2014 Weingut Donnhoff, Riesling Kabinett, Oberhauser Leistenberg, Nahe, Germany.
This slate driven Kabinet is sexy, aromatic and full of mineral personality with a faint sweetness that lets everything form together in near perfection, this vintage proves a little sugar goes a long way, in fact with Donnhoff especially, the 2014 Kabinett offerings are some of the best wines of the vintage! With unique charms and it’s own bright personality the 2014 Oberhausen Leistenberg, grown on pure slate, is very alluring with white flowers and rosewater rising from the glass along with wet shale, dried honey, ginger and ocean breeze leading to a palate that has a sense of feline grace and tension, a hint of wild, but sleek and stealthy. The main thrust here is lime, white peach, crushed stones, apricot, dried pineapple, a little green apple and tangerine sorbet with touch of salted verbena. This is the real deal, Donnhoff nailed the vintage in Kabinett and Spatlese, these are classic and stylish wines that have very few peers, be sure to hoard the QbA Estate and the Kabinett level wines for short to mid term drinking, the vintage was difficult with a tiny crop so the wines will be in short supply. There is a wonderful play between dry and lush, sweet and savory, mineral and fruity that challenges you and excites your senses, it is fantastic in feel and refreshing with acidity and energy throughout. The Nahe terroir shines through in 2014 and with truly special delicacy and inner perfume you will be hard pressed to find a better and more compelling white wine for the money than this Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett, drink from 2016 to 2022, DO NOT MISS!
($30 Est.) 93+ Points, grapelive
