2006 Donnhoff Schloßbockelheimer Felsenberg Spatlese

Hello everyone,

This is my maiden post on WLDG. Some of you who frequent the Australian boards might know me as Wizz. I'm still learning at a rate of knots, but I'd like to participate here as my current passion is Germany (Riesling in particular) and there seem to be others with similar interests. We don't get a huge range in Australia but seem to be slowly changing. Anyhow, to start off, heres what I though of the Donnhoff:

Floral, lime bath salts and cold tea nose. Palate is light, delicate, and lovely. Lemons, green apple, a touch of passionfruit, and more granny smith appleskin on the finish. Some spritz to keep this lively across the mid palate. On the whole though the acid seems just a little short for the texture, and this is a touch cloying. Very tasty and pure nonetheless, and lovely with soft cheese.

Cheers

Andrew

[David M. Bueker]

Hi Andrew, and welcome to the WLDG. It's good to have another fan of German Riesling here.

Thanks for posting on the '06 Felsenberg. I recently opened the '06 Donnhoff Felsenturmchen (a parcel selection from the Felsenberg), and I can understand where you are coming from about the acids, but would suggest that given the richness of the '06 vintage, and its normal level of acidity (compared to the low acid years of '97, '99, '03 & '05) that some time will be kind to the Felsenberg. There's more acid there than you might be finding. 2006 is a tough vintage to warm up to if you're looking for cut and precision, as it's loaded with fat. It won't cut now as there's a guard on the blade of the acidity. Only time will remove that guard.

Hello Andrew,
Another German Wine Fan, I am also new here and have found a wealth of information in just the last month! There are many knowledgeable people here. Is the vineyard you are speaking of near what used to be a famous copper mine? What kind of soils do you have there? I admit I know very little about wines from the Nahe. I have had a few Donnhoff, Emrich Schonleber wines. I don't see them on the shelves much but I can get them here without paying shipping. Any recommendations? I like the whole range from dry to heaven.

Michael

David, thanks for that feedback on the vintage, that crystallises some bits of information I had, which were along the lines of ripeness getting away from acids. The wine definitely had weight. Unfortuantely the Felsenturmchen isn't imported into Australia.

Michael, I'm relatively new to Nahe as well. I cut my teeth on Mosel, which is much more available here. but Donnhoff is too big a name to ignore, so I needed to try some From what I can find, the Kupfergrube vineyard was once a copper mine - but I don't have any reference for how close these two sites are together.

I also tried the 06 Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett and really liked it.

cheers

Andrew

[David M. Bueker]

Guys - I don't have time this very minute, but I have a photo that shows where these sites are located. I will try to annotate and post it today sometime.

I also have a piece of rock from the Felsenberg. I will try to post a photo of that as well.

Guys - I don't have time this very minute, but I have a photo that shows where these sites are located. I will try to annotate and post it today sometime.

I also have a piece of rock from the Felsenberg. I will try to post a photo of that as well.

I take my chance to get in first: here is the Felsentürmchen part of Felsenberg. The Kupergrube is seen in part higher up, but also the continuation of an imaginary line down all the way, which is where Dönnhoff has his plot, in the steeper section. The flat part in front is also Kupfergube, owned I believe by Crusius.

http://www.winepage.de/Pictures/Nahe/104_0461.JPG

and the overview is here, with Felsenberg on the top left part (the the little tower is near the right end of the vineyard, which then turns into Kupfergrube, the Dönnhoff section of which really is the colser to the Felsenberg than to the main Kupfergube vineyard.

http://www.winepage.de/Pictures/Nahe/104_0433.JPG

The Kupfergrube lies mostly above the state domain building.

Peter

Andrew,
watch out for 2007 for the Felsenberg. I tasted a magnificient Felsentürmchen Spl, as well as superb dry Felsenberg Spl trocken, plus a great Felsenberg Auslese, and my favorite Kupfergube Spl so far, on a recent visit to the estate (barrel samples). That patch of land has perfomed magnificiently in 2007, with more botrytis than other sites nearby, esp. around the Felsentürmchen. The bortrytis gives of course some more excotic flavors, but they are so clean and pure in 2007, and the acids and minerality of the wines are so refreshing, that the overall imression is one of irresistable beauty.

Peter

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for posting the photos Peter. The view from the Lemberg (Peter's 2nd photo) really gives an interesting perspective, as you can see how close together most of Donnhoff's sites are, yet they retail such individuality of character due to varying soils, exposure, etc.

I will still snap and post a photo of the Felsenberg rock later.

[David M. Bueker]

Here's the rock from the Felsenberg:

Felsenberg Rock.jpg