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Donnhoff, Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese, 2007

White Wine from Nahe, Germany
$89.99
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
A Spätlese from the Nahe's most revered vineyard, harvested at the same time as Dönnhoff's dry Grosses Gewächs from the site, so this is no afterthought. Hermannshöhle has been considered the region's top site for more than a century, the benchmark every other Nahe vineyard gets measured against. The name comes from a small mine ("Höhle") cut into the middle of the hillside, and "Hermann" is thought to come from Hermes, which probably points to an ancient place of worship on the site. The slope faces due south at a steep 40 to 60 percent gradient, between 130 and 175 metres up, on blackish-grey slate mixed with volcanic rock, porphyry and limestone. The estate always picks by hand, going through each vineyard two or three times. 2007 was also the year Cornelius Dönnhoff joined his father Helmut at the winery. In Germany that vintage opened with a hot April and record-early flowering, then a cool summer slowed things down and a long, fine autumn finished the ripening. That left the sweeter wines with real acidity under the sugar, and in a lightly sweet Spätlese, that acidity is what carries the wine through years in the cellar. Serve chilled.

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Antonio Galloni

93 points

"Tantalizing aromas of papaya, sweet herbs and incense. Discreet but intense black cherry fruit rises from the mid-palate, accompanied by brilliant acidity. Animated and finely spiced, with a deep, long finish. I may be underrating this." —Joel B. Payne

Robert Parker

96 points

"Gardenia, peony, and resinous herbs in the nose of Donnhoff's 2007 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese give way to a palpably extract-rich palate of vibratory intensity, suffused with stony, saline, and tactile suggestions of mineral matter, yet at the same time rich orchard fruits. If the Krotenpfuhl was painted with water colors, the medium here is definitely oil, exhibiting both dynamic and intricate brush work as well as dense layering. This masterpiece - picked simultaneously with the corresponding Grosses Gewachs - was only beginning to show its depth in the spring and needed almost six months in bottle to really shine forth. Take as long as fate permits you to savor this; I can't imagine it disappointing a quarter century or more from now." —David Schildknecht

Jancis Robinson

18 points

"Very fine and pure on the nose. Really sings and soars and swoops in the mouth like a bird – definitely airborne. Wonderful stuff. Stands out."

Wine Spectator

94 points

"Bright and expressive, evoking apricot, nectarine and orange, with accents of sweet corn and vanilla custard. If the flavors were colors they would be neon, like a Pucci print."

More about Donnhoff

If you love Riesling, you know the name Dönnhoff. If you don't love Riesling-- yet-- Dönnhoff will teach you why the grape inspires such passion.

Dönnhoff is the greatest estate in the Nahe and one of the best in all of Germany. The family has had four generations to dive deep into their terroir and perfect their winemaking. Their top wines are long-lived and collectible.

That terroir is, of course, key. The Nahe has the most varied soils (including, especially, different kinds of volcanic soil) of any German region, as well as a climate that ranges from very cold high-elevation sites to pockets of Mediterranean warmth. This gives Dönnhoff a painter’s palette of flavors and textures from which to craft a perfect wine.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Riesling

  • Vintage

    2007

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Sustainable

  • Style

    Crisp

  • Sweetness

    Off-Dry

  • Body

    Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Thai green curry, Sichuan kung pao chicken, or Vietnamese bún chả; also roast pork loin with apples, smoked trout with horseradish cream, chicken liver pâté, and washed-rind cheeses like Époisses.

Tasting Profile

Expect the classic Nahe Spätlese profile: ripe peach, apricot and citrus with a smoky, stony minerality from the slate and volcanic soils. Typically lightly sweet and medium-bodied, with bright, racy acidity balancing the sugar so it finishes fresh and long rather than sugary. Wines in this style are built to age, gaining honeyed, petrol-tinged complexity in bottle.

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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