August 4, 2023 - From 0,375 l bottle. Quite dark yellow/brass color. Lovely and intensely flavored aromas with ripe yellow fruits, honey, marzipan. Extremely concentrated and long lasting, still elegant due to a hefty acidity. Became even better after 3 days in the fridge in open bottle.
October 23, 2021 - Dönnhoff Eiswein Vertikale 2020-2010-2000:
AP 30/11, 6,5% Alk.
June 1, 2020 - AP 30/11, 6,5% Alc.
!!! PERFECT !!!
December 27, 2019 - AP 30 11. So I usually think reviews of higher-Pradikat Riesling are a bit inflated. In my mind richness and complexity does not equal complexity or a well-made wine. But sometimes you hit a stunningly concentrated wine that absolutely lives up to reviews. This brilliantly acidic Eiswein is absolutely one of those cases.
Upon pouring - such a dark mahogany color I was sure it must be oxidized. But then the nose hits you. Freshness and purity but in such incredible concentration. Like the lightest Kabinett multiplied tenfold.
Evolving some secondary characteristics as would be expected for a 2010 wine, but so clean and vibrant. Terry Thiese calls this a "night snowfall" and his usually inflated metaphor is spot on. Crisp and clean in stunning concentration, but not the plump, ripe Eiswein you may expect from 2010. This must have been impeccably clean fruit and presents almost the impression of a crisp apple cider. Everywhere you look there is nuance and detail. God knows how many decades this will last.
Really stunning wine. A rare and exceptional experience.
November 24, 2018 - 99+
January 15, 2018 - Dönnhoff Eiswein (2009-11) et al. (Chicago, IL): #30-11, 6.5%. From half bottle. It's a little difficult for me to pick a favourite between the 2009 and this; while the 2009 is the more complete wine, this wine has a ridiculously potent vein of green apple that just makes you come back for more. "Malic AF," said one of us at the table tonight. That just about nails it. This is all about a laser beam of green apples; all the other details about this wine serve to supplement that.
April 7, 2016 - Nothing like Chicago hospitality...; 4/6/2016-4/10/2016: This is just awesome. An array of piercingly bright, fresh fruit here, ranging from ripe passionfruit and white cherries to tarter green apple and lime flavours, and those higher toned spicy and horseradish-like Eiswein notes, all coming together on a lightweight frame that's carried by a powerful spine of acidity. The flavours are incredibly intense but it seems to float on the palate with barely any sense of weight, and amazing length. Perhaps this only suffers in contrast with the monumental '10 TBA, where it doesn't show quite the same kaleidoscopic depth or incredible clarity, but on its own, it's still an absolutely extraordinary wine.
April 7, 2016 - Salil does Chicago 2; 4/6/2016-4/10/2016 (Chicago, IL): #30-11, 6.5%. From half bottle. Alcohol level so low, this is barely legal. Compared to the NH TBA, this has a very different profile. You get much more intense acids which frame an otherwise extremely sweet and spicy example of riesling. Lots of green apple and pear notes, this doesn't quite have the same clear delineation of flavours as the TBA, but it certainly comes very damn close. This wine hasn't budged at all since the last time I had it.
April 16, 2015 - Eiswein trinity (Adrian's place, Chicago): The most intensely ripe and exotic of the three Eisweins - this has a much more tropical character to the fruit, ripe, honey drenched passion fruit, pineapple and peachy notes up front, turning more tart on the back end with bright green apple and lime flavours and a rush of powerful acidity on the finish that cuts through the intense sweetness. So unbelievably powerful and long. (Adrian says AP #30. I was in too much of a "Homer Simpson with donuts" mode to take note.)
April 16, 2015 - Salil does Chicago; 4/16/2015-4/19/2015 (Chicago, IL): #30-11, 6.5%. Very floral on the nose, with a lot of green apple character. Extremely powerful and dense, with an intense palate-coating acidity. More acidic than sweet, this is a fantastic green laser beam of riesling.