2002 Dönnhoff Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Spätlese

[DonRocks]

I just sent this message out to my private email list:

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I cracked open a 6-pack tonight, tried a bottle, and THIS is why I fell in love with Dönnhoff.

It has such amazingly thin (but "chewy") lime-acidity, that it literally causes salivation. I was talking about great Godellos with Gerry in our chat, and they do the same thing. You get it in your mouth, then chew on it, and when you swallow, the salivary glands kick into high gear. It's a physical reaction; not any kind of "tastes good" thing.

It is perfect. There is nothing that can be done to this wine to make it any better.

I'm CC'ing Terry on this note.

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The only problem with this wine is that it's going to be gone before it has been fully chilled. This is one of those rare-breeds of wine that I call a "10-Minute Riesling" - there's no other way to describe it - because it's gone in 10 minutes.

[beachgirl54]

Where did you get it? Would like to get some to bring to snobby family on Thanksgiving trek. Thanks.

[DonRocks]

Where did you get it? Would like to get some to bring to snobby family on Thanksgiving trek. Thanks.

I bought it on release - there's no way to find it anymore.

But the new vintages are at Calvert-Woodley, I think.

[ol_ironstomach]

While I don't have anywhere near Don's understanding of Riesling much less of wine, I couldn't resist splurging on the '06 Dönnhoff (Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg) "Felsentürmchen" Spätlese off the list at the Inn at Little Washington three weeks ago. Because we weren't drinking it in isolation, it's hard to know how much of the salivating going on was due to the wine and how much to the Inn, but in spite of a bit more sweetness than I had expected (which might not have made for the most perfect match with our food) it was a beautiful thing. I've only had the good fortune to crack open three or four Dönnhoffs ever, but this one promised so much on the nose, and delivered even more on the palate...ripe, fresh, and layered. I can only wonder what Don's "perfect" '02 must have been like.

If I were a religious man, I think I'd probably choose to spend my Sundays at the Terry Theise parish of the Church of Riesling.

[DonRocks]

While I don't have anywhere near Don's understanding of Riesling much less of wine, I couldn't resist splurging on the '06 Dönnhoff (Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg) "Felsentürmchen" Spätlese off the list at the Inn at Little Washington three weeks ago. Because we weren't drinking it in isolation, it's hard to know how much of the salivating going on was due to the wine and how much to the Inn, but in spite of a bit more sweetness than I had expected (which might not have made for the most perfect match with our food) it was a beautiful thing. I've only had the good fortune to crack open three or four Dönnhoffs ever, but this one promised so much on the nose, and delivered even more on the palate...ripe, fresh, and layered. I can only wonder what Don's "perfect" '02 must have been like.

If I were a religious man, I think I'd probably choose to spend my Sundays at the Terry Theise parish of the Church of Riesling.

Unfortunately, despite what you might read (by Terry), I've found that these Dönnhoffs (unless they're specifically marked trocken) are best enjoyed alone - they are, as you found, just a little too sweet to match most Western Europe-based cuisines (specifically, French, Italian, or Spanish-based); ironically (pardoxically?), they go well with Thanksgiving dinner which is, if you think about it, more Germanic in nature - they don't co-exist that well with classical, sauce-based dishes.