WTN: 1996 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Spätlese

The cork seemed abnormally loose and came out with almost no resistance. The wine was a deep golden, almost orange Sauternes-like colour in the glass making me immediately worry about oxidation. An initial taste confirmed it - quite sweet with some honey and peach notes, but the dominant flavour is that of stale apples left out in the sun far too long. Felt flat and tired in the mouth with very little apparent acidity and a brief finish.

With about a half hour of air this started to pick up slightly as the oxidative notes seemed to recede a little and some more youthful apple and spice flavours emerged - but after another half hour this was again tasting like a mix of sherry and stale apple juice. Frustrating.

The night was at least salvaged somewhat by an 06 Schloss Lieser Estate Riesling - the basic Qualitatswein, which really overperformed for its pricetag and my expectations. Really tasty and refreshing showing bright, precise flavours of lime, grapefruit and herbs with a saline and stony mineral character underneath. Very enjoyable and a wine I should definitely find more of. Grabbing the first thing in the cellar with a screwcap usually is very rewarding.

[David M. Bueker]

Sounds like the same problem as my '96 auslese. Bad corks...grr.

I was just sitting down to lunch with a bottle of 96 Oberhauser Brucke Spat when I read this. The first 5 minutes showed much as your bottle did. After 10 minutes it showed more acid and a light, almost feathery touch on the palate. A nice match with the stir-fried asian noodles, but could use more assertiveness. Maybe that will come with a little more air time.

[David M. Bueker]

I am just going to throw this out there, but after drinking a number of '9s this summer/fall & only having 1 that was truly enjoyable I am essentially ready to write off 1996 in Germany. It's not worth the effort.

I am just going to throw this out there, but after drinking a number of '9s this summer/fall & only having 1 that was truly enjoyable I am essentially ready to write off 1996 in Germany. It's not worth the effort.

Were these wines more promising upon release? Have your expectations been significantly reduced since then?

Is this more support for the argument of Much Broader than Burgundy premox?

[David M. Bueker]

Were these wines more promising upon release? Have your expectations been significantly reduced since then?

Is this more support for the argument of Much Broader than Burgundy premox?

Some of the wines were more promising on release. As far as premox, I suppose you could call it that, but since most of my '96 Donnhoff problems have been accompanied by lousy, lousy, lousy corks I will not call it anything other than just cork failure.

The other '96s I don't like have nothing to do with oxidation problems. The wines are very fresh in general, but quite unbalanced and sometimes lactic in their sharp acidity (weird isn't it).

The other '96s I don't like have nothing to do with oxidation problems. The wines are very fresh in general, but quite unbalanced and sometimes lactic in their sharp acidity (weird isn't it).

Interesting, but at least it doesn't appear endemic to Germany.

Interesting, but at least it doesn't appear endemic to Germany.

I don't think so either, based on a few reports here. And the much more numerous German wines I've tasted on release the last 10 years or so, with few problems -- a few percent corked, falling off in recent years -- overall maybe the least trouble-prone region of those I taste frequently. 96 is one year of which I have almost no experience, but for later years I do not worry at all. If anything, the wines are structured (and/or sulphured) to endure as their ancestors did. Well-made German Rieslings have a history as the longest-lived of European table wines. A reputation supported by episodes like one I may have mentioned: Demonstration tasting by respected German-wine wholesaler for staff of a favorite restaurant, who need to experience the wines to answer customer questions. I was present. After showing examples of current wines, and discussing them with tasters, wholesaler enhanced the perspective by opening one of the same wines from a 1970s vintage, and then from a 1930s vintage. (This wholesaler does that.) Adding 60 years of aging dimension, there for people to smell and taste for themselves.

To adapt a famous line by Conrad Veidt, these Germans can get used to all climates, from Russia to the Sahara.