around it, the interwoven chalky minerality, leesy richness and fine tannins knock you sideways. Incredibly long, stony, bone-dry finish. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Spätburgunder Rheinhessen Saulheim Kalkstein 2022 – 96 points

The spice of this great German pinot noir is off the scale. The red fruit and floral aromas need a moment’s aeration in the glass to catch up, but boy do they. Fantastic combination of concentration and fine tannins, with notes of cloves, licorice, dried rosemary, sage and raw meat on the medium-bodied palate. Wonderful freshness in the long, delicately chalky finish. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Chardonnay Rheinhessen Réserve trocken 2023 – 95 points 

The complex nutty and smoky aromas are what make this great German chardonnay stand out. Stunning concentration with chalky and salty complexity on the compact, medium-bodied palate. I love the way the restrained orange fruit slowly unfurls in the glass. Fantastic energy in the long, driving yet precise finish. From vines planted in 1992, the first year that chardonnay grapes were officially allowed here. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Chardonnay Weissburgunder Saulheim Kalk & Kreide trocken 2023 – 94 points

Chardonnay lovers, this cuvee of your favorite grape with pinot blanc is a beauty. You could easily mistake this for a village wine from one of the cooler areas in Burgundy. Terrific balance of ripe, concentrated citrus fruit, creaminess from maturation on the lees and cool, chalky minerality. Quite soft acidity, but a lovely minty freshness. From organically grown grapes. Wild-fermented and matured in oak casks. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Riesling Rheinhessen Essenheim Kalkmergel trocken 2023 – 94 points

Rich and creamy but very cool and focused, this has a complex interplay of fine tannins, stony minerality and citrusy fruit (think pomelo and bergamot). At the long finish there’s a touch of Mediterranean herbs. From organically grown grapes from the Teufelsfahrt site of Essenheim. Wild-fermented and matured exclusively in large neutral oak casks. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Riesling Rheinhessen Saulheim Kalkstein trocken 2023 – 94 points

A seriously structured dry riesling for a village wine, with excellent leesy and chalky complexity on the creamy, salty, medium-bodied palate. Still youthful and quite tightly wound in the long, complete finish. Almost at GG level and capable of aging a decade. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Grauburgunder Rheinhessen Saulheim 2023– 93 points

Very smoky and spicy with stacks of caramelized quince and pears, this is a striking dry pinot gris with a rather Burgundian personality. Excellent integration of discrete toasty oak and mellow richness on the medium-bodied palate. The fine tannins neatly support the quite soft finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Thörle Spätburgunder Rheinhessen 2022– 94 points

For an entry-level wine, this is astonishingly good. Very fragrant, with a wealth of black cherry and violet aromas plus delicate spice and savory notes. What beautiful balance this has on the structured yet silky medium-bodied palate. The notes of licorice and cloves add complexity to the very long, silky finish. Matured in used barriques. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Silvaner Rheinhessen Saulheim Kalkstein trocken 2023 – 94 points

Plenty of white peach with subtle overtones of fresh herbs and Amalfi lemon, this is a very fresh and elegant silvaner that has not a trace of the rusticity that often marks the wines from this grape. Long polished finish with good chalky minerality. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Riesling Rheinhessen Austernkalk trocken 2023 – 93 points

Excellent news from the dream factory of Germany’s dry white wines. This has an intense chalky minerality that’s rare for this category. Terrific drive on the focused, medium-bodied palate. Long, compact finish. Stacks of crisp pears and restrained white peaches. The first vintage of this wine. From organically grown grapes from young vines in the Schlossberg site. Wild-fermented and matured on the lees. Vegan. Drink or hold.

Thörle Riesling Rheinhessen trocken 2023 – 92 points

Plenty of white tree fruit and Mirabelle plum aromas, but it is the smoky wild herb complexity on the juicy, medium-bodied palate that makes this stand out. Plenty of chalky character and a touch of saltiness in the long, well-structured finish. From organically grown grapes and wild-fermented. Vegan. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Thörle Chardonnay Rheinhessen trocken 2023 – 91 points

This lightweight and almost unoaked chardonnay has a striking nose of limoncello. Lively and zesty with a restrained creaminess, this already drinks very well. Good salty character in the long, silky finish. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink now.