Part 2 of 3. Notes from the Nahe. These visits were September 24.
DONNHOFF
The tasting room at Dönnhoff is a modern, jazzy space with lots of sunlight and sparse decoration. It’s surprising that a winery that has so few visitors has such a modern tasting area. Herr Dönnhoff asks what we would like to taste, and it’s quickly clear that everything will be about right. So he gets glasses and wine, and it’s off to the races for as fine a collection of wine we’ve ever tasted.
2002 is a relatively small crop here. The dry conditions and heat were the same as everywhere, but spring hail also reduced the crop by some amount. As the first wine is poured we discuss the outlook for 2003, and Herr Dönnhoff is cautiously optimistic, though he says that the conditions in the Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle are not so favorable. Somehow I think he’ll overcome any difficulties. The harvest will begin on 9/29 for the Pinot varieties (blanc and gris), with a few selected parcels of Riesling after that.
We start the tasting with a range of wines that has never been available in the USA.
2002 Riesling Trocken
Very clear and clean floral and mineral notes. Flavors of apples, pear and flowers. This is a fine aperitif wine.
2002 Weissburgunder Trocken
This is the version done in stainless steel. It’s very expressive for Pinot Blanc, with pear, vanilla and slight smoky aromas. Pear flavors mark this wine, and it has a creamier finish than I would have expected. This is very rich for Pinot Blanc.
2002 Grauburgunder Trocken
A very elegant style of Pinot Gris, with pear, smoke and mineral aromas and flavors. Not as vibrant and mineral as the Pinot Blanc, but richer.
2002 Weissburgunder Trocken S
This is the “barrique” Pinot Blanc. Helmut says he does a little barrique Pinot Blanc and Gris “just for fun.” I actually prefer this to the regular, steel version, as it has greater depth and creaminess, and the pear and vanilla flavors are enhanced by subtle oak treatment. It’s not in any respect oaky, but rather a bigger wine and has long smoky pear flavors on the finish.
2002 Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken
This is very refreshing and crisp wine with lots of lilac and citrus aromas. There are tons of rocks in the bottle. Excellent trocken!
2002 Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Spätlese Trocken
The soils in Schlossböckelheim give a different aroma and flavor profile. The rocks are volcanic in nature and red in color. The wine smells and tastes of cherries and peaches rather than citrus fruits. There’s also a deep floral aroma (cherry blossoms?). Significant extract buffers the acids, and the peaches blend with broad stony flavors in the finish.
2002 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese Trocken
Cherries, peach and apple skin dominate on the nose. Hermannshöhole gives an elegant dry wine in the same way that it makes elegant sweet Spätlese. The fruit flavors and minerals are like a ghost that wafts across the palate. The finish is very persistent but resolutely dry. An afterimage of cherry hangs on for a very long time.
This was our first chance to taste Helmut Dönnhoff’s dry wines. It was an impressive showing, and it demonstrated that he made great wines that don’t need the cover of sugar. To a certain extent that’s why we were there. We had been buying the sweet Kabinett and Spätlese wines for years, but never knew his trockens were so good. They displayed the common trait of Dönnhoff wines: transparency. Exposed to the bones, with no residual sugar, the site and variety came through.
Herr Donnhoff was involved in an animated conversation with Peter at this point. Even though we could not understand the discussion, the subject was relatively clear (and Peter was able to translate a condensed version). Helmut Donnhoff used to think that the vineyards differences were an illusion, but as he has become older (and wiser!) he now can go into a vineyard (in Germany or elsewhere), take in the smell of that site (the air and the soil) and identify and understand the effect of that site on a finished wine. Certainly there was a power of suggestion element at work, but when we visited the Brücke and Kupfergrube vineyards later in the day the connection with the wines was clear. Helmut’s face lit up a little when Laura mentioned her desire to taste wine in the vineyard from whence it came.
Returning to the wines, we move to the “sweet” versions, though the word sweet does not do justice to these windows on the vineyard. Herr Dönnhoff’s passion is evident not only in the wines he makes, but also in how engaged he becomes when discussing wines he’s probably tasted countless times.
2002 Estate Riesling
Ripe cherries and apples. It’s off-dry, not truly sweet, and the balance is wonderful. It’s not better than the dry version, just different, though I would use the wines in much the same way. They are both fine as aperitif or with light lunch/picnic dishes.
2002 Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Kabinett
Wow there’s a lot of cherries in here. It’s so ripe that it almost (but not quite) tastes tropical. There’s a sweet, soft finish, and a distinct note of orange zest.
2002 Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett
More minerals than the Dellchen and better acid balance. Much more vibrant and mouthfilling. Tastes less sweet (due to the acids), and ripe apple and peach flavors mix with minerals on the palate. This is delicious Kabinett, and as on Saturday I prefer it to the 2001 version of the same wine.
We were then privileged to taste four stunning Spätlesen in succession. Each was a totally separate wine in vineyard expression and flavor, but the common theme of transparency ran through all four.
2002 Norheimer Kirscheck Riesling Spätlese
As the name implies, this smells of cherries. Peach fruit and richness of spice come through on the palate, and the element of spice makes this the most complex of all the wines tasted so far. While it’s the sweetest of the four Spätlesen to my taste, it also has (with the Kupfergrube) the most breadth (if not depth), so it carries the sweetness on a larger scale.
2002 Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spätlese
I’ve only been following the Kupfergrube wines for four years, so each year the wine is still a bit of a surprise. This one is unique to me in its immediate complexity, where prior years this wine has been the one with sheer force of fruit. 2002 makes this a true Dönnhoff wine, as the strawberry and pear flavors are less forward. The fruit is mingled with the red rock influences, giving the wine a sense of smoke and lifting the minerals to the front. The Kupfergrube is a site of high reputation in the Nahe, and here is a window to its greatness.
2002 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese
This wine shifts gears, and brings the rocks right to the front. It’s a chiseled wine, like a marble statue, elegant but also solid. White peach, cassis and cherry flavors are all on the palate, but as is normally true of Brücke in my experience, the soil has the most to say right now.
2002 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese
It’s always a pleasure to taste wines from this site, and to have this wine twice in the same week while in the Nahe is truly a treat. It is true for me that to taste the wine near where it is grown means something more than to have it 4000 miles away. The wine seems more alive, and to drink it with the vintner who nurtured it from vine to bottle is to transcend wine and enter the realm of emotion. This is the perfect wine to have under such a circumstance. It’s complex and ethereal, and I find myself struggling to describe it in any way except by texture. Each time I think I have a fruit flavor isolated it jumps away, leaving only transparency and delicacy that I describe again as see-through silk.
What is left undiscovered is Spätlese from the Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg and Norheimer Dellchen. Dönnhoff crafted six Spätlese wines in 2002, and if by some magical chance I can locate all six they will certainly comprise one of the most stunning horizontal reviews that can be found in all of wine.
We had already spent two hours talking and tasting wine, and we were not yet done. Herr Dönnhoff still had four more wines to show us.
2002 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese
Hermannshöhle Auslese is usually Laura’s favorite wine from Donnhoff. It’s normally a distillation of the Spätlese, adding subtle power to the clarity, and giving the fruit an added richness. This time there is also a touch of botrytis (perhaps 10% or so says Helmut), but the fruit and site are still as clear (and as inscrutable) as always. Auslese is a category that I love to just drink. Some Auslesen are meant for food, and others for sitting and contemplating. Hermannshohle for me is a wine of deep thought and contemplation. (Back in April Laura and I sat with Florida Jim Cowan and Bob Cuozzi, drinking Hermannshohle Auslese and looking at our photographs of the Canadian Rockies. That may have been the perfect way to have the wine, unless we someday drink it while actually in the mountains.)
2002 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese
There’s more botrytis here than in the Hermannshöhle. This is the only Dönnhoff wine that I would describe as “big,” but it’s not heavy, just rich and tropical. The flavors, especially as they are carried on the spice and honey of botrytis, are more penetrating, and the blend of nectarine and apricot is smothered in a honey glaze on the finish. This should age into something glorious.
2001 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese GK AP#18
This is the brother of the AP#17 that came to the USA in 2002. There’s botrytis again, though not as overt as in the ’02 Brücke. The depth and richness of ’01 is apparent here, and also the length is beyond that of the regular ’02. As always there is the clarity of the vineyard.
I am reminded here of my overall impression of ’02 versus ’01. 2002 is slimmer (but not small), showing more of its bones, and therefore perhaps being more classically appealing now. I think ’01 will be “superior” for the long haul in most cases (its richness helping it to age), but 2002 is a truly fine vintage. The acid structures do not appear that different to the taste (and they’re not very different analytically in many cases that I have seen the numbers), but because 2002 does not have the “baby fat” of ’01 it frequently seems more vibrant. I think we’ll be drinking the ‘02s in their prime earlier than the ‘01s, but both will age very well.
2002 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Eiswein
This has been open for a week, but shows none the worse for wear. Dönnhoff Eiswein always seems to me to be more Riesling than Eiswein. This is no exception. There’s tropical fruit and ripe (not biting) acids. The minerals, fruit and acid all come together, and the wine finishes zingy and fresh. It’s compelling, not overwhelming.
And so we reach the end of a tasting that is (along with St. Urbans-Hof and Leitz) the most illuminating of our trip. As so many people know, Laura and I nearly hoard Dönnhoff wines, waiting for that special moment to drink them. I now see that as unfair to the wines. It’s amazing to taste a number of them together, seeing the common threads and experiencing the sites. While the wines deserve respect for their quality, to only drink them as museum pieces ignores their vitality. Helmut Dönnhoff is a man who shows great joy in what he does, and the wines should be consumed in that same spirit of joy.
SCHAEFER-FROLICH
2002 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Trocken
Lots of minerals on the nose. Palate comes across as quite rich, with lemon, peach and stone elements. Harvested at 90 degrees öchsle.
2002 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Trocken “S”
The S stands for selection, but not in any legal sense. It’s truly selected picking for higher öchsle (96 in this case), and it indeed has more sheer material. But right now this wine comes across as severely mineral and closed. It’s obvious there’s more here, but it’s not showing it right now.
2002 Monziger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Trocken (Grosses Gewächs)
This is the selected wine for 2002 to be the great growth/grand cru dry Riesling. Tim selects the best dry wine for this rather than making a pre-determination at picking. This wine is a very good choice. The wine smells and tastes of candied lemons. It’s very intense and slightly smoky, perhaps from sheer concentration. It actually reminds me a bit of Trimbach CFE. I wish we had more luggage space, as this would be a fine wine to bring home in quantity. It needs to age so it can truly show what it’s got.
Again the wine gods have chastised me for my criticism of the first growth/great growth system put in place a few years ago. It is a rare winery that has abandoned their sweet Spätlese program to go in search of the Grosses Gewachs grail. Instead it has become a beacon for high quality dry wine that tastes more like the fine wines of Alsace and Austria than watered down, acidic Riesling-product.
2002 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Halbtrocken
There’s that word again. The 15 grams of residual sugar per liter really adds brightness to the fruit. This is clearly not the wine the Frühlingsplätzchen is, but the sugar touch gives it some immediate appeal. This will make a fine aperitif, but will never be a profound wine.
Moving on to the fruity-style wines, I find myself tiring. It’s hard to taste nothing but good to excellent wines. There’s no throwaway wine, no swirl, sniff, sip and spit. Each wine deserves some level of contemplation, and only midway through our third day I’m worn out. The level of concentration that must be required to do this professionally is beyond my comprehension right now.
2002 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling QbA
Smoky citrus notes with some fermentative aromas from the wild yeast. The long and elegant finish is laced with orange zest. Only 8 g/l of acidity, but it tastes like 10.
2002 Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Kabinett
Red fruit and mineral aromas dominate, and make this seem typically Nahe. The mouth feel is very chalky and mineral, as if limestone has been dissolved into the wine. While the fruit is very expressive, it’s dominated by the textural elements of the wine.
2002 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spätlese
Yellow fruits and apples come through on the nose. This has excellent acid balance, with ripe apple and pear flavors. The finish is moderately long, and full of pear and yellow plum flavors, with the slightest hint of plum skin (bitterness) cleaning out the finish.
2002 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spätlese GK
This has 105 öchsle and no botrytis according to Tim. The wine is very yeasty on the nose, with lots of peach and cherry fruit. There’s good underlying minerality, but right now this seems to have all the parts but not in the right places. It needs time to come together. Great material here, but disjointed right now.
2002 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Auslese
We’re just barely into BA level ripeness here, but the feel is of elegant Auslese. Very honeyed, but not at all heavy, with candied peach and lemon flavors, there’s great persistence of fruit in this wine. The sugar is not overpowering. This is a fine Auslese.
2002 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Eiswein GK
Archetypal Eiswein nose of dried fruit laced with chili pepper spice. Apricots, honey, lime zest and brisk acids are all well integrated. Excellent Eiswein.
HEXAMER
Hexamer is another recent find for us, as well as for Peter Ruhrberg (who had not previously visited here) and the American market. Harald Hexamer scores points with me for having a parking area large enough to accommodate our mini-van! Petra Hexamer answered the door, and went to get Harald who was busy in the winery.
A brief cellar tour allows Herr Hexamer to finish a task he started before our arrival. It’s time to do the final filtering and blending of the 2002 Weissburgunder. As part of this, and before the mixing begins, Harald offers us Laura and me tastes of his proposed (and final) blend by mixing in the glasses samples of Weissburgunder done in stainless steel and wood. Peter’s glass is left as the straight stainless steel version. The blend is a friendly, vanilla tinged sipper, but the plain stainless steel version has a vibrancy of citrus and pear fruit, as well as brighter acids. Alas for the stainless steel version. Hexamer sets up the filtering equipment, connects the two tanks, and the blend is irrevocably finalized.
Back in the tasting room we are given a most difficult choice. What wines, from a staggering list of almost 40, do we wish to taste. Since we’re still relatively unfamiliar with Hexamer’s wines we do the usual dance of “a few trockens and then the sweeter wines please.” Harald is surprised that we want to taste the dry wines, and we go through the usual explanation of distribution and wanting exposure to the whole range of German wine.
2002 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Halbtrocken
Just barely off dry (the 10 grams of acid really balance out the 18 grams of sugar) with intense aromas of peach and lime. Very vibrant and fresh.
2002 Sobernheimer Marbach Riesling Spätlese Trocken
A more aggressive style of trocken than we’ve come to expect. There’s good weight, but it seems to be overly tart. Perhaps it’s closed now, as Harald Hexamer say he was very happy with it a few months ago.
2002 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Spatlese Trocken
This is the goods. There’s really fantastic weight and depth here, with ripe citrus fruit on a tingly (but not aggressive) frame. Finishes with lots of mineral weight and the citrus (grapefruit and orange) keeps pumping all through the finish. Peter, Laura and me all agree that this is superior to the Marbach trocken, and Harald also agrees stating that it is only in the last month or so that this wine has overtaken the Marbach. Boy if it’s only been a month then it’s been like an F-1 racecar blowing past a bicycle.
As an intermezzo between the dry and sweeter wines, Harald offers us a taste of something completely different.
2002 Spätburgunder Rosé Halbtrocken
A simple, but pretty wine with strawberry and floral notes. With solid acid structure this is not German white zin, but more refreshing. For 4.30 Euros it’s cheap, gulp-able picnic wine.
And so on to the sweeter wines.
2002 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Kabinett
Great nose of ripe citrus and peach. Pretty dry on the palate, and not as expressive as on the nose. It’s almost a touch too austere right now. Perhaps a little time will bring out more on the palate. If it ever opens up as much as the aromatics it will be one swell Kabinett.
2002 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling “Quartzit”
I had tasted this in New York (June) and loved it. This bottle had been open for three days, and as such had lost some of the verve that the New York sample showed. (It’s interesting to note that Hexamer opened new bottles nearly every time in place of previously opened samples. This one wine sort of slipped through. It had also been sitting out, and was a touch too warm.) There is still s lot of ripe lime flavor and the stony, chalky mouth feel is there, but it’s showing a bit heavy. I’m going to trust my note from New York, and put this down as an unrepresentative sample.
2002 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Spätlese *
There’s no confusion on the * this year. We did not actually taste the no-star Spätlese, so I can’t do a direct comparison. Let me just say that if I could have driven rather than flown, I would have to back up the truck for this and the following wine. This is very intense. Lime, apple, yellow plum and some peach all find their way into the nose and palate. There’s a ton of minerals on the finish, and despite its analytically high sugar and moderate level of acidity it tastes balanced. So much for analyses.
2002 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Spätlese **
The big brother, and more costly at a whopping 8.80 Euros (compared to 7.80 for the * version). This goes to even riper fruit, with apricot in place of the peach, and quince in place of apple. It’s almost achingly intense on the finish, as if it’s a bit of an Eiswein. It’s certainly a great value in Spätlese.
2002 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Auslese
Tons of fruit and zero botrytis. Pure apple and peach aromas and flavors with amazing balancing acidity. This is fresh, ripe and a joy to drink. This is not a dessert Auslese, but rather one that can just be enjoyed as a refreshing wine to drink.
2002 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Auslese “-7 degrees C”
This was meant to be an Eiswein, but only came in at 118 öchsle, so could not legally receive the pradikat (minimum of 120). What it lacks in öchsle it makes up for in sheer, electric fruit. Peaches smothered in lime juice dominate the flavors, and the wild acidity (16.3 g/l) is more like an Eiswein than many legitimate versions I have tasted. This is not for everyone due to the freakish acids, but if you like acidity it’s one wild ride. Wins the award as freakiest wine of the trip.
2002 Sobernheimer Marbach Riesling Eiswein
From a ripeness standpoint this is the big brother of the –7 Auslese, but it’s actually lower in acidity. That doesn’t hurt though, because the balance is there for the sugar. There’s just a touch of the chili/horseradish Eiswein aroma, with ripe apricot and peach doused in citrus juice. This is really nice Eiswein, and for 33 Euros we bought some.
While we were sampling the last few wines we had our only meaningful discussion about cork alternatives on the whole trip. We had noticed that Hexamer had screw caps on some of the less expensive wines. He indicated a desire to be at 50% screw cap in 2003. My main concern was that it’s only the cheapest wines that get the taint-free closure. Granted there is not a wealth of aging data for screw cap closures, but as I indicated to Harald Hexamer, I would rather drink a taint free Eiswein at 2-5 years old than be stuck with a corked Eiswein at 15 or 20 years. |