Riesling love: Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 2010

Dönnhoff goodness

Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 2010 (Nahe, Germany)
8.5%, Cork, $50
Source: Retail

Simply put, it’s wines like this that make me glad I love wine. More correctly, they make you realise why Riesling is such a noble grape. Or at least I think so. Admittedly many may shrug their shoulders at why a wine like this garners such enthusiasm (my enthusiasm in this instance) but the purity, the expression, the vinous joy of a wine like this deserves a shitload of excitement just for being. Nectar of the gods indeed.

Anyway enough of that sappy junk and back to the wine. What makes this particular white special is actually really simple – it’s that perfect balance between the sweetness of residual grape sugar matching with the punch and drive of sky high natural acidity. Ying and yang. Acid and sweet, dancing together in the classic Riesling form.

Speaking of form, this looks to be a rather moderate wine this vintage, without the fullness and power of 09 or 07 and less acidity than 08. I like moderation however and it has delivered a beautiful wine here, all candied limes and rockmelon sweetness over grapefruit juice acidity. Beautiful lines and just an unforced, utterly grapey simplicity to it that is hard to not love. Others may toff at the high score for what is quite a straightforward wine but I don’t care at all – that purity needs celebrating. 18.5/94