Location and History
The Dönnhoff winery is based in Oberhausen an der Nahe in the wine region Nahe in Germany. The Dönnhoff family has been established in Oberhausen for more than 250 years; the winery has been a member of the VDP since 1991.
Vineyard Areas and Soils
The winery cultivates 25 hectares of vineyards along the Middle Nahe, including in Oberhausen, Niederhausen, Schloßböckelheim, Norheim, Roxheim and Bad Kreuznach. 80 percent of the area is planted with Riesling, 20 percent with Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder. The geological foundations include vulcanite, slate and Bunter sandstone.
Hermannshöhle
The south-facing Hermannshöhle site in Niederhausen lies at an elevation of 130 to 175 metres and has a slope of 40 to 70 percent. The soil consists predominantly of dark grey weathered slate with volcanic outburst rock, limestone and porphyry. The proportion of rock is 15 percent and contributes to drainage. In the site, Riesling is grown above all. The VDP.GROSSE GEWÄCHS is dry; in addition, there are also wines with Prädikat character with an off-dry character.
Wines and Maturation
The winery’s Rieslings are described as clear, complex, long-lived, mineral and fine, with a focus on expressing origin. The slate Riesling from the Tonschiefer is produced predominantly from the Oberhausen site Leistenberg and is mineral, elegant, finely structured and shaped by slate. For the Dönnhoff Riesling trocken, the grapes are selectively hand-picked and matured in stainless-steel containers and in large wooden barrels. The 2023 vintage of Weißburgunder was also selectively hand-picked and matured for five months in traditional old single- and double-piece casks.
