Dönnhoff Hermann

🍷 Brief report: Hermann Dönnhoff winery

The Hermann Dönnhoff wineryin Oberhausen on the Naheis a world-renowned top winery that is recognised for its elegant and mineral Rieslings from first-class vineyards. The estate combines over 250 years of family tradition with modern winemaking skills and a deep respect for nature.

📜 History & location

The Dönnhoff family's winemaking tradition dates backto 1761. Hermann Dönnhoff (1880-1953) laid the foundation for today's orientation: he focussed on growing Riesling in top vineyards early on and was one of the first to bottle his wines himself in the 1920s and sell them under vineyard names .

The decisive era began in 1971, when Helmut Dönnhoff took over the estate, gave up the remaining agriculture and devoted himself entirely to viticulture . With meticulous work, he expanded the estate from its original 3.5 hectares to its current size and formed the internationally acclaimed winery. Since 2007, the fourth generation has been at the helm with Cornelius Dönnhoff, who has consistently developed the style of the estate. Today, the winery cultivates between 25 and 30 hectares of vines in the best locations in six different municipalities .

🍇 Vineyards, grape varieties & philosophy

The winery is one of the best in the region. It has been a member of the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP)since 1991.

Grape varieties: The "queen" Riesling dominates with 80% of the vineyard area, followed by Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris with a combined 20%.
Top sites (VDP.Grosse Lage): The estate owns ten of the most sought-after sites on the Nahe:
- Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle: The most prestigious site and the centrepiece of the estate. For over 100 years, it has been considered the highest-rated site in the Nahe.
- Oberhäuser Brücke: An extremely steep monopole of the estate of only 1.1 hectares.
- Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg, Norheimer Dellchen, Roxheimer Höllenpfad and other great sites make up the impressive portfolio.
Soils & ageing: The wines reflect the geological diversity of the region: red sandstone, slate and volcanic weathered rock (porphyry) characterise their minerality and complexity. Vinification is carried out traditionally in large wooden barrels made from German oak and stainless steel.

🏆 Awards & specialities

The consistently outstanding quality of the wines is confirmed by an impressive list of awards:

Helmut Dönnhoff was named"Winemaker of the Year" by Gault Millau and Feinschmecker back in 1999.
The winery is one of the top 10 best winegrowers in Germany and receives the highest score of five grapes from Gault Millau .
Cornelius Dönnhoff has received several awards, including Falstaff's "Collection of the Year" in 2020 and FAZ's "Winemaker of the Year" in 2021.
The winery is one of only three German wineries to receive a 100-point rating from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (for Riesling ice wines from the 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2010 vintages).
The "Tonschiefer" Riesling is considered the perfect introduction to the estate's characteristic mineral style.
The winery is Fair'n Green certified and practises natural, organic cultivation with spontaneous fermentation.

The Hermann Dönnhoff winery thus stands for the combination of deep tradition, the highest quality craftsmanship and a clear, purist vision of modern German Riesling culture.