Notes:

The 2019 Riesling Beerenauslese Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle is clear and refined on the precise and crystalline nose that offers very fine raisin aromas intertwined with the typically delicate slate spiciness of the Hermannshöhle. Rich, intense and crystalline on the palate, with remarkable, highly refined acidity and lingering mineral tension, this is possibly the finest BA I have tasted from Dönnhoff so far. The acidity is incredibly sharp and cuts through the delicate fruit like a knife. The sweetness is only piquant and salty here, and everything is perfectly interwoven (and will be after many years of bottle aging). The 2019 has a stimulating grip, and everything is so playful, harmonious and in a tensioned balance. This is a very digestible BA. Tasted in April and May 2020 (AP 18 20). Wine Advocate 98

• Producer: Weingut Dönnhoff is one of the leading estates of Germany’s Nahe region, based in Oberhausen an der Nahe. The Dönnhoff family has been associated with viticulture in the region for generations, with Helmut Dönnhoff responsible for establishing the estate’s modern international reputation and his son Cornelius Dönnhoff subsequently taking over responsibility for the domaine. Riesling is the estate’s principal grape, and its holdings include many of the Nahe’s most important vineyards, among them Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle, Oberhäuser Brücke, Dellchen, Felsenberg and Norheimer Kirschheck. The estate is a member of the VDP, and Hermannshöhle is classified as a VDP.GROSSE LAGE, the organization’s designation for its highest-ranked vineyard sites. Dönnhoff’s sweet wines are produced only when vintage conditions provide appropriately ripe and, for Beerenauslese, botrytized fruit. The 2019 Hermannshöhle Beerenauslese was produced in extremely limited quantities.
• Vineyard: Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle is one of the Nahe’s most celebrated Riesling vineyards and has been regarded as an exceptional site for well over a century. The vineyard rises above the Nahe River at Niederhausen and benefits from a warm, protected position. Its geology is particularly complex, incorporating dark slate and volcanic material, including porphyry-derived components, along with other weathered mineral deposits. The dark, rocky soils absorb warmth while providing excellent drainage, and the steep vineyard position gives Riesling both prolonged exposure and a strong mineral framework. Hermannshöhle is officially classified VDP.GROSSE LAGE and is regarded by Dönnhoff as one of the estate’s most important sites. For this Beerenauslese, individual noble-rot-affected berries were selectively harvested by hand, concentrating both sugar and extract while retaining the vineyard’s naturally high acidity and mineral character.
• Winemaking: The 2019 Beerenauslese is 100% Riesling produced from individually selected, botrytized berries harvested through multiple selective passes through Hermannshöhle. The concentrated fruit was gently pressed in a traditional basket press, and both fermentation and maturation took place in stainless steel. The use of stainless steel is particularly important for a wine of this concentration, preserving the purity of the Riesling and the vineyard’s acidity without adding oak-derived flavor. The wine carries the German Beerenauslese Prädikat, a category requiring individually selected, highly concentrated berries at considerably greater must weight than Kabinett, Spätlese or Auslese. The wine’s official AP number is 18 20, identifying this particular bottling within Dönnhoff’s 2019 production.
• Technical Details: Nahe, Germany; Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle; VDP.GROSSE LAGE vineyard; 2019 vintage; Beerenauslese; 100% Riesling; selectively hand-harvested botrytized berries; basket pressed; fermented and matured in stainless steel; 7% ABV on the original 2019 release listings; AP 18 20; natural cork closure. Contemporary listings document the original release predominantly in 375ml half bottles, although a 750ml bottling is also documented, including your current Vins Rare inventory listing.
• Food Pairing: Foie gras, foie gras terrine, Roquefort, Stilton, blue cheese, tarte Tatin, apricot tart, peach tart, poached pears, crème brûlée and fruit-based desserts. The defining feature of a Beerenauslese pairing is balancing its substantial sweetness with either salt, richness or restrained dessert sweetness. Foie gras and blue cheeses provide a savory counterpoint, while apricot, peach and apple-based desserts echo Riesling’s concentrated fruit without overwhelming its acidity. With a wine of this pedigree and concentration, it is also entirely appropriate to serve a small pour on its own after dinner rather than pairing it with dessert.