2022 Weingut Dönnhoff, Riesling Kabinett, Oberhäuser Leistenberg, Nahe, Germany.
The flinty mineral driven and stone fruited slightly off-dry Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Kabinett starts with its usual subtle bouquet of white flowers, steely/flinty tones, faint tropical notes, a hint of earthy/saly brine and clove spice with tangerine, lime, peach and crisp green apple, in a lighter steely framed wonderfully detailed wine. Delicately spicy, floral, with a saline element and a wet shale note, this Kabinett is refreshing and lovely in the glass, as is per normal for a Dönnhoff. Coming from Dönnhoff’s terraced vineyards, with their picturesque steep slopes above the Nahe River this slate driven and distinctive Oberhäuser Leistenberg Kabinett, one of my favorite wines, is an elegant off-dry Riesling, made with expert precision. These carbon-laced decomposed argillaceous slate soils and steep terraced hillsides provide ideal conditions for Riesling, according to the the winery, the cooler afternoon conditions here at the Oberhäuser Leistenberg vineyard allow for long hang times and lower natural alcohol, making for sophisticated versions of this Riesling grape. This is also the original Dönnhoff vineyard site, so for the family it holds a very special place in their hearts, and I can feel the pride in this wine. Made from organic grapes, all grown in this VDP Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) vineyard and certified Fair’n Green, this Riesling, widely admired by the grape’s biggest fans, not just me is pleasing to the palate and made with great respect to the local environment and the planet. The Riesling vines here are old clones sourced from Dönnhoff’s sites in Niederhausen and Schlossböckelheim. As I was reminded of by Wines of Germany USA, who are in full celebration of Rieslings 589th birthday and who gifted me this bottle of the beautiful 2022 vintage to get the word out, knowing I have long been a fan of Riesling and of Dönnhoff, a winery I have been drinking for more than 25 years.
On March 13, 2024 the noble Riesling grape turns 589 years old, but, as Wines of Germany USA says, the variety is fresher and more innovative than ever, especially Rieslings from Cornelius Dönnhoff which are some of the best in the world, from this delicious Oberhäuser Leistenberg Kabinett to majestic collection of dry Grosses Gewachs. From its roots as a sweet wine, fit for kings and queens of Europe, to its modern dry, off-dry and sparkling iterations, again as Wines of Germany USA notes, Riesling doesn’t look a day over 500. Riesling’s story, as explained to me, begins historically with Count Katzenelnbogen, German wine extraordinaire, logged the first evidence of the Riesling grape near the Rheingau region on March 13, 1435, hence the birthday. One of his administrators bought a new white grape variety from a vineyard in Rüsselsheim for 22 shillings, and it caused a stir, as this grape variety, now know as Riesling, was much better in terms of quality than was typical for the time with its later ripening and its being more resistant to frost, and with a much more expressive aromatically. Thus, the Riesling legend was born and soon it was transported to other parts of Germany, maybe most notably the Mosel where it gained favor with Roman Catholic controlled vineyards in the region, while plantings all over flourished as well, as seen in here in the small Name region. The Dönnhoff’s, one of the greatest German winemaking families, first came to the Nahe region over 200 years ago, and after establishing a modest farm, they now have some of the world’s most renown vineyards and make some of the world’s best white wines. Cornelius Dönnhoff’s slate influenced Oberhäuser Leistenberg Kabinett, fermented and matured in stainless steel vats and large Germany oak stuckfass, should not be overlooked in Dönnhoff’s stellar collection of Rieslings, as mentioned many times, it always performs in classic and stylish way with its terroir driven purity in the glass.
($28 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive