2007 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe (11/12/2022)
After an advanced 2005 Riesling with a very loose cork I went back to the cellar for something that still had some age on it, and came back with this. A little bit tight/grumpy at first, but thirty minutes of air allowed it to unfurl, and it sure had a lot to show. Early mature, with still vibrant peach fruit, but also a hint of smoky edge on the fruit - grilling those peaches over a wood fire. The nice thing about fifteen years of age was that the acids had more of a chance to come into balance with the still prominent sweetness. This was smack dab in the middle of the let’s make sweet Riesling really sweet era. The finish picks up some orange zest tones, and lingers for a very long time. Still plenty of runway here, but I was very happy to be drinking this tonight.