WTN: ...more Donnhoff

[David M. Bueker]

1999 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe (11/29/2011)
I suppose 12 years in a bottle would make me grumpy too, but it took much longer than I would have expected for this wine to come out of its shell. For a good 90 minutes plus it was really soft and lacking in any palate presence or definition. Then some magic happened, and the fruit came out to play with a finishing tactile acidity (slightly disconnected though - like the sting of too tart lemonade) that gave it more than sufficient life to accompany my fish dinner. On its own it really shone though, as its delicate expression was not competing with other elements for the spotlight. Cherry fruit, honeyed peach and warm, washed stones all come together near an old wood fire. Very fine, if not the most attention grabbing wine in the world - that's 1999 for you.

For a good 90 minutes plus it was really soft and lacking in any palate presence or definition.

Not a shock. Donnhoff doesn't age.

Glad it showed well after some air. I was a big fan of that bottle we had last month at Doug's; like you say not the most attention-grabbing wine (not like say, the 01, 04 or 09 Hermannshohle Spats) but a beautiful, elegant Riesling that was lovely with some time and attention.

I have just spotted about 6 new Donnhoff wines downtown so will report back but I have to tell you all the prices here in AB are obscene. Stay tuned!

Prices are obscene here too, and people keep asking me how I can keep buying them at these prices. And I answer, do you cut off your nose to spite your face? This is Donnhoff!

So I curse, buy a little less, don't buy more than 1-2 bottles of each wine, don't buy the full range every year and wait to win the lottery.

So I curse, buy a little less, don't buy more than 1-2 bottles of each wine, don't buy the full range every year and wait to win the lottery.

Sensible plan really.

[David M. Bueker]

Pricing has been a pisser, especially when I used to buy FULL bottles of Auslese for $17.99. What used to be solid case purcahses are now down to 3 or 4 bottles of each wine, and no more Eiswein for me.

Just have to drink from the cellar!

... For a good 90 minutes plus it was really soft ...that's 1999 for you.

Could be vintage, could be Donnhoff, as I've been finding many of them soft as a limp biscuit. They are pleasant, but don't have the cut-and-verve that I admire in riesling.

[David M. Bueker]

... For a good 90 minutes plus it was really soft ...that's 1999 for you.

Could be vintage, could be Donnhoff, as I've been finding many of them soft as a limp biscuit. They are pleasant, but don't have the cut-and-verve that I admire in riesling.

YMMV

It's not Donnhoff.

David -

Thank you for the note as usual.

I will agree with others about buying less from Donnhoff recently due to the prices; they are now more in the category of "special occasion wines" for me.

To place things in perspective, the prices I see in the US for Donnhoff make me very envious.

It's a relative thing.

I would rarely contemplate buying a Dönnhoff (the exception being, say, an auction Eiswein), but I would never, ever contemplate buying a 1999... Together with 2000, the last vintage that really showed that even guys like Müller and Weil are not infallible.

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

YMMV. I think the 1999 Egon Muller lineup is staggeringly great, and I've had some other very fine 99s (Donnhoff's Brucke Spatlese, and others from Wittmann, Schaefer and Schmitt-Wagner).

You are right, Salil. I do not know what I was thinking: Müller did not do that badly in 1999 - but Wilhelm W really did - and there has been bigger disappointments at the Scharzhofberg, e g 2003 and 2001(!).

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Here is an interesting one for about $50 Cdn. The `06 Grauburgunder "S", surely that is Pinot Gris?
David B thinks not available in the US so lucky us.
Any comments?

[David M. Bueker]

Bob,

It is Pinot Gris.

As for the general notion regarding 1999 and 2000 Donnhoff (I guess lucky for me I own no Weil from those vintages), I bought substantially on release, and have thoroughly enjoyed the wines. No, they are not on the level of other vintages, but not every night is for exalted bottles. Sometimes it's nice to just drink a good wine.

Here is an interesting one for about $50 Cdn. The `06 Grauburgunder "S", surely that is Pinot Gris?
David B thinks not available in the US so lucky us.
Any comments?

Hi Bob,

I don't know what 50 Cdn is these days, but I would never, ever buy 2006 Grauburgunder that was aged in new oak (like this wine) from any producer for any price.

Cheers,
Bill