Two German legends: the 2019s from Stodden and Dönnhoff

This is a brilliant introduction to the estate, from a selection of vineyards in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Dernau and Rech. Cherry fruit and some spice, and then a long and mineral finish. Just such a delicious Pinot Noir, with excellent potential.

From the vineyard above the winery, and a real insider’s pick. South facing slate soils craft a dark and brooding Pinot Noir, but one that retains brilliant dancing acidity. This is made from the same side as the GG Herrenberg, and shows much of the same character: it’s a baby grand cru.

Planted in the early 1980s, Alexander Stodden has cared for this vineyard since 2001. From Greywacke soils, with some clay, this is a powerful and spectacularly long wine. Notes of dark berries and some spice, and then a mineral finish. Bravo.

From Jean Stodden's most famous vineyard, this is incredible in 2019. There's so much going on here, with spice and dark fruit, and a hint of liquorice, too. The finish is mineral and so well defined, and goes on for an age. With elegance yet power, this wouldn't look our of place in a line up of Burgundy Grands Crus.

An auction wine, this is a wine that’s all about subtlety and poise. Velvet tannins grow on the palate, while notes of herbs and small berry fruit dance around the mouth. The finish is mineral, detailed, and lasts an age. A true Grand Cru: one of Germany’s greatest Pinot Noirs, made is miniscule quantities.

From the oldest vines of the estate, this is an astonishing Pinot Noir, that’s up there with the very best that Burgundy has to offer. Wonderful detail and complexity, and then a finish that lasts for minutes. This is a must have for any Pinot Noir lover.

The Dellchen are the hollows that sit between cliffs that lift up from the Nahe, and this south-facing vineyard creates a wine that has astonishing intensity and complexity, with notes of ginger and more exotic spices. It benefits from an incredibly long hang time on the vines, and the resulting wine is brilliant.

From vineyards predominantly from volcanic soils, but also with slate and quartzite, this is a brilliant introduction to the wines of the estate. Mineral, cool, and utterly delicious, don’t underestimate the potential for ageing here.

From 100-year old vines, this is a real gem. Made from noble grapes, this has loads of ripe exotic fruit, but still the incredible minerality for which this vineyard has long been prized. A genuine privilege to taste.

From a small plot of the oldest vines, this was first produced in 2017: this is just the third vintage of a GG from the Krotenpfuhl vineyard, following ten years of recultivation of the plot. This balances richness and elegance: there’s ripe exotic fruit, and then a vibrant line of acidity that continues onto the long finish. Brilliant.

With stony, warm soils, and an early flowering time, this is the perfect vineyard for Kabinett. This is delicate, with dancing acidity and plenty of ripe orchard fruit. Just totally delicious.

Southeast facing, the morning sun on this vineyard dries out any moisture, resulting in perfectly healthy grapes, while the warm slate soils creates a Kabinett that’s full of ripe fruit and tons of energy: it’s one of the most up-front, delicious wines we know. Not to be missed in a great vintage like 2019.

Named after the “Felsentürmchen”, or small stone tower, that sits in the middle of the vineyard here, the weathered volcanic porphyry soil warms up quickly in this south-facing slope, and there’s ripe citrus and greengage fruit galore. It sits in the shadow of the Dellchen and Hermannshöhle, but is not to be missed in 2019.

From 100-year old vines, this is a real gem. Made from noble grapes, this has loads of ripe exotic fruit, but still the incredible minerality for which this vineyard has long been prized. A genuine privilege to taste.

One of the newest additions to the Dönnhoff range, this comes from the famed Höllenpfad vineyard, which literally means road to hell, and refers to the heat and red sandstone of this vineyard. It comes from a single parcel of old vines, and balances fruit intensity with incredible focus and drive. Not to be missed.

From the famed Hermannshöhle vineyard, this is a wine of incredible purity, with loads of yellow fruit and then saline minerality maintaining freshness and length. While the GG and auslesen may get the attention here, this is the insider’s pick: a must-have.

With stony, warm soils, and an early flowering time, this is the perfect vineyard for Kabinett. This is delicate, with dancing acidity and plenty of ripe orchard fruit. Just totally delicious.

From a size valley of the Nahe, this is a steep, south-facing vineyard. Höllenpfad means path to hell, and refers to the steep slope as well as the red sandstone that defines this vineyard. This is very spicy, with almost a dark fruit character, and a long, saline finish. A real hidden gem of the range, the devil on a barrel on the label is Helmut’s nod to his beloved FC Kaiserslautern, generally known as ‘The Red Devils’.

The Dellchen are the hollows that sit between cliffs that lift up from the Nahe, and this south-facing vineyard creates a wine that has astonishing intensity and complexity, with notes of ginger and more exotic spices. It benefits from an incredibly long hang time on the vines, and the resulting wine is brilliant.

From a 1.1 hectare vineyard right by the historic Luitpoldbrücke, built during the Bavarian administration, this site encourages the development of botrytis. This 2019 Auslese Goldkap is a stunning iteration, with incredible mineral tension and yet generosity of fruit.

From a 1.1 hectare vineyard right by the historic Luitpoldbrücke, built during the Bavarian administration, this site encourages the development of botrytis. This 2019 Auslese Goldkap is a stunning iteration, with incredible mineral tension and yet generosity of fruit.

Southeast facing, the morning sun on this vineyard dries out any moisture, resulting in perfectly healthy grapes, while the warm slate soils creates a Kabinett that’s full of ripe fruit and tons of energy: it’s one of the most up-front, delicious wines we know. Not to be missed in a great vintage like 2019.

The Kahlenberg vineyard was first mentioned in 1499, it was used as the reference site for the former Royal Prussian Institute of Pomology and Viticulture when making official recommendations to winegrowers in the Nahe. South facing, this is a spicy Riesling with notes of pepper and yellow fruit.

In the beautiful Nahe region of Germany, Dönnhoff reigns supreme. Now run by the perfectionist Cornelius Dönnhoff, who’s fully taken over from his father Helmut, this charming, generous family makes it one of our favourite estates to visit, anywhere in the world. Spätlese might just be the most underrated of all Germany’s styles of wine: sweeter than the juicy, vibrant Kabinetts yet less sweet than the luscious, pudding-friendly Ausleses, it’s in danger of being lost. Yet this demonstrates exactly why it shouldn’t be overlooked. Juicy, pure, and oh-so-moreish, from one of the Nahe’s most historic vineyards that was named after a cherry tree, everyone should have a bottle or two of this in their cellar. And with a few years’ bottle age, it will be the perfect match for roast pork, or for Asian cooking.