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96+ JG. "The ’98 Hermannshöhle auction Spätlese from Dönnhoff is clearly one of the greatest bottle of Spätlese that I have ever tasted. I have had the good fortune to taste it on four or five occasions in the last several years, and it has progressively closed down over this period. This most recent bottle is now insisting on being left alone in the cellar for a bit, as it has retreated into its shell. The bouquet is still classic Hermannshöhle, offering up complex notes of sweet grapefruit, fresh pineapple, plenty of petrol, lovely stoniness, wild yeast tones and a bit of esthery bee pollen. On the palate the wine is medium-full, bright and quite creamy with botrytis on the attack, with a rock solid core of fruit, and firm, bracing acids on the long and palate-staining finish. This is a laser beam of a Spätlese , with absolutely stunning focus and grip, but currently a bit shy behind its substantial structural elements. I have to imagine that it will pull away from the regular bottling as it fully blossoms, but today, I would keep this in a cool corner of the cellar, and drink the above wine. (Auction)" John Gilman, View From the Cellar, Jul/Aug 2006, Issue #4 |