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Weingut Dönnhoff, “Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl” Riesling Grosses Gewächs

Nahe, Germany 2019 (750mL)
Regular price $85.00 Sale price$76.00 Save $9.00
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Weingut Dönnhoff, “Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl” Riesling Grosses Gewächs

Arguably Germany’s most renowned producer, Dönnhoff extracts the raw terroir of each unique vineyard and bottles monstrous, nerve-rattling dry Rieslings dripping with colossal power. Each bottle delivers titanic-sized explosions of flavor and minerality and this 2019 “Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl”, a prized site built from ancient volcanic rock, has all the critics chattering. No matter who you follow, even if it’s just us, the main takeaway is this: This is the pinnacle of dry German wine, and coming up with our laughably small quantity was a veritable act of congress. For those still scratching their head upon seeing Grosses Gewächs: this is the end-all and be-all category for elite dry German Riesling. The world has become enraptured by these texturally rich, explosively mineral gems, and Dönnhoff’s releases consistently compete at the uppermost level of wine, as of this limited production effort.


It's unforgivingly powerful and tightly coiled—it demands a minimum two-hour decant and to be served in large Burgundy stems. If you drink this too quickly, you’ll miss out on all the aromatic and textural treasures that emerge after soaking up oxygen. Definitely save some for the following night, too—ours kept on humming into day four! That said, it shows incredible layers despite its infancy: Kaffir lime, green mango, white peach, pineapple, Meyer lemon, and tangerine blast out of the glass like a cannon and release savory shrapnel in the form of crushed white rock, smoke, candied ginger, salted citrus, gunflint, dried herbs, acacia, grapefruit zest, and honeysuckle. It’s bold and assertive, unafraid to flaunt its searing minerality and gorgeous layers of ripe, nervy fruit.

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Germany

Western Germany

Pfalz

The Pfalz is Germany’s second-largest wine region (behind Rheinhessen, which it borders to the south). The vineyards are situated between the thickly forested Haardt Mountains and the western bank of the Rhine River, with soils that are rich in loam mixed with sandstone, loess (wind-blown silt), and chalky clay.

Western Germany

Rheinhessen

he Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest-production wine zone and, in comparison to some of the dramatic valleys further north, is a more open landscape of gently rolling hills.

Western Germany

Saar

The Saar River is a tributary of the Mosel (and in-cluded in the broader “Mosel-Saar-Ruwer”) PDO designation with vineyards perched on steep slopes of blue Devonian slate. The rocky soils and cool temperatures of these northerly valleys produce Germany’s most chiseled, high-acid  styles of Riesling.

Southwestern Germany

Baden

Baden, Germany’s southernmost wine region, has a long history with the “Pinot” family. The region’s vineyards were planted by the same Cistercian Monks who established Pinot Noir in Burgundy. Bordered by the Rhine River and the Black Forest, Baden has diverse soils—everything from loess (silt) to volcanic tuff to limestone, the most prized Pinot Noir soil of all.

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