Niederhauser Hermannshohle Auslese Goldkap, Weingut Dönnhoff 2020

What a nose! This smells like essence of peach with a delicate, floral-honey overtone. Seems to vibrate on the palate, thanks to the staggering minerality and totally vibrant acidity. Extremely complex and energetic finish that goes on and on. Very limited production. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.

The 2020 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese is another beauty of the domain that has probably bottled one of the finest vintages in history with the 2020s. The nose is pure, fresh and concentrated, with ripe fruit and very fine raisin and citric aromas that are intertwined with sugared grapefruit and crushed slate notes. Mouth-filling, round and delicate on the palate, this is a rich and concentrated yet filigreed and seemingly fragile Auslese that reveals a firm and sustainable mineral structure on the finish that stays on the palate for minutes. Another fantastic, persistently crystalline and salty Auslese from the Hermannshöhle. 8% alcohol. Tasted at the domain in July 2021.

The 2022 Riesling Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Auslese takes a while to open up. Finally, it does with a serene sense of ripe apricot, followed by a lovely citrus spectrum, ranging from lime and lemon, the merest overtone of candied lemon to tangerine with some crushed chamomile thrown in. Again, the palate is defined by Riesling rather than botrytis, bringing a rich but toned sweetness, intense, stealing your heart with its stealthy charm. It's fluid, smooth, serene, bright and laden with citrus and grapefruit spice on the long finish. (Sweet)