WTN: Dry Riesling-uary Donnhoff GG

[Jenise]

In my second and last contribution to this month's topic I grabbed a 2014 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs Nahe. Deep gold color. On the palate, concentrated fruit shows quince, white grapefruit and coconut notes with excellent minerality and tension. Drank over three days with nary a difference between the first and last drops.

I wrote down those three fruit references before looking back on my notes on the last bottle a couple years ago: exact same three. It got me thinking how much/often I get coconut on riesling, so I read back thru notes from others and didn't see it mentioned by anyone else--but it's so distinct to me. Am I different because I actually eat a lot of unsweetened dry coconut so it's in my world where it isn't for others? I know that's true of quince.

Am I different because I actually eat a lot of unsweetened dry coconut so it's in my world where it isn't for others?

That's probably it. Not a reference that comes to my mind very often, although we happened to have some unsweetened dry coconut this afternoon, and I didn't immediately think of wine.

In general, it's funny on these boards to see the fruit/flavor descriptors vary according to the local foods/plants in the posters' regions. I guess it's all about frame of reference.

[David M. Bueker]

That’s one of the big reasons why tasting notes are problematic across cultures. We have different taste/aroma references.

Yeah, massive Riesling intake last night at the Feier, but coconut did not come to my mind. One of the bottles was a 2014 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle, I forget whether Spätlese or Auslese but I do remember it was seamless and gorgeous, just like your 14 GG.

[David M. Bueker]

Enjoyed the event?

Enjoyed the event?

Sure. I think we all understand the tradeoffs of these events, too much wine, not enough chance to sit with the pours, etc. And now that German wine is getting so popular and crossing over, the median (wealthy) collector at this event was not necessarily a wine geek in our style. Not sure if it was always that way at these events, it was my first.

But definitely cool to have all the winemakers present and it's fine to take a break from my regular routine of bottle contemplation at home. And so much delicious wine! Not sure if maybe next year it's better to do the tasting instead. But I have plenty of time to worry about that!

I thought about Rieslingfeier but had annual meeting yesterday. Glad you had fun.


And yes, personal experiences with various foods/aromas certainly affect TNs. I don't think I've ever written coconut in a Riesling note and it's not something I eat often. And I don't expect others to necessarily relate to green tobacco leaf unless they've been in a curing barn in NC. I think structural observations are more useful to other people. But the sensory associations I make are useful for me.

Thanks Jenise for note. CT says I have '11, '12, '13, and '15, but not "14.

[David M. Bueker]

I thought about Rieslingfeier but had annual meeting yesterday. Glad you had fun.


And yes, personal experiences with various foods/aromas certainly affect TNs. I don't think I've ever written coconut in a Riesling note and it's not something I eat often. And I don't expect others to necessarily relate to green tobacco leaf unless they've been in a curing barn in NC. I think structural observations are more useful to other people. But the sensory associations I make are useful for me.

Thanks Jenise for note. CT says I have '11, '12, '13, and '15, but not "14.

What about a tobacco barn in CT?

that'll work!