2006 NIEDERHÄUSER HERMANNSHÖHLE AUSLESE GOLDKAPSEL, Donnhoff. Nähe (Half bottle)

“The best of the Nahe wines have the minerality but with a bold fruit character and volcanic spice like character and good acidity. Diversity is huge, and thanks to the fact that more and more single vineyard wines are emerging, there is a revelation going on, a real deal. The days are over when Nahe wines had to use a different wine regions name to sell their wines. One of the most fantastic single vineyard sites with a lot of history and great quality is the Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle.
The most probable answer for the vineyard name is, that the wording Hermann comes from the name Hermes (it got changed into German) who was a Roman God and protector of the travellers and messengers. Höhle meaning cave could have been the place where they stored the powder for the copper (Kupfer) mine.
The little over 8 ha (8,55ha) is on the North side of the Nahe River just where the flow of the river is bending so does the vineyard of the Hermannhöhle forming a harmony with the river Nahe. The soil is quite complex from grey slate volcanic melaphyr and porphyr with sand stone and lower amount of clay.” Kristian Kielmayer

Helmut Dönnhoff is one of the greatest winemakers in Germany (and therefore the world). He makes dry, off-dry and fully sweet wines which all combine real concentration with beguiling delicacy. In 2005 he was ‘Wine Personality of the Year’ in Robert Parker’s ‘The Wine Advocate’

“A savoury note initially followed by pears on the nose. Very rich orange sorbet on the palate but still an underlying streak of minerality.” – 18/20. Julia Harding MW