95 points, "This wine has great tension, finesse and purity and is simply superb." - Wine Advocate The Bernkasteler Badstube vineyard is tucked behind the old town of Bernkastel-Kues on the Mosel. It was named after the public baths once located in the area. And, this Riesling is so refreshing, fruity and floral, we can quite imagine bathing in it. The term Auslese signifies that this wine was picked when the grapes were riper. As a result, this wine has a touch of sweetness and a rich fruity flavour that are perfectly balanced by its lively acidity. Bottled at a relatively low alcohol, sometimes jokingly described as "breakfast Riesling" by the Mosel locals, it's a wonderful match to spicy food. Chilli can make wine taste more bitter, less fruity and heighten the burning sensation of alcohol; so a fruity, lower-alcohol wine with a touch of sweetness often makes an excellent match for those who like it hot. But with its complex smoky flint, lanolin, baked apple, spritzy lime, apricot, peach and spring blossom notes, this Riesling is lip-smackingly good in absolutely any scenario. Katharina and her husband Dr Hugo Thanisch ran this estate together until the doctor's untimely death in 1895, which left Katharina with three children and a winery to run. The winery name was changed to Weingut Wwe Dr H Thanisch to include the abbreviation of "Witwe" meaning widow. The Pioneering Katharina was one of the founding members of the VDP, an organisation of Germany's top wine producers who work to more stringent rules than those set down in the country's wine law. The winery has passed down through the women of the family ever since. Based in the picturesque town of Bernkastel-Kues, home to some of the steepest and most jaw-droppingly beautiful vineyards on Earth, this welcoming and vegan-friendly estate is now run by Sofia and her daughters Juliane and Christina. Although on paper their nine hectares of vineyards may sound modest, they are situated in some of the Mosel Valley's prime locations.£4.4 per 100.00ml