WTN: '08 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Spätlese

Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese 2008 -Nahe, Germany

Never mind “true” Kabinett, with the ’08 vintage we’ve also seen a return to deliciously “true” and “typical” Spätlesen as well. I’ve been fortunate to have tasted quite a few wines from this 2008 vintage, but none has been better than this (really not much news there I suppose!) A forceful, brilliant wine that shimmers (or throws sparks) as it skates across your palate. White peach, Clementine, lemon weincreme, not floral per se, but clover-minty with an electric hum of acidity. Taut as a drum and kind of a super welterweight Spätlese if many recent vintages are more in the middleweight to light-heavyweight. 8,5% alc. -BH

[David M. Bueker]

Thank you for taking the plunge Bill. I have not yet broached any of my bottles, but I think I will as your note is very tempting.

Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese 2008 -Nahe, Germany

Never mind “true” Kabinett, with the ’08 vintage we’ve also seen a return to deliciously “true” and “typical” Spätlesen as well. I’ve been fortunate to have tasted quite a few wines from this 2008 vintage, but none has been better than this (really not much news there I suppose!) A forceful, brilliant wine that shimmers (or throws sparks) as it skates across your palate. White peach, Clementine, lemon weincreme, not floral per se, but clover-minty with an electric hum of acidity. Taut as a drum and kind of a super welterweight Spätlese if many recent vintages are more in the middleweight to light-heavyweight. 8,5% alc. -BH

Kudos for the boxing similes. For my money, all the Donnhoff wines I've tasted thus far were as nimble as Sugar Ray Robinson.

Thank you for taking the plunge Bill. I have not yet broached any of my bottles, but I think I will as your note is very tempting.

Hi David,

For me, 2008 is such a wonderful, early-drinking 'veal' vintage, that I haven't been able to help myself from drinking down the wines. I don't see many of them getting a whole lot better than they are -razor-sharp and jittery. Plus, don't we deserve a vintage like this every once and a while?

Cheers,
Bill

Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese 2008 -Nahe, Germany

Never mind “true” Kabinett, with the ’08 vintage we’ve also seen a return to deliciously “true” and “typical” Spätlesen as well. I’ve been fortunate to have tasted quite a few wines from this 2008 vintage, but none has been better than this (really not much news there I suppose!) A forceful, brilliant wine that shimmers (or throws sparks) as it skates across your palate. White peach, Clementine, lemon weincreme, not floral per se, but clover-minty with an electric hum of acidity. Taut as a drum and kind of a super welterweight Spätlese if many recent vintages are more in the middleweight to light-heavyweight. 8,5% alc. -BH

Kudos for the boxing similes. For my money, all the Donnhoff wines I've tasted thus far were as nimble as Sugar Ray Robinson.

Hello Chaim,

The German Pradikat System and the Boxing Weight Classes have much in common. Both are subject to much overlap, reverse-posturing, and sometimes outright fraud! I like the Sugar Ray Robinson reference (Greatest Boxer of all time? Greatest Riesling producer?) The only knock on Dönnhoff is that they don't have the staying power of Sugar Ray!

Cheers,
Bill

Plus, don't we deserve a vintage like this every once and a while?

We do. Although the recent wines coming out of Germany have been so good every year that it's hard to complain!