Donnhoff 2023 Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken

"This 2023 Riesling from the Kahlenberg Erste Lage (1er Cru) vineyard, down river from the cooler Donnhoff Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) sites, possesses a classically Nahe nose of wet granite, firm yet perfumed peach, lemon verbana, citron, and steeped Wulong tea. The more air this wine takes on, the stonier the aromatic profile tends; a wealth of olfactory mineral detail is revealed include crushed quartz, smooth river stones, and damp rocky soil. Some crushed citrus leaf and pineapple tops, 'vegetal' as the Germans would say, lingers background along with an unsteeped raw Pu Er note. The palate possess a wonderful sliced fruit quality before powerful phenolics kick in with granitic grip, then tends more opulent and even herbal on the finish with Riesling tannin in support. There is a sense of riven in twain by a line of acidity straight down the centre of the tongue. White peach, spicy Tahitian lime, salty minerals, and a complex of wreathing thyme and pineapple salvia along the close. Need I close out this note by saying the finish, obviously resonant for a wine of its price, is both cooling and stimulating at once. I reserve 'Superb' for the Donnhoff Grosse Lage wines; high praise - 'Very Fine'. Objectively." — David