Hermannshohle Grosses Gewachs, Weingut Dönnhoff 2018

Bittersweet, smoky herbal and nutty notes, along with an ore-like sense of deep mineral earthiness, serve as ideal foils for generously juicy ripe white peach and bright Meyer lemon. The feel is full and firm, and the finish is superbly multileveled, but with a strong emphasis on darkly earthy and minerally low-tones whose resonance sets the tongue and tonsils quivering. (And yes, it also refreshes.) (Drink between 2020-2032)

The 2018 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling trocken –GG– is fascinatingly pure and fragrant on the nose. Crystalline, lush and intense, this is a full-bodied, crystalline, precise, salty and persistent wine with linear tension, great grip and intensity. Tasted in July 2019.

Cornelius Dönnhoff has crafted one of the very best dry Rieslings that I tasted on this trip from the Hermannshöhle in 2018! The bouquet is deep, complex and again, so very elegant out of the blocks this year, delivering scents of pink grapefruit, tart tangerine, white flowers, a superb base of slate, lemongrass, citrus peel and just a dollop of upper register wild yeast tones. On the palate the wine is racy, focused, full-bodied and extremely mineral-driven, with a great core, laser-like focus and seamlessly balanced on the very, very long, very complex and utterly refined finish. Chapeau! (Drink between 2033-2075)