The Dönnhoff family first came to the Nahe region over 200 years ago, and after establishing a modest farm slowly evolved into a full-fledged wine estate. Helmut Dönnhoff has been making the wine since 1971, and now his son Cornelius works alongside in the winery and in their 25 hectares of Erste Lage, or grand cru vineyards. Their holdings represent some of the best in the Nahe and all of Germany. Oberhäuser Leistenberg, the oldest vineyard held by the family, has slate soils and produces fruity wines with elegant acidity. The Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg is a very old site with porphyry soil. Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle, perhaps the most famous of all the Nahe vineyards, is a slate vineyard with many conglomerates of volcanic rocks, mostly porphyry and melaphyr. The Oberhäuser Brücke, the smallest vineyard in the Nahe, is a tiny parcel saddled on the Nahe River that Dönnhoff owns in entirety. The Brücke has grey slate covered by loess-clay and the vines ripen even later here than in the Hermannshöhle due to large diurnal temperature swings along the river. The Norheimer Dellchen is a steep terraced vineyard in a rocky hollow with porphyry and slate soil. Norheimer Kirscheck sits on a steep south slope of slate soil and produces delicately fruity wines with spice and race. The Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl vineyard has perfect drainage due its topsoil of pebbles over loam soil; characteristic are wines with a mineralic elegance. Due to the water table that flows beneath the vineyard's soil the Krötenpfhul has always been farmed organically, even before it was held by Dönnhoff.
Although the Nahe is a dry region, Dönnhoff does not water their vineyards as to encourage deep rooted vines. The soil is covered with organic material like straw and compost to preserve water and to avoid evaporation and erosion in heavy rains. The vines are all grown on wire frames, low to the ground to benefit from the warmth of the stoney topsoil, and at a density of approx. 6000 vines per hectare. The Riesling vines are old clones sourced from the sites in Niederhausen and Schloßböckelheim.
Grapes are always picked by hand at Dönnhoff over 2-3 passes through each vineyard. To preserve laser-like focus and clarity in the wines, the grapes are pressed as soon as possible – within 3 hours of picking. Wines are fermented in traditional German casks (1200 L stuck and 2400 L doppelstuck) as well as stainless steel with spontaneous fermentations. Donnhoff's cellar is unique in its capacity to hold all of its production entirely in stainless steel or in cask, allowing for the ideal elevage for any wine at any point during a vintage.
Vineyard area: 25 hectares
Annual production: 17,000 cases
Vineyard holdings:
Niederhäusen – Hermannshöhle (slate, sandstone, limestone)
Oberhäusen – Brücke (slate, porphyry, sandstone, loam) Leistenberg (slate)
Schlossböckelheim – Felsenberg (porphyry) and Kupfergrube (weathered volcanic soil with a high copper content)
Norheim – Kirschheck (slate, sandstone) and Dellchen (slate, porphyry)
Bad Kreuznach – Krötenpfuhl (löss, quartzite), Kahlenberg (gravelly loam)
Roxheim – Höllenpfad (red sandstone)
Vinous Media 90 "This year, fruit from the Niederhäuser Klamm joins that of Oberhausen (predominantly Leistenberg) in this very subtly sweet cuvée. Niederhäuser Klamm is perhaps
James Suckling 99 "Most people who drink wine know what a ripe peach tastes like. However, this wine gives you a completely new appreciation of the
James Suckling 100 "Some truths are hard to believe and this is one of them; it won’t let you go, so there's no way of denying
James Suckling 96 "So light and filigree with such a delicate white-peach note. Yet, behind the almost weightless exterior is enormous depth
Wine Advocate 93 "The 2013 Oberhauser Brucke Spatlese is very clear, precise, herbal and mineral on the nose with lemon and pineapple aromas. Juicy, piquant and
Wine Advocate 94 "The 2013 Riesling Spatlese Niederhauser Hermannshohle is clear, pure and mineral on the nose, displaying lemon juice and crushed slate rocks, really refreshing.
James Suckling 95 "Super-cool and super-racy, this Spätlese has electric freshness and dangerously intense minerality, the complex aromas ranging from lemon zest to pineapple just beginning
"This vintage is dancing, giddy, pretty and snappy; the girl has her wits about her, and will, with impeccable charm, tear you a new one
“The wine is the absolutely perfect manifest destiny of German Riesling in its everyday form; complex, spicy, delineated and articulate, insanely delicious, and more versatile
Wine Spectator 93 "Very minerally and creamy, with plush flavors of ripe apricot, pear and spice. Enticing mint and white cherry notes linger with ginger. The
"In this humble taster’s opinion, these are the greatest Rieslings on earth. No other wine, anywhere, exceeds the clarity, polish, complexity and sheer beauty of
"This is from the porphyry site, Oberhäuser Felsenberg and the gravelly site Oberhäuser Kiegelburg, and so it’s a mini-Grand Cru. It’s another in a string
“The wine is the absolutely perfect manifest destiny of German Riesling in its everyday form; complex, spicy, delineated and articulate, insanely delicious, and more versatile
Robert Parker 94 (David Schildknecht) "From the 2004 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese rise aromas of honey, grapefruit, candied lemon and blueberries. Blue fruit and honey are
Stephen Tanzer 92 "Rich golden- yellow color.The nose offers l uscious yellow plum, honeysuckle and sweet spice, layered with a delicate hint of botrytis.Smoky pineapple jam
Robert Parker 93 "Donnhoffs 2006 Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese smells beautifully of iris, cherry, lime, and honey. Juicy melon and cherry fruit are underlain by subtle
Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spatlese 2004 Robert Parker 92 "Donnhoffs 2004 Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spatlese offers an almost fiery spice to go with its aromas of distilled
Donnhoff Scholssbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Spatlese 2004 Robert Parker 92
Robert Parker 93 "Fresh red raspberry, green tea, and thyme in the rather restrained nose of Donnhoff-s 2008 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese lead into a creamily-textured
"Back to the insane quality of the 2006; porphyry and kirsch, deep and bright, exotic and minty, spicy, with perfectly calibrated sweetness. This would easily
Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese 2006 Robert Parker 99 "Donnhoffs 2006 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese introduces a caramelization of fruit and a roasted richness that represent a
"From the porphyry site Oberhauser Felsenberg. What do you say any more? The wine is far too good for its echelon, and it represents a
Robert Parker 94 "Thyme, mint, lime, and orange inform the nose of Donnhoff-s 2008 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese which offers a lither texture and brighter, more
Robert Parker 93 "Cheery blossom, lily, and peony scent Donnhoffs 2010 Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese, persisting on the palate accompanied by succulent white peach and refreshing
