WTN: Magum Force

[David M. Bueker]

• 2005 Dönnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe (6/8/2024)
  From magnum, and given some prior experiences with less than stellar corks on this wine, I was not expecting much. Holy cow was I wrong, as this was in a word, amazing! My wife, who said she might just have a sip, as she wasn't in the mood for wine, had three glasses! Our group of four blew through this in an hour or so, only leaving a small pour in the decanter that I held onto for after dinner. Even five hour after opening it remained first moments fresh, showing all the ripe tree fruit (white peach was the first thing that came to mind, then yellow plums), and a fantastic undercurrent of mineral. Just the barest touch of any older notes, purely as garnish rather than defining the wine. Definitely a bigger Spätlese, this was still youthfully sweet, but carried enough acidity to make it work with the spicy lime/ginger chicken and spinach & strawberry salad that I prepared for our dinner. Most of all we just enjoyed sipping it, refilling our glasses, and then sipping some more. It was compelling. I am tempted to open my remaining magnum soon, hoping to catch the same magic of a nearly twenty year old that has all the freshness of youth, with a completely integrated texture and palate expression that only hints at maturity.