From the glass-walled corner room on the first floor of the winery, Christoph Thörle shows me the impressive panoramic view: “On a clear day, we can see the Feldberg in the Taunus, the Donnersberg in the Palatinate, and the vineyards in Hallgarten in the Rheingau!” he explains. Rheinhessen—the “Land of a Thousand Hills!”—is home to some 3,000 wineries spread across its vineyard-covered hills. What do the Thörles do differently? Why have they, of all people, established themselves so dynamically among the top ranks of Rheinhessen’s wineries in recent years?

We’re sitting in the wine shop in the new winery building: Uta Mück-Thörle and her 36-year-old son Christoph. I was greeted by 38-year-old Johannes Thörle—but then he had to leave, leaving the time-consuming interview with the wine journalist to his mother and brother.

"It all works seamlessly for us. My brother Johannes focuses more on wine production, my mother and I are involved in sales, my father contributes his experience in the vineyard – but basically, everyone is responsible for everything." My question about whether the brothers compete with each other is therefore unnecessary. Johannes studied viticulture at Heilbronn University under Prof. Dr. Ruth Fleuchaus, while Christoph studied business informatics at Darmstadt Technical University. After working as a management consultant at KPMG, he joined the up-and-coming winery in 2011. Originally, the business was a typical mixed agricultural operation in Rheinhessen.

Winegrowing has been a family tradition for centuries, but the business had shrunk considerably due to the division of property: their grandfather left the Zehnthof in Saulheim to his sisters. Father Rudolf Thörle laid the foundation for today's prosperity in the 1980s: during the wine crisis, he invested in vineyards that were difficult to cultivate but from which he expected high-quality wines. A winemaker with vision.

Where does this commitment to quality come from? “My husband and I are ‘foodies’—that’s what inspired the boys!” says Uta Mück-Thörle. The meal that Christoph and his brother Johannes prepared when they were about ten and twelve years old is legendary: There was a menu, several courses with accompanying wines, and among other things, braised quail was served.

The family often samples wines from other wine-growing regions—that’s how they refine their palates. “We’ve traveled a lot and visited many wine regions, including several member cities of the Great Wine Capitals,” says Uta Mück-Thörle. Johannes worked at a winery in South Africa for half a year—that’s where he developed his interest in Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Christoph also travels internationally, primarily to Canada and Asia. He even speaks Mandarin. The winery exports to 40 countries—its export share stands at 40%.

In 2019, after many years of planning, the family took the big step and built a new winery building on the outskirts of the village in the Saulheimer Hölle ("Hölle" refers to a slight slope) location. The new building reflects modern, unfussy winery architecture: the larch wood façade blends the building into the vineyard landscape. They used local limestone as a reference on one wall of the glass wine cellar. The family drew inspiration from leading wineries around the world in South Africa, Argentina, Italy, and especially Austria.

Christoph discovered the walk-in wine climate cabinet in the Philippines—and had it replicated by a local locksmith. In the wine shop, wine tourists can now taste the wines of the 28-hectare vineyard in style: primarily white wines—Riesling first!

The flagship wines are the Saulheim local wines, full of character and with a pleasant smoothness. The Silvaner from the Probstey vineyard is among the best in the region. I find the Pinot Noirs particularly appealing: aged with a delicate touch of barrique and bottled unfiltered, they impressively demonstrate the potential for red wine in Rheinhessen.

No wonder, then, that wine lovers from the major cities of the Rhine-Main region make the pilgrimage to Saulheim for “after-work tastings” and relax on the terrace, enjoying the Rheinhessen panorama both in their glasses and in the natural surroundings.