I am preparing for a Riesling tasting in Belgrade in two days. Time to get the wines out of the cellar and prepare them for the tasting. One of the wines is the Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spätlese 2003 from Dönnhoff Estate. The Kupfergrube (Copper Mine) is an exposed southern site on the Nahe. Its name derives from an old copper mining field on which the Prussian State Domain planted experimental vines in 1914.
The soil here is volcanic and weathered, warms up fast, drains water well and provides the wines with a more expressive character, but can cause problems in drier years.The Dönnhoff estate is one of my personal favourites, producing wines of the highest quality throughout. Since 2007, Cornelius Dönnhoff has been in charge of the vineyards and the wines. His father Helmut was responsible for the 2003 vintage.
I have already tasted several bottles of the 2003 Kupfergrube. It is certainly not the most complex wine of the estate, but still very distinctive. I have noted: The warm vintage and warm site is evident in the structure of the wine, which is on the relatively ripe side of the spectrum. Dried fruit, orange peel, peach, honey, cumquats with herbs and wildflowers. Delicate maturing notes, petrol, toast and minerals on the finish. Medium complexity and good length.
