The Riesling Trocken Donnhoff is a Riesling from one of Germany's—and the world's—top producers. The masterful combination of different soils creates a wine with minerality and fruity character that will excite lovers of the variety.
The Donnhoff family has been based in Nahe for 250 years, but the winery's rise to fame and ultimate recognition began in 1976 when Helmut Donnhoff took over. Described as a "superstar" by Robert Parker, he frequently received perfect 100-point scores. Likewise, renowned wine writer Hugh Johnson regarded Donnhoff as "totally dedicated to quality and a natural winemaking talent." His son, Cornelius, follows in his footsteps, having learned all the secrets of Riesling under his guidance.
For the Riesling Trocken Donnhoff 2022, the vineyards are never irrigated, despite Nahe’s dry climate. This forces the vines to search deep into the soil for water, creating competition that contributes to the exceptional quality of the grapes.
Vineyard plots with different soil types—volcanic, clay, and rocky—are carefully selected to capture the unique characteristics of each. Riesling is well known for its ability to express different terroirs in the final wine, and Cornelius fully capitalizes on this trait. Fermentation takes place with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks and traditional large 1,200-liter oak casks. The wine then matures on fine lees for several months, adding extra complexity. The result is expressive and delicious, with the subtle petrol notes we all love.
