2023 Weingut Dönnhoff, Riesling Spätlese, Oberhäuser Brücke, VDP Grosse Lage, Nahe, Germany.
For this beautifully detailed and fresh Spätlese, Dönnhoff uses a selection of vines on grey slate bedrock covered by a layer of loess loam soils, which gives a fabulous minerallity and vitality to this lush sweet wine. These 2023s at Dönnhoff are all stunning and age-worthy wines, not to miss, and this Oberhäuser Brücke, all stainless steel fermented and matured is pristine example of terroir driven Riesling. The steely palate shows off candied citrus, pineapple, green apple, fleshy apricot and quince fruits along with a flinty/smike aromatics, delicate florals as well as clove, saline infused wet stone and ginger spices. All of Cornelius Dönnhoff’s wines are incredible, especially the top line GGs, but you should never overlook the Prädikatwein options here, like this gorgeous 2023 Oberhäuser Brücke Spätlese, which is already drinking fantastically well. This vineyard can produce both outstanding full weighted dry and noble sweet wines in equal measure due to the unique terroir here above the Nahe.The carefully vineyard sorted and hand picked grapes come from the VDP Grosse Lage Oberhäuser Brücke, a highly prized Grand Cru site, set on a complex mix of slate, porphyry, sandstone and loam soils on slopes right on the Nahe River.
The amazing Grand Cru class Brücke vineyard, as mentioned before, is a totally unique Monopole site for Dönnhoff, near the historic Luitpoldbrücke (Luitpold Bridge), which was, as the winery notes, built during the period of Royal Bavarian administration and crosses the Nahe River directly adjacent to the village of Oberhausen. Opposite that bridge lies a small vineyard parcel that benefits greatly from the nearby river’s moderating influence, which creates a distinctive microclimate protecting the vines from frosty late winter spells and promotes an early flowering each year, which translates into a long growing season for the late-ripening Riesling grape, while retaining good acidity. The VDP Brücke Grosse Lage produces stunning and concentrated wines from dry GGs to ultra sweet Eiswein, with certain parcels reserved for each style and this pedigreed site is always a favorite of my, in fact one of the greatest wines I’ve ever had was an Eiswein from here. While I usually drink and review Dönnhoff’s drier wines, lately I’ve enjoy both vintage, like a 2006 Auslese, and current release 2023 Spätlese and Kabinett level Prädikat wines that I’ve tried have been exceptionally awesome and this one and their Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Spätlese are as good as it gets and are rock solid investments. As seen in my prior reviews, I am a huge fan of the Dönnhoff wines and the Nahe region, which I visited briefly in 2016, and though I unfortunately missed out on the Dönnhoff estate that time I certainly won’t next time.
($48 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive