Product Description
94 points James Suckling
"Who could resist this beauty? All the flowers and fresh herbs of spring are married to considerable elegance and there’s a ton of minerality at the crystalline finish. Drink or hold. Made from organic grapes and Fair'n Green certified." (11/2017)
92 points Decanter
"Nahe has been home to the Dönnhoff estate for more than 250 years, during which time they have acquired some of the most sought-after sites in the region. Grapes are sourced from 40 year old vines on steep slopes of red slate. This is a dry and elegant Riesling with primary aromas of grapefruit, lemons and a herbal hint. The palate is showing a lot of tension, marked by a green acidity and a vivid mineral core. This beauty needs a bit of time before showing its true colours. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025." (6/2017)
91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"From Roxheimer red sandstone soils, the 2016 Nahe Riesling Höllenpfad Trocken is pure, fresh and elegant on the slightly flinty nose, with subtle herbal and bright fruit aromas. On the palate, this is an intense, very finessed and creamy-textured Riesling with a long and intense finish. It is well structured and reveals a persistent finish." (2/2018)
91 points Wine Spectator
"Orchard and stone fruit are featured in this graceful Riesling, whose focus and harmony mark the profile. Firm, with notes of fleur de sel and savory herbs that linger on the finish. Drink now through 2025." (2/2018)
Jancis Robinson
"The Höllenpfad punches above its Erste Lage weight to perform like a Grosses Gewächs. An orchestra of aromas relies on the harmony of its constituents rather than brilliant solo efforts to delight the sensory audience. Some may cherish the pure mineral expression, others the delightfully fresh fruit, rich extract could be mentioned as another contender, but at the end of the day they all integrate into a very special dry premier cru. 17.5/20 points. (MS)" (4/2017)
Vinous Reverie Notes
Roxheimer Höllenpfad: Famous, steeply sloping vineyard in a small side valley of the middle section of the Nahe River. The “Höllenpfad” (“Path to Hell”) name is an old one, likely referencing both the vineyard‘s steep slope as well as the unique color of the red sandstone. The surrounding landscape is bathed daily in the rich, warm light of the evening sun as it reflects off the hillside‘s distinctive red soil. It‘s also not hard to imagine that the word „Hell“ might have been uttered by many a winegrower after a particularly laborious day on these steep slopes. The weathered warm sandstone of the Rotliegend strata lends the wines their inimitable character. Grapes grown here tend to be very small with intense, nuanced aromas; the resulting wines are elegant with a spicy mineral fruit and excellent aging potential.
