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Tasted Thursday, December 4, 2008 by salil with 803 views
Keith Levenberg organised a dinner featuring wines from the Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle vineyard at Trestle on Tenth restaurant. The younger wines were outstanding, but it was eye-opening to see how poorly all the older bottles fared, particularly given how well good Riesling normally ages. The '94 Auslese in particular was undrinkable (a real shock as I found its Auslese counterpart from Oberhäuser Brücke to be an absolutely stunning, ethereal wine recently), and the other old Donnhoffs just felt tired and over the hill.
Among the young wines, the Grosses Gewachs were stunning - by far the best expressions of dry Riesling I've ever tasted with the '07 in particular being absolutely stellar (if only more German trockens were like those, and not overly shrill, acidic and tart). The lineup of young Auslese was staggering. All superb wines, with the '06 and '01 my two favourites of the night. Astonishing complexity, power and elegance - although after seeing how the older wines fared, it's hard to say how long those may age.
Served with soup
Served with veal tongue and endive salad
Served with a chicken vol-au-vent
Served with striped bass, artichoke and pears
With a cheese plate
With orange-chocolate tart
2007 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs 96 Points
Germany, Nahe
AP #30, 13.5% alcohol. This has an intoxicating nose dominated by a smoky and stony character with citrus fruits, honeydew melon, slate, hints of lychee and burned leaves underneath. Absolutely stunning on the palate, where it's crammed with stony, earthy mineral flavours to the point that this feels more like a solid than liquid. This has immense power and depth, yet is almost weightless in the mouth with incredible balance, precision and clarity of flavour, showing layers of citrus fruits, some pear and melon with some metal shavings and herbal notes at the back end. Finishes very long. Absolutely stunning, and this got even better with air, with the flavours becoming more seamless and the wine taking on a silky, almost glossy texture.
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2006 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs 92 Points
Germany, Nahe
This has a surprisingly tropical character for a dry wine with lots of pineapple, flowers, melon, nectarine, smoke and stones on the nose. Almost crunchy on the palate with plenty of acidity and a dominant stony and saline mineral character with bright tropical fruit and citrus flavours underneath. An excellent wine, although this may have suffered a little in comparison to the spectacular 07 GG, feeling a little rougher in the mouth without the same sense of weightlessness and elegance.
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