A budget 2004 Donnhoff disappoints

S

SteveTimko

Steve Timko
2004 Dnnhoff Riesling - Germany, Nahe (8/1/2009)
An okay bottle of wine but a disappointing Donnhoff. Even though it's just an estate riesling I probably had too high expectations for this wine. It is, after all, Donnhoff! and 2004! Bone dry. Seems drier than 9.0 percent, although I understand all of that is relative in the balance of the wine. Nice nose with citrus and some minerality. Maybe the best part of the wine. The palate, well that's different. A little bit of baked apple but more citrus and other white fruits. But the finish is just all off. There's a modest flare of alcohol but worse there's an odd vegetal flavor that lingers.
The first Donnhoff I tried was the 2005 Dnnhoff Oberhuser Leistenberg Kabinett and it was a disappointment too, although it got better on the second day. Even though this an estate wine, I had higher expectations because of the pedigree and the vintage. The 2007 Willi Schaefer estate riesling gives this wine an atomic wedgie. The 2007 Von Hovel Balduin is better. Even the 2007 Talley riesling is better. I was looking at other tasting notes and saw Aulus gave an AP No. of 7 753 010 20 05. The AP No. on this wine is 7 753 010 30 05. It's a Dee Vine Wines import. Maybe it's from different fruit. I can imagine Terry Thiese, in his best Nelson Munz voice, pointing and going, "Ha Hah!"
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
A budget 2004 Donnhoff disappoints2004 Dnnhoff Riesling - Germany, Nahe (8/1/2009)
An okay bottle of wine but a disappointing Donnhoff. Even though it's just an estate riesling I probably had too high expectations for this wine. It is, after all, Donnhoff! and 2004! Bone dry. Seems drier than 9.0 percent, although I understand all of that is relative in the balance of the wine. Nice nose with citrus and some minerality. Maybe the best part of the wine. The palate, well that's different. A little bit of baked apple but more citrus and other white fruits. But the finish is just all off. There's a modest flare of alcohol but worse there's an odd vegetal flavor that lingers.
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I had this wine recently and liked it, although I agree with much of your description. Off-dry, it lacks that perfect balance of sweetness, acidity and fruit that is Donhoff's trademark. But the wine has some nice bottle development and is a good dinner companion. I didn't get alcohol or veggie, more like lemon peel and a bit of pine.
 
originally posted by SteveTimko: It is, after all, Donnhoff! and 2004!
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Is 2004 supposed to be something special?

I like the refreshing aspect of the vintage but didn't know that anyone was going crazy over it?

Also, I'm no expert on Dnnhoff but I think most people go ga-ga over the Sptleses and the Ausleses. And I'm sure some find the OL Kabinett the weakest in his lineup.

Not that the OL Kabinett and the Estate riesling are not delicious wines, I've enjoyed them in the past, but I don't think they're at the heart of the hooplah that may have influenced your expectations.

For the big guns, and the bigger prices, buy the NH or OB Sptleses or Ausleses.

And a few others that I'm sure some true Dnnhoff experts can suggest.
 
I have been drinking the 2005 QbA recently, and I think it's just about at the end of its truly pleasurable life. I will finish up my remaining bottles this year.

Had a 2001 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese last night that was great.
 
while 2004 may be a bit more than a notch below 2001, many prefer it to 2006 certainly and often 2005 because it is, generally speaking, a more structured, focused vintage with less expansive fruit than 2005 (which seems over the top to me but I suspect I'll like my 05s better many years from now).
 
I don't really know what 'just a notch below' means. But then again I don't rank vintages and prefer to think of them in terms of what they have to offer.

As such, 2004 is really only 'remarkable' in the sense that it is the most fresh and focused vintage (as Maureen said) in the past few years. (Not including 2008, I haven't tasted any). But, it is not the place to look for expansive fruit so I can see why a QbA might be tight. Especially if David thinks the 2005 QbA (which was undoubtedly much richer) is nearing the end of its pleasurable life.

If you want to stay at the QbA level, perhaps try 07 or 08?
 
originally posted by David M. Bueker:
I have been drinking the 2005 QbA recently, and I think it's just about at the end of its truly pleasurable life.
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Had a bottle recently for which I'd have agreed with this, it was definitely a little loose.

The last glass or so was very delicious though, after leaving the corked bottle in the fridge a week or so. A bit confounding, if pleasantly so.
 
Of the two bottles I opened recent of that 2005 QbA, the better one was drunk over the course of several hours, where the recorked remnants of the other were disorganized and acidic about 48 hours later. Of course I don't expect most QbAs (even the good ones - except perhaps classic (i.e. old) Grunhaus) to be long lived wines except on an exceptional bottle basis.

Not to get into ranking, but I would put 2004 well below 2001 & 2002 and a little bit below 2005 in the recent hierarchy of Donnhoff offerings. 2006 is too odd, and 2007 is too young (several wines I still have not tasted) to compare right now. Haven't checked in on enough 2003s lately.
 
originally posted by David M. Bueker:
Not to get into ranking, but I would put 2004 well below 2001 & 2002 and a little bit below 2005 in the recent hierarchy of Donnhoff offerings. 2006 is too odd, and 2007 is too young (several wines I still have not tasted) to compare right now. Haven't checked in on enough 2003s lately.
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'06 is certainly odd, but I've found it really amazing at the Spatlese/Auslese level (the Hermannshohle/Dellchen Auslesen and Brucke Spatlese in particular were stunning).
 
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