Wines with Thai (Matoom): Much better showing than when I last opened a bottle in spring 2023. Soft and weightless, soulful, with smooth buttery citrus and honey, then tarte tatin on the rounded finish. Almost too sweet and flabby, but actually just delightful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner at Chengdu Impression (Chicago, IL): Looks even worse than the 2001 -- it's super dark in colour, but tastes far better than that worrying look. Honeyed and somewhat soft, this is missing the trim and cut that riesling really ought to have. Partially I'm guessing the vintage is doing it no favours, but this is another wine in the theme of advanced-looking Dönnhoff tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jeremy's Riesling Dinner (Hawthorn): Not the best bottle of this (#3 from 6)... I see from prior notes that the deepish colour has been a common feature, but the other bottles were a lot more energetic. Quince and marmalade on the nose. Rather creamy and intense in the mouth, with good amplitude on the midpalate, but lacked acidity and had a burned lime note on the finish that reminded me of Sauternes more than I'd have liked. Not a bad wine, but the weakest Riesling we tried tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deeper color and weightier than I remember, lots of honeyed fruit, buoyant enough but in a night where we are drinking and not tasting the nuance of this kind of got lost, still a delicious bottle even if heavier than I wanted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep golden without any amber hue. The cork of this was a little bit leaking in contrast to the bottle I had in November 2022. Peaches with tropical fruits as mango, pears, decayed apple, honey, saffron, petrol, white pepper and more nuances. Long spicy finish. Still sweet enough to go with not too sweet dessert (fruit salat?), but also already "dry" enough to go with game e. g. Best on its own as an aperitif for example imo. 5/13/18/10. -2032+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep golden. Ripe yellow peaches with some oranges and spices, burnt sugar. On the palate some tropical notes as pineapples. Long finish ending on low but shimmering acidity. Ripe apples in the aftertaste. 5/12/18/10, -2032+ if perfectly cellared since release.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
After an advanced 2005 Riesling with a very loose cork I went back to the cellar for something that still had some age on it, and came back with this. A little bit tight/grumpy at first, but thirty minutes of air allowed it to unfurl, and it sure had a lot to show. Early mature, with still vibrant peach fruit, but also a hint of smoky edge on the fruit - grilling those peaches over a wood fire. The nice thing about fifteen years of age was that the acids had more of a chance to come into balance with the still prominent sweetness. This was smack dab in the middle of the let’s make sweet Riesling really sweet era. The finish picks up some orange zest tones, and lingers for a very long time. Still plenty of runway here, but I was very happy to be drinking this tonight.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner at Young Joni: Light medium gold color. Drank a glass plus over 90 minutes. Geez, gorgeous tropical fruits, tangerine, pineapple, golden apple, floral, fusil, unctuous and appropriately sweet, flint, long and so caressing. These are so seductive. 93+ to 94pts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Coravin fun - German Riesling plus ring in (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. This is the most citric of the three Dönnhoff's showing, on the nose, orange, a little mandarin, tiny touches of lemon and lime backed by a little slaty minerality. medium plus intensity acidity, shows mandarin and mandarin pith backed by orange, lemon and green apple, chalky mineral burr, quite lightweight, acid and sugar beautifully balanced. Pretty impressive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop and pour and served with a slight chill. Enjoyed with food (grilled lemon grass chicken, vegetable fried rice, and Thai beef salad, in case you were wondering). Light honey-straw color. Wonderful nose of peaches, apricots and honey. Touch of beeswax too. Wonderful depth of flavors. Light and leans a bit sweet. So fresh and inviting even at 15 years of age. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not much has changed since my first bottle, in 2020: still quite sweet and incredibly youthful! Lots of delicious, unctuous, ripe mango, floral wafts, cream, vanilla sponge, a hint of burnt lime... rich and chewy but well-balanced and complex too. So tasty!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is quite rich, with concentrated flavors of mango, peach, and tangerine. It also displays hints of botrytis spice, petrol, and river stones, but it is dominated by sweet fruit at present. My sense is that this will be a very long-lived wine. To my tastes at least, it probably will drink better 10 years from now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite dark for its age. Orange peel, honey and yellow apples on the palate. Moderately sweet. Would have like a touch more acidity, but still quite good. Drinking well now.
Probably not a representative bottle; seems a bit advanced for its age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep orange color - petrol, honeysuckle and orange peel on the nose. Nice balance of sweet orange and nectarine fruit with a good spine of acidity on the palate. Not the most complex Donhoff, but paired very well with shrimp vindaloo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
One of those times were the food pairing was so good, its hard to carve out the wine as a standalone and write a note, I’ll do my best. Yes, not the most acidic Spatlese one could choose but the package as a whole was dyn-o-mite. Ripe peach and nectarine notes carry a slight honeyed edge, a small drizzle perhaps. I had a hard time detecting sweetness as again this paired so well with the triple header of grilled pork steaks (marinated in fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and lots of lime juice) and wild herb salad. Crispy black pepper and turmeric wings, and lemon ricotta on charred peppers and cucumber salad. Apologies, shameless plug for the chef there. Anyway, a Hermannshohle rarely disappoints, and certainly not the case last night.
First of a case. Deep yellow colour is the only obvious sign that this tremendously fresh wine is in its middle age. Kaleidoscopic like all the best Rieslings, showing by turns cream, green apple, orange peel, grapefruit and burnt lime. You can detect the sugar, but it's not distracting - really refreshing and energetic. Finish lasts around 45 seconds.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Donnhoff....c'est toujours une belle expérience avec ce producteur (sauf une bouchonné/réduite). Dense et complexe, frais et ample. C'est tout simplement délicieux ce nectar. Long et persistant, on en redemande.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On a second tasting, I found this wine tasty but not too interesting. It went well with dinner at an upscale Asian-influenced restaurant (Nightshade LA). But as much as I kept sniffing and tasting, this wine never gave me any excitement. Perhaps the wine's sugar level is a bit stifling? Acidity could definitely be higher.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From Coravin. A little meaty note that blows off to show ripe apple, pear, apricot, sweet spice, cream, with time more mineral notes start to show on the nose; almost a touch of steeliness. Joyous on the palate, off dry with green apple acid off setting this. Orchard fruit with an apricot underpin. Textured burr on the mid palate lends both breadth and complexity. Beautifully balanced. Yum
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite deep yellow. Rich nose and palate of yellow apple, honeysuckle, and guava with some secondary Riesling notes. Thankfully, not quite as sweet as the last time I tried it but still pretty ripe and robust. Some soil arrives late, but this is rather short in acidity. That along with the color and mature aromas all argue for enjoying these early (and enjoy I did despite its nits).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Developed golden colour, some petrol and botrytis on the nose. The mouthfeel is quite unctuous and has a dessert wine feel to it, and the acidity is fairly low. I'm actually surprised that not many others have felt the acidity to be that low, but I feel it has been the case with other Dönnhoff '07s as well. The taste is incredibly mouthfilling and long with the textbook orchard fruit (Royal Gala apple peel) and all kinds of complexity that develop in the mouth, and the finish is awesomely long. I'm planning to open my two remaining bottles in 5 and 10 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is superb. It offers complex aromas that include honey, peach, lime, and petroleum. It is balanced on the palate with moderate sweetness, racy acidity, and a sense of minerality. The finish is long and tangy. I suspect this will continue to improve with aging.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
MDW BBQ (Chicago, IL): From magnum. Fairly heady and big for a Doennhoff Spaetlese, but that is likely from the vintage. Still seems reasonably primary, but there are nascent secondary characteristics starting to emerge. Lots of sweet yellow fruit, but good counterbalancing acidity, although the acidity doesn't seem to play too loud of a part; it's more hidden under the plush fruit.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gorgeous bottle of wine. Deep color, with a nose of petrol and tropical fruits (mango, pineapple). Great acidity that masks the RS perfectly. A favorite of the crowd.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gold yellow. Lovely bouquet, white flower, mineral notes and honey. Palate is full bodied, honeyed mid-palate with a lovely tapestry of harmonious ripe orchard citrus notes, floral glints and a mineral streak. Riveting balance between the acid and residual sugar. Lovely, near perfectly balanced wine that comes across as full bodied but ever so so light on its feet. Left no one unmoved.
Showing age, it has put on weight and the residual sugar shows. Deep golden color, no secondary flavors yet. Thick in the mouth, red delicious apples and honey. Tastes more like a desert wine today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Golden yellow; I’m surprised how mature this is looking. Quite rich and sweet for this level. At the very early stages of secondary development. Will last a long time, when to drink just depends on your preference.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Light golden. Very rich, ripe, slightly botrytized nose. Auslese level sweetness and quite dense as well. Honey and stone fruit, adequate acidity. Too much of a good thing for me as I was surprised about how big and sweet this was.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color is golden hued and gorgeous. Nose is voluptuous, harmonious and decadent, luscious, thick and fat, expressing lemon curd. Really enjoy... smells imposing and powerful. Palate richness is fantastic; I love the texture, and presence in the mouth, but it doesn't offer too much depth of flavors; more of a textural joy. The lemon curd shows up on the finish, coupled with rip roaring acidity bloom and it goes on for a minute. I think this is drinking quite nice right now, drinking at a decent entry point, but really I think this wine needs some more time. I'll be sad if it looses some of the acid vibrancy, though.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
reading David Meddings note from 4-17 pretty much captures my experience with the 07 'Hermannator' my pet name for the vineyard.
I had been shying away from Spats as I was leaning toward the lighter Kabinett's for more practical drinking at home, but this was so perfect and so damn good. Hopefully I can score some 15's.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP. Very similar to bottle from 3 years ago. Exploding fruit on nose and palate, with loads of other notes (crushed flowers, herbs, etc). Amazing length and penetration with mineral acidity in an elegant balance. Really good now, but this will hold for many years. (Enjoyed over 3 nights - no deterioration -- decant is an option but not needed in my opinion)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Coravin fun - German Riesling tasting...then drinking! (E & M's in the rocks, Sydney): From Coravin. creamy almost buttery notes on the nose with apple, sweet spice and dry ginger. I also pick very slight herbaceous notes. Juicy and fleshy, apples with slight pineapples and cream Perhaps a little short. Okay. Also the herbaceous note grows with time. Hmm
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was just okay. Perhaps in a muted phase but it is possible that it's just losing its mojo. Don't get me wrong, it's still darn tasty. As it warmed and got air, it gained so depth to balance out the seeet fruit. I suspect that might have been more glorious a few years earlier.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark yellow verging on gold. Deeply expressive bouquet of honeyed orchard fruits and a whiff of oyster shell minerality. Round entry that slowly but inexorably coats every millimetre of the palate and begins its steady crescendo of lime, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours. Residual sweetness is very much a part of this wine of course but the acidity - although perhaps a touch too little - provides the necessary balance. Interestingly I found the acidity more pronounced as the wine sat in the glass - not sure if that was due to air time or slow warming. In any event this wine improved notably over 1-2 hours which bodes well for my others.
Superb Riesling. Others have commented on an ethereal quality which I don't find here. This wine is in no way ponderous but it is a veritable powerhouse of supremely well balanced flavours and a showcase of exemplary wine-making. A beginning, middle and an end. Went wonderfully en apperitif with blue cheese on crackers and over chicken satay. Lovely.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
intensive yellow, looks and feels like heavy juice. Predominantly grapefruit with a little bit of honey and apple (?). Still there could be a some more acidity in. Sure this wine will develop further and has a long future ahead. Next bottle in 2-3 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tremendous purity and intensity of fruit, with aromas and flavors reminiscent of crunching into a crisp red apple. Great power-without-weight sensation on the luscious palate, and a fine, chalky-mineral finish. Superb.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful golden colour... Very nice nose of accacia flower and honey, yellow straw... taste of honey, orangettes, ananas, lychee, beautiful tropical fruit, quite sweet aftertaste, lacking a hint of acidity
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Haven't had this for quite some time... Finally popped this last night when some friends came over. PnP'ed. Wah, this smelled nice from the Zalto Universal - lychees, apples, honey, flowers. On the palate - lime, wet stones; With the richness/sweetness (and a tad of that oiliness) balanced with just enough freshness/acidity. However, it seemed to have lost some of the "tension"/tautness (like a coiled spring) that I recalled. Still fairly long. Will be interesting to see how this develops furthur...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My last bottle. Those red-fruit flavors are starting to get deeper still, and the spine has softened. Still tasty - but no regrets finishing off my supply over the last year.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
WineBerserkers Riesling Tasting (Thai Cottage, SF): Deeper golden yellow; peachy on the nose but also with slight lime; palate is balanced sweetness without over the top acidity, good density; medium finish. Elegant throughout, balanced, youthful. 91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Day1: Interesting - at 9.5% on the label this is always going to be atypical for the house's usual immensely delicate and pure expressions of Spat. Sure enough, this tasted like 1/3rds GG and 2/3rds Spat - with an oily, weighty character on the palate. The hermannshoehle minerality is in there but for me this "neither fish nor fowl" character isn't really what I want from my donnhoff spats - the classic limey/slateyness is subdued and there's a green-vegetable note I find offputting. Day2: same. Too much oily spinach/kale and not enough limey etheriality (is that a word?). I'm happy everyone else is loving this, but for my palate it's dramatically inferior to the 05/06/09/10s.
Day 8: OK, I forgot about this in the fridge - and now it's turned into a Donnhoff spatlese! Limey, balanced, mineral excellent. Huh. Whodathunkit?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served al fresco with scallops, hazelnut salad. Even though sitting outside the aromatics came through strongly. Rich, but exquisitely balanced palate. The fruit's weight and sweet acidity to paired flavors and cut through the richness of the dish. Terrific length. Agree with KL that this wine is at a fantastic point in it's life.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Amazing laser like acidity that complements the sweetness of the wine oh so well. Palate shows apple, pear, apricot, almonds and slight quince. The star is really the bracing acidity that is in no way sour or tart, but just cuts your tongue like a super sharp samurai sword. We absolutely gorgeous with Thai food but could have easily gone well on it own or with the right cheese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is in a great place right now, and may be at peak. (It might decline, but I don't see it getting much better.) It's remarkable how much it's changed from release, when my notes describe it as "angular" with structure in the foreground and "the fruit only barely there until the finish where the cherries poke through." Now that distinctive cherry flavor has become the dominant note, and exemplifies one of the things I find so interesting about this site--how it somehow brings out RED-fruited notes from the riesling grape. In addition to that vivid flavor the fruit has really filled out and now is positively bulging in its presence, and while it initially comes across soft and plush, it does retain enough of that acidic spine that was so prominent on release that it stays fresh even as the wine loses its chill. Still, there is no question that it's a complete flip in emphasis and if it continues on this trend line there won't be much precision left--but at the moment, it's in the zone.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sweet German Wine Tasting; 5/26/2013-5/29/2013 (Vin Gilles): There is something not right here. The wine is a bit tat and flabby on the nose and the colour is much more advanced than all the other wines in the tasting. ITs not corked, but its almost like a premox. Very sweet still and this is backed up by caramel. Some red fruit is still there, but not enough and this wine is going to go down hill fast. Consensus was that there was some sort of contamination in the bottle. NR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A beautiful dark golden color on this wine with amazing complexity on the nose, at first it shows the typical petrol like aromas that give way to a potpourri of floral aromas underpinned by honey, apricots, baked apples, pear, lychee, papaya, pineapple,-4 grapefruit, smokey tea, flint, with traces of sweet spices. A mid to full bodied wine with a dense and unctuous texture showing layers of flavors as it runs through the palate. It starts off sweet with notes of honey, apricots, baked apples, mango, guava, papaya until it reaches the mid palate that’s filled with refreshing acidity that cuts through the sweet flavors while revealing orange rind, lemon juice, and saline notes. The finish goes on for more than two minutes, the acidity from the midpalate cuts through the sweet entry and leaves a dry finish filled with notes of cinnamon, cloves, white pepper, and crushed slate. A gorgeous wine that has many layers and facets to its personality, thought provoking and intellectual.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I had found this wine a bit tart last time I tasted it so thought I'd give it another try, and boy how right I was... Peach, tropical fruit, apricot on the nose on nose and palate and all that richness contained within a lingering and hugely satisfying acidity. Love it, I want more...classy, complex and long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was honestly concerned having read some recent notes commenting that the acidity was lacking and this was "quite sweet". However, my bottle was breath-taking. Even looking back at my last note (7-3-9) I remember feeling that I could sense the quality...but recall being disappointed. With scents of peach, kiwi, lime, and green apple bursting from the glass the nose was just lovely. In the mouth this had that elegant balance of power, acidity, and vibrant fruit that is EVERYTHING that I look for in German Riesling. OUTSTANDING!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I drunk this over 2 nights and while I'm a fan of Doennhoff and of this cuvée I thought this bottle was not as good as the one I had a few months back. The main point is that it was quite sweet, more than a normal spatlese, and it lacked acidity to balance that sweetness. But yes the texture, the concentration, the aromas/flavours of tropical fruits, peach etc...make that a good wine, however this bottle hasn't got the wow factor. Will wait one year or two before opening one of the 4 bottles remaining.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and let the wine sit for about 30 minutes before pouring. Wonderful lively nose of peach, apricot and a hint of pineapple. Served with Chinese dishes. There is a touch of sweetness at first that is soon followed by bright lemon/citrus notes. Good richness yet retaining a lightness to it. Paired well with the Kung Pao chicken.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Monthly Tasting Group: Rieslings and Thai Food (Tum Rup Thai, Mpls): Light gold color. Drank one glass over 1.5hrs. Great nose, tropicals flowers, citrus, grapefruit, apple, mineral, earth. The palate is fresh and light, yet the depth is obvious in the mouth. Consistent flavors, long zesty finish. Excellent, can't wait to see this down the road. 93+pts. My #2 WOTN.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had with Easter dinner ham with an orange glaze, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves. Very light in the mouth. Notes of lemon and perhaps some tropical fruits. This was not as good as the 2005 which is one of my all time favorite wines. Perhaps this is not as ready as the 05 was a few years ago. Wait until 2014-15 for the next one...5 left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another winner from Dönnhoff, this one had an engaging nose that featured sweet perfume of cherries, lemon-lime, honey and a hint of petrol. The fruit on the palate was honeyed and lush with prominent candied lime and a touch of saline. I would have enjoyed it even more had the nervy tension between the sweetness and acidity been cranked up a few notches. Overall, the wine was a little sweeter than I would have liked, though this was still an enjoyable Spätlese that made a fabulous pairing with spicy Thai food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
What more is there to say than Donnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle. One of the great wines of the world year in and year out. This was no exception but proved the rule nonetheless. Gold tinged color and viscous to the eyes. A faboulous attack of white peach, meyer lemon and a touch of Roses lime juice and honey. Full bodied and langorous on the mid palate with a sensation of sweeness like a declassified Auslese. Then the acidity kicks in like an eiswein and the finish drys out like a true spatlese. Fascinating and awesome! Drunk over the course of three consecutive nights and it bare budged an inch. Fantastic concentration of fruit and balanced on a knifes edge. As good as wine gets but may get better with age!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Best wine of the Thanksgiving run and one of the best wines I've yet tasted. Words cannot do justice to the finish with its several phases and supreme deliciousness. 95-97.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Riesling Tasting (Schloss Roberts): I always enjoy Donnhoff Spatlese, but this was my first NH. Really great spatlese. lots of lime, mineral, tropical fruit, white flowers, and some lavender. perfectly balanced. medium(+) acid, medium sweetness. Long finish that you can just sit and enjoy -- I could drink a bottle of this and still yearn for more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Riesling - First The Rest (of the World), Then The Best (Germany) (Our House (2033 Brandywine St.): One of my wines of the night. This is magnificent. Amazing concentration and development in the glass. Melon, exotic honey, apple, pear, tropical fruits. There is endless development of juicy fruit with amazing underlying acidity. You never want the sensations on the palate to end until you hit the finish, which is miles long and pleasing the entire way. This continues to crescendo. Remarkable wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The acidity has improved from last year. It has lost some baby fat but could still use more time in the bottle. Same pear and apricot fruits. Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice wine, a bit sweet for an '07, expected more acidity. Good match with crab cakes. Kind of a no-man's land at $50/bottle. Not that much better than some $25 bottles, but there are some great Rieslings for a few bucks more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Absolutely sublime wine. At first, the pineapple and mango fruit was so powerful, it overshadowed the mineral notes, but this quickly changed as it opened. Intoxicating smoke, slate and tropical notes burst from the glass with a rich lemon custard like mouthfeel, and a laser like acidity on the finish. There is obviously a lot of baby fat to shed, but pretty hard to resist currently.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served with roasted pork with a port sauce, spinach, potatoes and onions. Sensational. The color is Barbie-blonde. A beautiful wine that grabs only a tiny amount of light to accentuate a remarkable pale glow. The smell is fresh and lightly sweetened. The taste is a huge surprise with a very round body and a very long finish. A very light acid remains to help clean up and balance the wine. Served after the Selosse Initial. Wonderful paring.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The best bottle of the three I've had over the past 3 months. Spectactular, perhaps equalling my best Donnhoff experience. Like tropical fruit cocktail on the nose, I thought banana too. Mouth-coating, luscious, but with piercing acidity throught - with endless finish. Explosion of flavors, all delicious. Not sure how it could be better. More impressive than the N.H. Auslese to follow - nearly as richly flavored, just no botrytis and slightly less residual sugar. Would likely be a crowd-pleaser as well, although I don't recommend sharing too much if you have some.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Much much better on the second day, and arguably better yet day three. A bit closed on the nose initially, but opened up, delicious, and probably the best tasting of the 2007s we had at new years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
decanted for about 45 minutes...nice mouthfeel, stones, lime and pear on the nose and palate....the acidity seemed a bit subdued.....nice, delicate wine, a bit overwhelmed by the food pairing (barbecue shrimp)..I think I'd have preferred to spend time with the wine in the absence of food
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Now I get Donnhoff! I will be honest that other bottles I have had in the past have not wowed me. This does. Beautiful light golden hue. On the nose laser like acacia and pear. The palate fills your mouth with sweet pear and apricot fruit, throw in some slate to make it interesting and then the acid dances away on the finish like a ballerina. Bravo. I am glad I have more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This blonde beauty was opened a full 24 hours in advance for a slow oxy. I always get nervous when my friend Dale tells me he is going to open or decant early. One decant too long later and he's still hearing it from me! No need to fret with the Donnhoff, as it was predictably brilliant. I say predictably because every Donnhoff I've drank has been terrific. Golden-hued with aromas of white peaches, honey, crushed rock, and a hint of marjoram. I didn't get any sweat, like Dale, but he once smelled sweat in a candy cane so what does he know! Kind of a sleeper on the palate as the wine initially has trouble delivering, but as it warmed up the flavor bomb was dropped laced with an acidic residue. Orchard fruits galore, chalk, and a healthy dose of minerality. A satisfyingly long, gripping finish had me wondering aloud why I don't drink riesling everyday. A touch dryer and this would have been 95 points easily. 93pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and Slow O’d for 24 hrs. A somewhat strange start to this wine, as I couldn’t help but notice the unmistakable scent of fresh sweat; nothing nasty mind you, just something I didn’t expect right out of the gate and sometimes get from a very high acid NZ sauvignon blanc. No matter, this soon dissipated and was replaced by all the good things one would expect from such a bottle: orchard fruits, flowers, minerals, all present and accounted for, but I suspect a few years away from aromatic fireworks. Texturally, this was simply an amazing semblance of and power and mass without weight, you feel the sheer complexity and layers, but when you swish it around in your mouth, its almost that of air! If you took a break away from the primary gushes of fruit, you could detect a teriffic backbone of acidity that will no doubt be a more prominent player down the road. Cherry, gravel and nutskins on the very long finish. I’m fairly new player to to German Riesling, but damn it, superb recent bottles of Donnhoff and Prum (and others) have me on full vino alert the way a lion would be stalking a gazelle in the Savanna, I’m dialed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Showing a canary yellow in the glass with scents of lemon, minerals, lime, and a light hint of petrol. In the mouth flavors of sugar cane, citrus, minerals, and honey are delicate yet powerful along a medium long finish that has lovely acidity to give this wine tremendous aging potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
German wine tasting (Martins office): Clear light yellow color. Intense nose with aromas of exotic fruits such as fat, ripe pineapple, mango and honey. Juicy fruit with a delicate sweetness on the palate, primary flavours of pineapple, mango, lychee and white pears. Great concentration and a syrupy mouth feel. Very delicious with powerful, refreshing acidity.
Wines with friends at Extra Space (Boon Keng Road, Singapore): Kindly opened by Chanmeng. My goodness, this was good. Really complex nose for such a young Riesling - white flowers, nectarine, grenadine, grass all underpinned by a chalky minerality. Incredible balance on the palate even though it was served too warm - lots of richness in its nectar and nectarine flavours, tons of dry extract, a nice muskiness and slatey mineral - all this held up by perfectly round, integrated acidity. Finish carried the flavours in an oh so open and beautiful way, but it was also powerful and clingy, with a nice minerally backbone. Lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Yale Wine Society: Riesling-a-palooza; 12/9/2008-12/10/2008 (New Haven, CT): Bright, complex, balanced, pure, focused, weightless yet dense, and well delineated. White fruit and floral notes interplayed with red fruits and brooding minerality. Perfect in its intensity, as it is deep yet nowhere near over the top. As a whole, this wine is absolutely haunting and will require decades to reach its peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Vertical (Trestle on Tenth): A sharp and gritty nose; somehow you can tell this will feel angular and crystallized just from sniffing it. Indeed, it's much drier than the Schneider and just as angular and screechy as you expect. The structure is in the foreground with the fruit only barely there until the finish where the cherries poke through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A night of Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle at Trestle on Tenth (NYC): AP #08. Starts out closed, but subtle, layered aromas of red berries, minerals, flowers and fresh orchard fruits emerge with some air. Spectacular on the palate with incredible depth and complexity - this shows seamlessly woven layers of sweet white fruits, nectarine, cherries, red berries, spices, slate and some faintly honeyed notes in the back with a sense of real vibrancy, bright acidity and an incredibly long finish. Has an Alpine spring water clarity and purity to it, almost weightless and too easy to just gulp down. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Uncorked DK BYO (Restaurant Nouveau - Copenhagen): Light yellow. Very delicious nose of tons of fresh yellow fruit - lemon, melon, peach, yellow apples, honey and just hints of chalk. In the mouth this is incredibly fresh and refreshing. Appears a bit primary today, but clearly a great vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/10/2024 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wines with Thai (Matoom): Much better showing than when I last opened a bottle in spring 2023. Soft and weightless, soulful, with smooth buttery citrus and honey, then tarte tatin on the rounded finish. Almost too sweet and flabby, but actually just delightful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2024 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 92 Points
Simon R's Thai Bistro Supper with Candidate Wine Matches (Matoom, Forest Hill, South London): Just gorgeous. Nose has notes of dulce de leche, some cinnamon dusted apple fritter and some ripe banana. All backed up with a fine seam of acidity. Dances across the palate. Cracking
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2023 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Dinner at Chengdu Impression (Chicago, IL): Looks even worse than the 2001 -- it's super dark in colour, but tastes far better than that worrying look. Honeyed and somewhat soft, this is missing the trim and cut that riesling really ought to have. Partially I'm guessing the vintage is doing it no favours, but this is another wine in the theme of advanced-looking Dönnhoff tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2023 - NickA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Jeremy's Riesling Dinner (Hawthorn): Not the best bottle of this (#3 from 6)... I see from prior notes that the deepish colour has been a common feature, but the other bottles were a lot more energetic. Quince and marmalade on the nose. Rather creamy and intense in the mouth, with good amplitude on the midpalate, but lacked acidity and had a burned lime note on the finish that reminded me of Sauternes more than I'd have liked. Not a bad wine, but the weakest Riesling we tried tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2023 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 91 Points
Berserker Thursday - Riesling in SF (Mezze and More): Much better vintage showing, rich, white fruited, good attack. A fun sweetish wine, but overshadowed tonight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/3/2023 - Rezy13 wrote:
Deeper color and weightier than I remember, lots of honeyed fruit, buoyant enough but in a night where we are drinking and not tasting the nuance of this kind of got lost, still a delicious bottle even if heavier than I wanted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2023 - Caruso Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep golden without any amber hue. The cork of this was a little bit leaking in contrast to the bottle I had in November 2022. Peaches with tropical fruits as mango, pears, decayed apple, honey, saffron, petrol, white pepper and more nuances. Long spicy finish. Still sweet enough to go with not too sweet dessert (fruit salat?), but also already "dry" enough to go with game e. g. Best on its own as an aperitif for example imo. 5/13/18/10. -2032+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2022 - Caruso Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep golden. Ripe yellow peaches with some oranges and spices, burnt sugar. On the palate some tropical notes as pineapples. Long finish ending on low but shimmering acidity. Ripe apples in the aftertaste. 5/12/18/10, -2032+ if perfectly cellared since release.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:
After an advanced 2005 Riesling with a very loose cork I went back to the cellar for something that still had some age on it, and came back with this. A little bit tight/grumpy at first, but thirty minutes of air allowed it to unfurl, and it sure had a lot to show. Early mature, with still vibrant peach fruit, but also a hint of smoky edge on the fruit - grilling those peaches over a wood fire. The nice thing about fifteen years of age was that the acids had more of a chance to come into balance with the still prominent sweetness. This was smack dab in the middle of the let’s make sweet Riesling really sweet era. The finish picks up some orange zest tones, and lingers for a very long time. Still plenty of runway here, but I was very happy to be drinking this tonight.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Young Joni: Light medium gold color. Drank a glass plus over 90 minutes. Geez, gorgeous tropical fruits, tangerine, pineapple, golden apple, floral, fusil, unctuous and appropriately sweet, flint, long and so caressing. These are so seductive. 93+ to 94pts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2022 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - German Riesling plus ring in (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. This is the most citric of the three Dönnhoff's showing, on the nose, orange, a little mandarin, tiny touches of lemon and lime backed by a little slaty minerality. medium plus intensity acidity, shows mandarin and mandarin pith backed by orange, lemon and green apple, chalky mineral burr, quite lightweight, acid and sugar beautifully balanced. Pretty impressive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2022 - t_moderne wrote: 95 Points
Pop and pour and served with a slight chill.
Enjoyed with food (grilled lemon grass chicken, vegetable fried rice, and Thai beef salad, in case you were wondering).
Light honey-straw color.
Wonderful nose of peaches, apricots and honey. Touch of beeswax too.
Wonderful depth of flavors. Light and leans a bit sweet.
So fresh and inviting even at 15 years of age.
Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2022 - NickA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not much has changed since my first bottle, in 2020: still quite sweet and incredibly youthful! Lots of delicious, unctuous, ripe mango, floral wafts, cream, vanilla sponge, a hint of burnt lime... rich and chewy but well-balanced and complex too. So tasty!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2021 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
Honey, marmalade, herbs. Thick texture. Quite sweet. Sumptuous. Lovely.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2021 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine is quite rich, with concentrated flavors of mango, peach, and tangerine. It also displays hints of botrytis spice, petrol, and river stones, but it is dominated by sweet fruit at present. My sense is that this will be a very long-lived wine. To my tastes at least, it probably will drink better 10 years from now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2020 - CMN wrote: 91 Points
Quite dark for its age. Orange peel, honey and yellow apples on the palate. Moderately sweet. Would have like a touch more acidity, but still quite good. Drinking well now.
Probably not a representative bottle; seems a bit advanced for its age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2020 - jreis Likes this wine:
Deep orange color - petrol, honeysuckle and orange peel on the nose. Nice balance of sweet orange and nectarine fruit with a good spine of acidity on the palate. Not the most complex Donhoff, but paired very well with shrimp vindaloo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2020 - Dale M wrote: 94 Points
One of those times were the food pairing was so good, its hard to carve out the wine as a standalone and write a note, I’ll do my best. Yes, not the most acidic Spatlese one could choose but the package as a whole was dyn-o-mite. Ripe peach and nectarine notes carry a slight honeyed edge, a small drizzle perhaps. I had a hard time detecting sweetness as again this paired so well with the triple header of grilled pork steaks (marinated in fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and lots of lime juice) and wild herb salad. Crispy black pepper and turmeric wings, and lemon ricotta on charred peppers and cucumber salad. Apologies, shameless plug for the chef there. Anyway, a Hermannshohle rarely disappoints, and certainly not the case last night.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
3/28/2020 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
First of a case. Deep yellow colour is the only obvious sign that this tremendously fresh wine is in its middle age. Kaleidoscopic like all the best Rieslings, showing by turns cream, green apple, orange peel, grapefruit and burnt lime. You can detect the sugar, but it's not distracting - really refreshing and energetic. Finish lasts around 45 seconds.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2020 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Donnhoff....c'est toujours une belle expérience
avec ce producteur (sauf une bouchonné/réduite).
Dense et complexe, frais et ample.
C'est tout simplement délicieux ce nectar.
Long et persistant, on en redemande.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2020 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 91 Points
On a second tasting, I found this wine tasty but not too interesting. It went well with dinner at an upscale Asian-influenced restaurant (Nightshade LA). But as much as I kept sniffing and tasting, this wine never gave me any excitement. Perhaps the wine's sugar level is a bit stifling? Acidity could definitely be higher.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2020 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. A little meaty note that blows off to show ripe apple, pear, apricot, sweet spice, cream, with time more mineral notes start to show on the nose; almost a touch of steeliness. Joyous on the palate, off dry with green apple acid off setting this. Orchard fruit with an apricot underpin. Textured burr on the mid palate lends both breadth and complexity. Beautifully balanced. Yum
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2019 - drwine2001 wrote:
Quite deep yellow. Rich nose and palate of yellow apple, honeysuckle, and guava with some secondary Riesling notes. Thankfully, not quite as sweet as the last time I tried it but still pretty ripe and robust. Some soil arrives late, but this is rather short in acidity. That along with the color and mature aromas all argue for enjoying these early (and enjoy I did despite its nits).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2018 - ekallio wrote:
Developed golden colour, some petrol and botrytis on the nose. The mouthfeel is quite unctuous and has a dessert wine feel to it, and the acidity is fairly low. I'm actually surprised that not many others have felt the acidity to be that low, but I feel it has been the case with other Dönnhoff '07s as well. The taste is incredibly mouthfilling and long with the textbook orchard fruit (Royal Gala apple peel) and all kinds of complexity that develop in the mouth, and the finish is awesomely long. I'm planning to open my two remaining bottles in 5 and 10 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2018 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is superb. It offers complex aromas that include honey, peach, lime, and petroleum. It is balanced on the palate with moderate sweetness, racy acidity, and a sense of minerality. The finish is long and tangy. I suspect this will continue to improve with aging.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2018 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
MDW BBQ (Chicago, IL): From magnum. Fairly heady and big for a Doennhoff Spaetlese, but that is likely from the vintage. Still seems reasonably primary, but there are nascent secondary characteristics starting to emerge. Lots of sweet yellow fruit, but good counterbalancing acidity, although the acidity doesn't seem to play too loud of a part; it's more hidden under the plush fruit.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2018 - KenPlace wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous bottle of wine. Deep color, with a nose of petrol and tropical fruits (mango, pineapple). Great acidity that masks the RS perfectly. A favorite of the crowd.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2018 - David Meddings Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gold yellow. Lovely bouquet, white flower, mineral notes and honey. Palate is full bodied, honeyed mid-palate with a lovely tapestry of harmonious ripe orchard citrus notes, floral glints and a mineral streak. Riveting balance between the acid and residual sugar. Lovely, near perfectly balanced wine that comes across as full bodied but ever so so light on its feet. Left no one unmoved.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
11/23/2017 - bambam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Showing age, it has put on weight and the residual sugar shows. Deep golden color, no secondary flavors yet. Thick in the mouth, red delicious apples and honey. Tastes more like a desert wine today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2017 - jerhardt wrote:
Golden yellow; I’m surprised how mature this is looking. Quite rich and sweet for this level. At the very early stages of secondary development. Will last a long time, when to drink just depends on your preference.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Light golden. Very rich, ripe, slightly botrytized nose. Auslese level sweetness and quite dense as well. Honey and stone fruit, adequate acidity. Too much of a good thing for me as I was surprised about how big and sweet this was.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2016 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 93 Points
Color is golden hued and gorgeous. Nose is voluptuous, harmonious and decadent, luscious, thick and fat, expressing lemon curd. Really enjoy... smells imposing and powerful. Palate richness is fantastic; I love the texture, and presence in the mouth, but it doesn't offer too much depth of flavors; more of a textural joy. The lemon curd shows up on the finish, coupled with rip roaring acidity bloom and it goes on for a minute. I think this is drinking quite nice right now, drinking at a decent entry point, but really I think this wine needs some more time. I'll be sad if it looses some of the acid vibrancy, though.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2016 - Dale M wrote: 94 Points
reading David Meddings note from 4-17 pretty much captures my experience with the 07 'Hermannator' my pet name for the vineyard.
I had been shying away from Spats as I was leaning toward the lighter Kabinett's for more practical drinking at home, but this was so perfect and so damn good. Hopefully I can score some 15's.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2016 - thomaskeil wrote: 93 Points
PnP. Very similar to bottle from 3 years ago. Exploding fruit on nose and palate, with loads of other notes (crushed flowers, herbs, etc). Amazing length and penetration with mineral acidity in an elegant balance. Really good now, but this will hold for many years. (Enjoyed over 3 nights - no deterioration -- decant is an option but not needed in my opinion)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2016 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - German Riesling tasting...then drinking! (E & M's in the rocks, Sydney): From Coravin. creamy almost buttery notes on the nose with apple, sweet spice and dry ginger. I also pick very slight herbaceous notes. Juicy and fleshy, apples with slight pineapples and cream Perhaps a little short. Okay. Also the herbaceous note grows with time. Hmm
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2016 - EhrlichDY wrote:
This was just okay. Perhaps in a muted phase but it is possible that it's just losing its mojo. Don't get me wrong, it's still darn tasty. As it warmed and got air, it gained so depth to balance out the seeet fruit. I suspect that might have been more glorious a few years earlier.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2016 - David Meddings Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark yellow verging on gold. Deeply expressive bouquet of honeyed orchard fruits and a whiff of oyster shell minerality. Round entry that slowly but inexorably coats every millimetre of the palate and begins its steady crescendo of lime, grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours. Residual sweetness is very much a part of this wine of course but the acidity - although perhaps a touch too little - provides the necessary balance. Interestingly I found the acidity more pronounced as the wine sat in the glass - not sure if that was due to air time or slow warming. In any event this wine improved notably over 1-2 hours which bodes well for my others.
Superb Riesling. Others have commented on an ethereal quality which I don't find here. This wine is in no way ponderous but it is a veritable powerhouse of supremely well balanced flavours and a showcase of exemplary wine-making. A beginning, middle and an end. Went wonderfully en apperitif with blue cheese on crackers and over chicken satay. Lovely.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2015 - hushilden Likes this wine: 92 Points
intensive yellow, looks and feels like heavy juice. Predominantly grapefruit with a little bit of honey and apple (?). Still there could be a some more acidity in. Sure this wine will develop further and has a long future ahead. Next bottle in 2-3 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2015 - Billigan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tremendous purity and intensity of fruit, with aromas and flavors reminiscent of crunching into a crisp red apple. Great power-without-weight sensation on the luscious palate, and a fine, chalky-mineral finish. Superb.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2014 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful golden colour... Very nice nose of accacia flower and honey, yellow straw... taste of honey, orangettes, ananas, lychee, beautiful tropical fruit, quite sweet aftertaste, lacking a hint of acidity
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2014 - etyc Likes this wine:
Haven't had this for quite some time... Finally popped this last night when some friends came over. PnP'ed. Wah, this smelled nice from the Zalto Universal - lychees, apples, honey, flowers. On the palate - lime, wet stones; With the richness/sweetness (and a tad of that oiliness) balanced with just enough freshness/acidity. However, it seemed to have lost some of the "tension"/tautness (like a coiled spring) that I recalled. Still fairly long. Will be interesting to see how this develops furthur...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2014 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 90 Points
My last bottle. Those red-fruit flavors are starting to get deeper still, and the spine has softened. Still tasty - but no regrets finishing off my supply over the last year.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
WineBerserkers Riesling Tasting (Thai Cottage, SF): Deeper golden yellow; peachy on the nose but also with slight lime; palate is balanced sweetness without over the top acidity, good density; medium finish. Elegant throughout, balanced, youthful. 91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2014 - shutto1992@gmail.com wrote: 97 Points
PNP. Golden color. Grapefruit, lychee,apple nose and flavors. Beautioful wine!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2014 - ubercuvee wrote:
Day1: Interesting - at 9.5% on the label this is always going to be atypical for the house's usual immensely delicate and pure expressions of Spat. Sure enough, this tasted like 1/3rds GG and 2/3rds Spat - with an oily, weighty character on the palate. The hermannshoehle minerality is in there but for me this "neither fish nor fowl" character isn't really what I want from my donnhoff spats - the classic limey/slateyness is subdued and there's a green-vegetable note I find offputting. Day2: same. Too much oily spinach/kale and not enough limey etheriality (is that a word?). I'm happy everyone else is loving this, but for my palate it's dramatically inferior to the 05/06/09/10s.
Day 8: OK, I forgot about this in the fridge - and now it's turned into a Donnhoff spatlese! Limey, balanced, mineral excellent. Huh. Whodathunkit?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2014 - bigop Likes this wine: 95 Points
simply DELICIOUS, peaking, my penultimate bottle unfortunately. Now I know why these german riesling need bottle age.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2013 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 97 Points
Consistent with my last bottle. Stunner again. This wine at this moment is one of my favorite Donnhoffs ever.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2013 - sooper65 wrote: 90 Points
refreshing, and very Donnhoff. Splendid
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2013 - thomaskeil wrote: 93 Points
Served al fresco with scallops, hazelnut salad. Even though sitting outside the aromatics came through strongly. Rich, but exquisitely balanced palate. The fruit's weight and sweet acidity to paired flavors and cut through the richness of the dish. Terrific length. Agree with KL that this wine is at a fantastic point in it's life.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2013 - angryphoton wrote: 93 Points
Amazing laser like acidity that complements the sweetness of the wine oh so well. Palate shows apple, pear, apricot, almonds and slight quince. The star is really the bracing acidity that is in no way sour or tart, but just cuts your tongue like a super sharp samurai sword. We absolutely gorgeous with Thai food but could have easily gone well on it own or with the right cheese.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2013 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is in a great place right now, and may be at peak. (It might decline, but I don't see it getting much better.) It's remarkable how much it's changed from release, when my notes describe it as "angular" with structure in the foreground and "the fruit only barely there until the finish where the cherries poke through." Now that distinctive cherry flavor has become the dominant note, and exemplifies one of the things I find so interesting about this site--how it somehow brings out RED-fruited notes from the riesling grape. In addition to that vivid flavor the fruit has really filled out and now is positively bulging in its presence, and while it initially comes across soft and plush, it does retain enough of that acidic spine that was so prominent on release that it stays fresh even as the wine loses its chill. Still, there is no question that it's a complete flip in emphasis and if it continues on this trend line there won't be much precision left--but at the moment, it's in the zone.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2013 - mychurch wrote:
Sweet German Wine Tasting; 5/26/2013-5/29/2013 (Vin Gilles): There is something not right here. The wine is a bit tat and flabby on the nose and the colour is much more advanced than all the other wines in the tasting. ITs not corked, but its almost like a premox. Very sweet still and this is backed up by caramel. Some red fruit is still there, but not enough and this wine is going to go down hill fast. Consensus was that there was some sort of contamination in the bottle. NR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2013 - Gobi wrote: 95 Points
A beautiful dark golden color on this wine with amazing complexity on the nose, at first it shows the typical petrol like aromas that give way to a potpourri of floral aromas underpinned by honey, apricots, baked apples, pear, lychee, papaya, pineapple,-4 grapefruit, smokey tea, flint, with traces of sweet spices. A mid to full bodied wine with a dense and unctuous texture showing layers of flavors as it runs through the palate. It starts off sweet with notes of honey, apricots, baked apples, mango, guava, papaya until it reaches the mid palate that’s filled with refreshing acidity that cuts through the sweet flavors while revealing orange rind, lemon juice, and saline notes. The finish goes on for more than two minutes, the acidity from the midpalate cuts through the sweet entry and leaves a dry finish filled with notes of cinnamon, cloves, white pepper, and crushed slate. A gorgeous wine that has many layers and facets to its personality, thought provoking and intellectual.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/12/2013 - sooper65 wrote: 92 Points
very refreshing!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2012 - bigop Likes this wine: 94 Points
I had found this wine a bit tart last time I tasted it so thought I'd give it another try, and boy how right I was...
Peach, tropical fruit, apricot on the nose on nose and palate and all that richness contained within a lingering and hugely satisfying acidity.
Love it, I want more...classy, complex and long
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2012 - Kirk Grant wrote:
I was honestly concerned having read some recent notes commenting that the acidity was lacking and this was "quite sweet". However, my bottle was breath-taking. Even looking back at my last note (7-3-9) I remember feeling that I could sense the quality...but recall being disappointed. With scents of peach, kiwi, lime, and green apple bursting from the glass the nose was just lovely. In the mouth this had that elegant balance of power, acidity, and vibrant fruit that is EVERYTHING that I look for in German Riesling. OUTSTANDING!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2012 - bigop Likes this wine: 90 Points
I drunk this over 2 nights and while I'm a fan of Doennhoff and of this cuvée I thought this bottle was not as good as the one I had a few months back.
The main point is that it was quite sweet, more than a normal spatlese, and it lacked acidity to balance that sweetness. But yes the texture, the concentration, the aromas/flavours of tropical fruits, peach etc...make that a good wine, however this bottle hasn't got the wow factor. Will wait one year or two before opening one of the 4 bottles remaining.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2012 - t_moderne wrote: 91 Points
Opened and let the wine sit for about 30 minutes before pouring. Wonderful lively nose of peach, apricot and a hint of pineapple. Served with Chinese dishes. There is a touch of sweetness at first that is soon followed by bright lemon/citrus notes. Good richness yet retaining a lightness to it. Paired well with the Kung Pao chicken.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Monthly Tasting Group: Rieslings and Thai Food (Tum Rup Thai, Mpls): Light gold color. Drank one glass over 1.5hrs. Great nose, tropicals flowers, citrus, grapefruit, apple, mineral, earth. The palate is fresh and light, yet the depth is obvious in the mouth. Consistent flavors, long zesty finish. Excellent, can't wait to see this down the road. 93+pts. My #2 WOTN.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2011 - marka wrote: 90 Points
Had with Easter dinner ham with an orange glaze, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves. Very light in the mouth. Notes of lemon and perhaps some tropical fruits. This was not as good as the 2005 which is one of my all time favorite wines. Perhaps this is not as ready as the 05 was a few years ago. Wait until 2014-15 for the next one...5 left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2011 - wineaux2 wrote: 93 Points
Another winner from Dönnhoff, this one had an engaging nose that featured sweet perfume of cherries, lemon-lime, honey and a hint of petrol. The fruit on the palate was honeyed and lush with prominent candied lime and a touch of saline. I would have enjoyed it even more had the nervy tension between the sweetness and acidity been cranked up a few notches. Overall, the wine was a little sweeter than I would have liked, though this was still an enjoyable Spätlese that made a fabulous pairing with spicy Thai food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2010 - Chateaunewf wrote: 96 Points
What more is there to say than Donnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle. One of the great wines of the world year in and year out. This was no exception but proved the rule nonetheless. Gold tinged color and viscous to the eyes. A faboulous attack of white peach, meyer lemon and a touch of Roses lime juice and honey. Full bodied and langorous on the mid palate with a sensation of sweeness like a declassified Auslese. Then the acidity kicks in like an eiswein and the finish drys out like a true spatlese. Fascinating and awesome! Drunk over the course of three consecutive nights and it bare budged an inch. Fantastic concentration of fruit and balanced on a knifes edge. As good as wine gets but may get better with age!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2010 - silton wrote: 95 Points
Best wine of the Thanksgiving run and one of the best wines I've yet tasted. Words cannot do justice to the finish with its several phases and supreme deliciousness. 95-97.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2010 - ews3 wrote: 96 Points
Riesling Tasting (Schloss Roberts): I always enjoy Donnhoff Spatlese, but this was my first NH. Really great spatlese. lots of lime, mineral, tropical fruit, white flowers, and some lavender. perfectly balanced. medium(+) acid, medium sweetness. Long finish that you can just sit and enjoy -- I could drink a bottle of this and still yearn for more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2010 - jrobs7777 wrote: 97 Points
Riesling - First The Rest (of the World), Then The Best (Germany) (Our House (2033 Brandywine St.): One of my wines of the night. This is magnificent. Amazing concentration and development in the glass. Melon, exotic honey, apple, pear, tropical fruits. There is endless development of juicy fruit with amazing underlying acidity. You never want the sensations on the palate to end until you hit the finish, which is miles long and pleasing the entire way. This continues to crescendo. Remarkable wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2010 - bambam wrote: 96 Points
The acidity has improved from last year. It has lost some baby fat but could still use more time in the bottle. Same pear and apricot fruits. Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2010 - JJL wrote: 93 Points
Nice wine, a bit sweet for an '07, expected more acidity. Good match with crab cakes. Kind of a no-man's land at $50/bottle. Not that much better than some $25 bottles, but there are some great Rieslings for a few bucks more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2010 - rmodak wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely sublime wine. At first, the pineapple and mango fruit was so powerful, it overshadowed the mineral notes, but this quickly changed as it opened. Intoxicating smoke, slate and tropical notes burst from the glass with a rich lemon custard like mouthfeel, and a laser like acidity on the finish. There is obviously a lot of baby fat to shed, but pretty hard to resist currently.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2010 - pc.jams wrote: 96 Points
Served with roasted pork with a port sauce, spinach, potatoes and onions. Sensational. The color is Barbie-blonde. A beautiful wine that grabs only a tiny amount of light to accentuate a remarkable pale glow. The smell is fresh and lightly sweetened. The taste is a huge surprise with a very round body and a very long finish. A very light acid remains to help clean up and balance the wine. Served after the Selosse Initial. Wonderful paring.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2010 - Tarhealer wrote: 97 Points
The best bottle of the three I've had over the past 3 months. Spectactular, perhaps equalling my best Donnhoff experience. Like tropical fruit cocktail on the nose, I thought banana too. Mouth-coating, luscious, but with piercing acidity throught - with endless finish. Explosion of flavors, all delicious. Not sure how it could be better. More impressive than the N.H. Auslese to follow - nearly as richly flavored, just no botrytis and slightly less residual sugar. Would likely be a crowd-pleaser as well, although I don't recommend sharing too much if you have some.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2010 - Tarhealer wrote: 94 Points
Much much better on the second day, and arguably better yet day three. A bit closed on the nose initially, but opened up, delicious, and probably the best tasting of the 2007s we had at new years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2009 - thalver wrote:
decanted for about 45 minutes...nice mouthfeel, stones, lime and pear on the nose and palate....the acidity seemed a bit subdued.....nice, delicate wine, a bit overwhelmed by the food pairing (barbecue shrimp)..I think I'd have preferred to spend time with the wine in the absence of food
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2009 - bambam wrote: 96 Points
Now I get Donnhoff! I will be honest that other bottles I have had in the past have not wowed me. This does. Beautiful light golden hue. On the nose laser like acacia and pear. The palate fills your mouth with sweet pear and apricot fruit, throw in some slate to make it interesting and then the acid dances away on the finish like a ballerina. Bravo. I am glad I have more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2009 - Jared wrote: 93 Points
This blonde beauty was opened a full 24 hours in advance for a slow oxy. I always get nervous when my friend Dale tells me he is going to open or decant early. One decant too long later and he's still hearing it from me! No need to fret with the Donnhoff, as it was predictably brilliant. I say predictably because every Donnhoff I've drank has been terrific. Golden-hued with aromas of white peaches, honey, crushed rock, and a hint of marjoram. I didn't get any sweat, like Dale, but he once smelled sweat in a candy cane so what does he know! Kind of a sleeper on the palate as the wine initially has trouble delivering, but as it warmed up the flavor bomb was dropped laced with an acidic residue. Orchard fruits galore, chalk, and a healthy dose of minerality. A satisfyingly long, gripping finish had me wondering aloud why I don't drink riesling everyday. A touch dryer and this would have been 95 points easily. 93pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2009 - Dale M wrote: 94 Points
Opened and Slow O’d for 24 hrs. A somewhat strange start to this wine, as I couldn’t help but notice the unmistakable scent of fresh sweat; nothing nasty mind you, just something I didn’t expect right out of the gate and sometimes get from a very high acid NZ sauvignon blanc. No matter, this soon dissipated and was replaced by all the good things one would expect from such a bottle: orchard fruits, flowers, minerals, all present and accounted for, but I suspect a few years away from aromatic fireworks. Texturally, this was simply an amazing semblance of and power and mass without weight, you feel the sheer complexity and layers, but when you swish it around in your mouth, its almost that of air! If you took a break away from the primary gushes of fruit, you could detect a teriffic backbone of acidity that will no doubt be a more prominent player down the road. Cherry, gravel and nutskins on the very long finish. I’m fairly new player to to German Riesling, but damn it, superb recent bottles of Donnhoff and Prum (and others) have me on full vino alert the way a lion would be stalking a gazelle in the Savanna, I’m dialed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2009 - Kirk Grant wrote: 93 Points
Showing a canary yellow in the glass with scents of lemon, minerals, lime, and a light hint of petrol. In the mouth flavors of sugar cane, citrus, minerals, and honey are delicate yet powerful along a medium long finish that has lovely acidity to give this wine tremendous aging potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2009 - Terkel wrote: 94 Points
German wine tasting (Martins office): Clear light yellow color. Intense nose with aromas of exotic fruits such as fat, ripe pineapple, mango and honey. Juicy fruit with a delicate sweetness on the palate, primary flavours of pineapple, mango, lychee and white pears. Great concentration and a syrupy mouth feel. Very delicious with powerful, refreshing acidity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/9/2009 - ob2s wrote: 94 Points
Eichelmann's (german) wine guide gave this wine its 2009 Wine of the Year award.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2009 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
Hard to pin down quite how this is so wonderful - it's the perfection of the balance of honey, lime, stones - persistent yet gentle, stunning
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2009 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Wines with friends at Extra Space (Boon Keng Road, Singapore): Kindly opened by Chanmeng. My goodness, this was good. Really complex nose for such a young Riesling - white flowers, nectarine, grenadine, grass all underpinned by a chalky minerality. Incredible balance on the palate even though it was served too warm - lots of richness in its nectar and nectarine flavours, tons of dry extract, a nice muskiness and slatey mineral - all this held up by perfectly round, integrated acidity. Finish carried the flavours in an oh so open and beautiful way, but it was also powerful and clingy, with a nice minerally backbone. Lovely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2008 - bpj87 wrote: 95 Points
Yale Wine Society: Riesling-a-palooza; 12/9/2008-12/10/2008 (New Haven, CT): Bright, complex, balanced, pure, focused, weightless yet dense, and well delineated. White fruit and floral notes interplayed with red fruits and brooding minerality. Perfect in its intensity, as it is deep yet nowhere near over the top. As a whole, this wine is absolutely haunting and will require decades to reach its peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Vertical (Trestle on Tenth): A sharp and gritty nose; somehow you can tell this will feel angular and crystallized just from sniffing it. Indeed, it's much drier than the Schneider and just as angular and screechy as you expect. The structure is in the foreground with the fruit only barely there until the finish where the cherries poke through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2008 - salil wrote: 95 Points
A night of Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle at Trestle on Tenth (NYC): AP #08. Starts out closed, but subtle, layered aromas of red berries, minerals, flowers and fresh orchard fruits emerge with some air. Spectacular on the palate with incredible depth and complexity - this shows seamlessly woven layers of sweet white fruits, nectarine, cherries, red berries, spices, slate and some faintly honeyed notes in the back with a sense of real vibrancy, bright acidity and an incredibly long finish. Has an Alpine spring water clarity and purity to it, almost weightless and too easy to just gulp down. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2008 - Mlermontov wrote: 94 Points
Terry Theise tasting - German wines from 2007; 6/10/2008-6/13/2008 (Tribecca grill): hard to judge as it was rather closed, very rich and creamy, very concentrated, complex middle, red berries, venry long finish, needs a loooong time
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2008 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 86 Points
Grosser Ring Tasting of 2007 wines from the Nahe, Mosel, Saar and Ruwer (German Embassy, London): A gentle appley peach nose. Very good attack. But it falls off a little, and it starts to feel a bit extracted and over concentrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2008 - gorm wrote: 95 Points
Uncorked DK BYO (Restaurant Nouveau - Copenhagen): Light yellow. Very delicious nose of tons of fresh yellow fruit - lemon, melon, peach, yellow apples, honey and just hints of chalk. In the mouth this is incredibly fresh and refreshing. Appears a bit primary today, but clearly a great vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment