2015 Weingut Donnhoff, Riesling Trocken, Hermannshohle Grosses Gewachs, Nahe Germany.
Donnhoff’s Niederhauser Hermannshohle vineyard set on steep grey slate looking over the Nahe just might be the single greatest vineyard site in the world right now, and the Hermannshohle Grosses Gewachs (Grand Cru) Riesling could possibly be the best dry white wine I’ve ever had, it has certainly over taken Le Montrachet and Batard-Montrachet in my personal esteem, these are amazingly detailed, transparent and complex wines with terroir, vitality and stunning mineral purity. Terry Theise, the evangelical importer of profound Rieslings has said of Hermannshohle that no single wine in the entire wine world is as complex as Donnhoff’s best from Hermanshohle, and after a dozen vintages of tasting these wines I couldn’t agree more! Donnhoff is one of the greatest producers on earth, one of the top estates in the world and these wines throughout the range are fantastic values and some of the most sought after wines there are anywhere, and watch out, because these 2015’s take to another level! I tasted through a wide selection of 2015’s with Anne Donnhoff recently, and her humble charm couldn’t hide her pride in these gorgeous wines, I’m grateful for her patience and kindness, as I wanted to savor every moment I could with these Rieslings! The potential of this wine, the Hermannshohle GG, is off the charts, it could easily merit 100 Points, in fact it is beyond perfection, it makes a rating seem silly or boring even, but I wanted to give a bit of room for it’s evolution and development, because as thrilling as it is now, it will only get better, seriously it is full to the max with depth, glowing pristine in the glass it signs a siren’s song with delicate perfume, salty mineral, flinty stones and layer upon layer of white cherry, apricot, tangerine, dense quince, mango and vivid lime fruits. This baby of a dry Riesling opens with white blossoms, rose petal, sea shore brine, wet shale and green apple with a powerful mouth feel and underlying extract with chalky grip and racy acidity, this is intensely brisk, vibrant and tangy crisp with incredible focus. Haunting lingering spice, anise, white peach, lemon peel and tropical essences just add to the glorious experience, if you want an absolute blue chip for your cellar, beg, cheat and steal, as the expression goes, to get this wine, without question it is the best dry white wine for the money you can get, especially when you consider the prices of Raveneau Les Clos or Roulot, Jobard, Coche and company! In a few years the 2015 Donnhoff Hermannshohle Grosses Gewachs is going to be a unicorn wine, a legend and this review is not even going to come close to expressing just how fantastic this wine is, it just might break the 100 Point system! Even if you miss this one, the other Donnhoff’s are not far behind, and while these dry Rieslings are really special, the Kabinett, Spatlese and Auslese levels are spectacular too. The 2015 Hermannshohle GG is a wine for the ages, and patience will be rewarded, 5 to 10 years looks to be a good starting point, honestly this is mind blowing awe inspiring stuff, enough said!
($75 Est.) 97+ Points, grapelive
