Interesting… so it’s a highly acidic riesling then? kinda Alsatian in form?
will be interested to try…
High acid, yes, but also opulent fruit. Different flavor profile than what you typically get from Alsace, closer to Austria. Really a unique wine.
Higher acid than Alsace. Not as dry as most Austrians. A unique expression of Riesling, as are the others.
Alan,
Your enthusiastic note pushed me into popping the cork of this one other day, and very glad I did!
•2009 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe (6/17/2014)
At first the nose was all minerals and a host of other dry traits, but as the wine opened up, the orchid fruits emerged, as well as an elegant perfume aroma. The palate was a tad simple on the first few sips, but soon expanded into a multi faceted, complex drink. Alan’s note of red apple is spot on. I especially loved how light and lithe the palate felt from a weight perspective but absolutely loaded with an intensity of flavor. The back half saw a refreshing wave of citrus and slightly saline tinted acidity that kept everything in perfect balance not to mention vigorous and spry. Lots of life left here, but don’t think for a second that this will bring anything less than a smile to your face if opened up today. In hindsight, I would have decanted this an hour or two beforehand. Terrific. (94 points)
Is Hermannshöhle really pronounced how it looks? Uncomfortable name IMO.
More like Hermannshullah
I’ve always jokingly called it “The Herminator”
Remember, no silent e in German, so you can rest assured this wine isn’t the fruit of Herman’s hole.
Drinking one tonight. It’s a nice wine, plenty of flavor and verve, some steely minerality. Pretty decent value.
When I was working as an Army contractor I would do a few months each year in the area northeast of Munich. Some very nice restaurants and a few shops … Especially just outside of Munich… Shops had many more Donnhoff bottlings than I was familiar with in the US. The Germans had been going in a more Trocken direction and obviously these were destined for the market at home. Wonderful wines meant for pates, terrines, and nicely sauced but still simple chicken and pork dishes that the region does so well. One of my few regrets at being totally retired is not making those trips 8^)
I’ve always thought it was Hermes’ Hollow under the House.