WTN: Gewächs on

[David M. Bueker]

2008 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs
Stunning wine with great depth of fruit, ample cut and loads of potential. There is already great aromatic and flavor complexity without the benefit of cellar time. The base of this wine is solid stone. This wine can go toe to toe with any of the great dry Rieslings ofthe world (CFE, CSH, Singerriedel, etc.)

Wines carrying a "Großes Gewächs" in their name tend to be ridiculous overpriced. Personally I don`t see any need in supporting vintner lobbyism snobbyism groups that charge about 800% - 1200% compared with the price 10-15 years ago.

If wine sold for these prices is not handpicked berry by berry by well proportioned female virgins that ride to the vineyards either on white horses or pink unicorns, these prices are lunatic.

[David M. Bueker]

Ok Richard - I can play your game.

This wine cost $60 in the USA. The 2002 Donnhoff Spatlese Trocken that I bought at the estate cost me 17 euros. Includng normal importation & markups the 2002 would have cost me about $40 or so in the USA (if I could have purchased it). So over the intervening 6 years from when I bought my 2002 to last year when I bought my 2008 Groses Gewachs, the price went up about 50% for a better (I have tasted both & the GG is clearly better) wine. This is actually rather reasonabe or at least in line with many price rises in the word of wine over that time, and nowhere near your ridiculously hyperbolic 800% - 1200% increase over 10-15 years ago.

How about dealing in facts for a change, or would you rather stick to hyperbole?

Prices in the USA are ridiculous overpriced anyway.

17€ for a Spätlese trocken is nothing more than a rip off. Who wants to pay it - do it. Those "großes Gewächs" or however those bottles are called cost 9 DM about 15 years ago. Today the price is about 30€.

9 DM = 4.5 €

4.5€ = 100%

30 € = 666,66%

17€ for a Spätlese trocken is nothing more than a rip off.

I guess Helmut is just laughing at all the suckers?

You may not get enough pleasure from the wine to justify spending your own money, but it's not like these wine estates are lucrative financial operations. So am not sure 'rip off' really applies.

[David M. Bueker]

Richard - you consistetly say the same thing over and over, but these GG wines can be among the most profound expressions of white wine, in the right hands. A $50 Riesling GG is competitive with top dry Riesling from Alsace, Austria and vastly less expensive than most grand cru Chablis from the top producers.

I'm not sure what your issue is, other than you seem to have an axe to grind.

And I used to buy and drink some spatlese trocken bottlings (still do), and the right GGs are a huge step up. Some are not, and in general those wines are priced accordingly (I have bought GG wines from "lesser" producers for around $20).