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AJ Adam, Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Spätlese, 2009

White Wine from Mosel, Germany
$49.99
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
A Hofberg Spätlese with well over a decade in bottle, made by the man who almost single-handedly brought this forgotten Mosel Grand Cru back to life. As late as the 1960s, Hofberg wines sat on the great wine lists of the world. Then prices bottomed out, and the steep slopes were abandoned because they cost too much to work. Andreas Adam's grandparents had farmed a single hectare there, and when land on the hill was going for a song he bought back in. His sister Barbara joined him in 2013. The vineyard climbs a south-west-facing side valley toward the Hunsrück forest, on grey slate streaked with iron oxide. Cool winds off the Hunsrück mean the vines flower later and get picked weeks later than sites down by the river. Nothing goes into the wine: ambient yeast, no enzymes and no süssreserve, so the sweetness comes from the grapes themselves. We like the dry wines here best, but the sweet ones are a real pleasure, and a mature Spätlese from an estate that makes only about 1,250 cases a year doesn't come along often.

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Antonio Galloni

92 points

"Attractive floral, apple and hazelnut aromas. Creamy peach fruit is nicely paired with understated acidity. Well-balanced wine but still somewhat youthfully withdrawn. Finishes long and aristocratic." —Joel B. Payne

Robert Parker

94 points

"“At first,” Adam confesses, “I was a bit disappointed with the 2009 Dhronhofberger Riesling Spatlese because I generally like a little botrytis in my Spatlesen, and this is botrytis-free.” He got over his disappointment, and you’ll wonder how he could possibly have experienced any! This enticingly perfumed Riesling is off-the-charts for purity, succulence, and sheer profusion of grapefruit, orange, Persian melon, and ripe white peach; crustacean minerality; candied ginger; rich nut oils; and crushed stone. Seductively creamy and finishing full of saliva-inducing flavor and saline savor, it invigorates with a dynamic finish, lifting-off like a flight of colorful dirigibles. Expect this – even allowing for the lack of track record at this address – to soar for the next 20 years." —David Schildknecht

Wine Spectator

94 points

"Ripe powerful flavors of nectarine, pear and cream fill this to the brim, accented by fresh-squeezed orange and orange zest, as well as some honeyed notes. The long, pure finish of slate and sea salt has excellent cut."

More about AJ Adam

A. J. Adam takes us to Dhron, just off the much-beaten path of the Mosel river. Dhron is named for a river that flows into the Mosel. Its steep, slatey vineyards form the tributary's northern bank.

The sites are steeper and at higher altitude than most of Mosel. The wines are a little wispier and saltier. The fruit is cooler and whiter.

Adam is Dhron's undisputed star. He makes extraordinary dry Rieslings and Kabinetts from Hofberg, the top site in Dhron.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Riesling

  • Vintage

    2009

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Natural

  • Style

    Crisp

  • Sweetness

    Off-Dry

  • Body

    Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Crispy pork belly with roasted apples, Sichuan dan dan noodles, smoked trout on rye with horseradish cream, duck breast with a cherry glaze, or a wedge of aged Comté.

Tasting Profile

Expect the classic Mosel Spätlese profile: ripe peach, apple and citrus with a slaty, smoky minerality, the sweetness gentle and natural and held in check by cutting acidity. With bottle age, Riesling like this typically adds honey, dried apricot and a hint of petrol, while the body stays light and the finish long, fresh and stony.

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WINE GUIDES

German Wines

Is there a better grape than Riesling? Is there a better value? Its fruit purity, its perfume, and its mineral nuance are all unparalleled. And for centuries, the top German Rieslings were priced accordingly: at least as expensive as the top red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. But nowadays you could spend a lifetime exploring Germany’s great Riesling-producing regions while staying well within your budget. You might take an occasional break to try Germany’s other white grapes or perhaps a glass of Spätburgunder (the local name for Pinot Noir). It’s time to get started!

Learn more about German Wines