Donnhoff Oberhauser Bruke Riesling Eiswein (375ML Half-bottle) 2002
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Robert
Parker
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This wine has a fragrance that makes you want to cry, and then dance. It's pure Dönnhoff in its sanguine Buddhist peace. The prayer-flags whip in a stiff wind and the frost clings to each bit of shade, yet on the hillside the sun is shining, and getting closer. The later picking has more lavish fruit, mellower acids and more opulence. A cuvée of the two wines will be bottled.
Brücke is predestined for Eiswein, as its warm situation next to the Nahe gives ripe grapes and yet the way it sits in the valley takes the sun away early in the Fall, and what has been one of the warmer vineyards suddenly becomes one of the colder ones.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2002 Riesling Eiswein Oberhauser Brucke is a grand slam home run for Donnhoff. It is so intense, so powerful, and so complex as to instill fear in the taster. Its apricot and peach cobbler aromas lead to a jellied core of cassis, raspberries, syrupy slate, and oodles of spices. It is simply amazing that a wine of this richness, ripeness, and depth can retain perfect definition, grip, and refinement. What is truly terrifying, however, is that Donnhoff produced a three-star Eiswein from the same vineyard in 2002, one he presumably considers better than this sublime nectar. Part of me is grateful that I was unable to taste it, however, as I have only 100 points with which to work. Bravo! Projected maturity: 2015-2040+.
The grandchild of the estate‘s founder, Helmut Dönnhoff, paved the way for international success by establishing an enduring quality and style in his wines. His vintages would in fact become a byword for renowned German Rieslings the world over. Following his training at his parents‘ estate and university studies in winegrowing, he assumed responsibility for both vineyard and cellar starting in 1971. “Extraordinary wines are based on extraordinary vineyards. I‘m fortunate to have had the opportunity to acquire several world-class sites and in some cases to resume cultivation. It remains very much a privilege for me to produce wine from vineyards of such exceptional quality. It‘s more than I ever could have dreamed when I first started working.” This deep understanding of grand wines and grand vineyards was passed on from father to son to grandson.
The fourth generation now holds the reins: Cornelius Dönnhoff. He began his training in 1999 and, after a series of positions abroad, in 2007 returned to assume responsibility for the estate – initially for the vineyard and cellar, and now for all aspects of the operation. History continues, but the estate remains what it has always been: a family affair in every sense.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
