2005 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Spatlese: Drink now?

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Yule Kim

Yule Kim
I found this Donnhoff for a pretty reasonable price and bought several bottles. But as I was doing some research on the web, I noticed that some people have commented that they have shut down. Others question whether Donnhoff can age well and write them off as wines that should only be drunk young. Having read these comments, I have grown a little worried.

Out of curiosity, are these wines still drinkable at this point or are they shut down by and large? Should I stash some bottles and see what happens, or just drink them all within the next year?
 
Open one and then you too can enter the debate!

I'm no expert on Donnhoff, but I had a lovely 2005 Selbach Oster Auslese the other week that was much more enjoyable and forward than I expected. There is a lot of fruit and sugar in these wines which makes them more palatable in the "early inbetween" stage than some other styles.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
Open one and then you too can enter the debate!
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Won't argue with you there!

I gather from your comment that Selbach Oster and Donnhoff make a similar style of wine? More approachable in their youths than Prum? I'm assuming they must use less sulfur than Prum, which might be the reason why Donnhoff allegedly doesn't age well? Or is it because Selbach Oster and Donnhoff are plusher and lower in acid than Prum?
 
originally posted by Yule Kim: I gather from your comment that Selbach Oster and Donnhoff make a similar style of wine?
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Not at all. It was just the only random slightly-relevant factoid that I had to spew.

Selbach Oster makes racier Mosel wines, whereas Donnhoff has the middle-weight elegance and poise of the Nahe. But you need to open more bottles to find out for yourself!
 
originally posted by Yule Kim: I'm assuming they must use less sulfur than Prum, which might be the reason why Donnhoff allegedly doesn't age well?
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Have you looked in the archives here? I seem to remember some pretty intense debates involving VLM and the definition of elegance, or something like that.

But generally speaking, I find that Donnhoff wines don't have the firm backbones of some of the Mosel wines that go for several decades. The Donnhoff wines are undoubtedly very charming when young but some have questioned whether the style lends itself to extended aging.
 
I fear that these may be the only Donnhoffs I ever get to drink --- they're pretty pricey and it looks like the price will only go up from here on out.

I'm guessing a big difference in style is that Mosel wines to be lighter and more acidic and the Nahe lusher? From what I read, "the Mosel" is actually four or five distinct different regions, Middle Mosel, Saar, Ruwer, and Lower Mosel? Any huge differences between those regions in terms of wines they produce? Do they all tend to be lighter and zippier than the Nahe?
 
originally posted by Yule Kim: Do they all tend to be lighter and zippier than the Nahe?
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In short: yes.

But of course there is variation across pradikat, vintage, winemaker, etc.

The Saar and the Ruwer tend to have the most bracing and brisk acidity. Which is why they are my favorite.
 
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
Just drink one. My god the handwringing.
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Yeah, I'll definitely do that. I don't know what it is about wine that unleashes my inner neurotic. Perhaps I should get some "therapy" for my "disorder" [da dum dum].
 
Ahh, Donnhoff. They are beautiful wines, poised and balanced, but they are not wines for the ages. Which is fine, as wine should be drunk at every opportunity. Even in more "classic" years (looking at you, 2007) Donnhoff wines have a lusher build and softer acids than is my preference.

But, hey, what do I know. I am in many ways a heretic, in that I tend to buy more Austrian rieslings than German.
 
originally posted by jack hott: Even in more "classic" years (looking at you, 2007) Donnhoff wines have a lusher build and softer acids than is my preference..
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Not sure what you mean by "classic".

Most German wines have lusher builds and softish acids in 2007.
 
have not touched the 05 yet, but the 98 is drinking perfectly ( the more advanced of his spatlesen in that vintage ), while the 01 should not be approached just yet, FWIW
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by jack hott: Even in more "classic" years (looking at you, 2007) Donnhoff wines have a lusher build and softer acids than is my preference..
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Not sure what you mean by "classic".

Most German wines have lusher builds and softish acids in 2007.
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I meant two things: one, it was cooler than 03 and 05, so there was an off chance that some kabinett would actually be kabinett.

And two, a number of importers hailed 2007 as a "classic" vintage, meant for aging. What I found when I stopped listening and started drinking were wines with lusher builds and softer acids than the term "classic" would imply.

Hence, scare quotes.
 
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