One of Germany’s most renowned producers, Cornelius Dönnhoff extracts the raw terroir of each unique vineyard and bottles soaring, nerve-rattling, bone-dry Rieslings dripping with titanic-sized explosions of flavor and minerality. Today’s 2023 “Tonscheifer” has all the critics raving, but no matter who you follow, even if it’s just us, the main takeaway is this: This is the pinnacle of dry German wine. The world has become enraptured by these finely etched, mineral-laden gems, and Dönnhoff’s releases consistently compete at the uppermost level of wine. The GGs (aka Grand Crus) now fetch relatively steep prices, as they should, but “Tonscheifer” is the sneaky great value in the Dönnhoff line-up. Many of you know this already and I’m sure are loading up, but read on for more info if you need it. Happy Riesling Day!

Some 250 years ago, the Dönnhoff family arrived in the Nahe and established a farm where they tended livestock, vegetables, and grapes. Hermann Dönnhoff (grandfather of Helmut) officially launched the estate in the 1920s, and Helmut took the reins in 1966. At this time, they only had four hectares of vines—but after their extraneous farmland was sold off in 1971, Helmut began focusing on wine. With more than 45 vintages under his belt, Helmut, and now his son, Cornelius, have created something grand out of nothing.

The Nahe is a small but extraordinarily geologically diverse region that sits along the Nahe river, between the more famous Mosel and Rheingau regions. That soil diversity and the micro-climates of topography allow the Dönnhoffs to make a stunning range of different wines. “Tonscheife