Let's talk Riesling from the Nahe region.

Hi All. Many of you know I am a Riesling fan and somewhat new to the wine journey. I have been drinking wine for 15+ years, but have really started a cellar in the last year. I have a fairly in-depth collection of Rieslings from the Mosel area (mainly Joh Jos Prum) and have been tasting those over the past year. However, I would like to continue my journey and venture into the Nahe region. I have heard good things about Donnhoff, Shafer-Frohlich, Emrich-Shonleber, and others. I have done a search and read a number of prior topics and google searches/videos, but would love to hear from the Riesling experts on here. Here are just a few topics/questions:

  1. How does Riesling from the Nahe compare generally to Riesling from Mosel?
  2. What would your suggestion be for a range of Nahe wines to purchase?

To be honest I would really just like to hear everyone’s opinions/thoughts on the Nahe region, it’s wines, and how it compares to Mosel. Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise and helping me in my journey. I know the only true expertise can come from tasting, but I would love to hear from those who have trekked before me. I look forward to trying more wines from this region this year. I have been very interested in Donnhoff and have been reading about them so if you had to recommend one or two bottles of Donnhoff to try what would they be? Thanks again!

There are Riesling lovers here the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else. You’ve come to the right place.

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The Nahe is fairly easy to learn. You really only need to know three producers Emrich-Schonleber, Schafer-Frohlich and Donnhoff. And maybe Schlossgut Diel.

The wines are riper than the Mosel with a slightly different fruit profile.

I love the Nahe.

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One distinction that stands out to me, Nahe vs. Mosel, is that the Nahe seems to produce far better dry Rieslings in general. For me, really good trocken from the Mosel is the exception, whereas it’s easy to find in the Nahe if one looks to the right producers.

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Less green apple and more stone fruit (cherries, peaches) is usually the clue for me.

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re: Donnhoff:

The Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett is quintessential Kabinett, and is nearly an annual purchase for me. Same with their estate Trocken. So so so so good, and extremely affordable, ta boot. I’ll leave it to others to comment on the more expensive bottlings. [cheers.gif]

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For me, two of the three producers constituting the Holy Trinity of Dry Riesling are in the Nahe - Emrich-Schonleber and Schafer-Frohlich. Though I agree that the wines tend to be riper than the Mosel, that’s not at all to imply they are flabby. There is plenty of acidity and backbone, as well as power I personally rarely find in the MSR. I believe these two producers (Donnhoff, too, if I’m speaking objectively, though they are not so much to my taste) make truly excellent wine at all price points, and their top wines are up there with the best white wines in the world, of any variety.

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A lot of good answers. I really only have one thing to add. If you ever see a wine from the Nahe from the Staatsdomaine (this would be 1989 and before) grab it.

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I agree the wines are definitely not too ripe (that would be the Pfalz : ) ) and they definitely have enough acid for me.

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I just grabbed 10 of the 2019s (the other 2 were Donnhoff Kabinetts as well) - excited to be drinking these over the next 20 years!

A lot of good answers. I really only have one thing to add. If you ever see a wine from the Nahe from the Staatsdomaine (this would be 1989 and before) grab it.

This was a legendary domain in German wine history. Unfortunately broken up and the vineyards sold. They were the ones to develop the Kupfergrube.

Thanks for all of the replies. What I have read on here definitely goes along with what I have read from other sources. The three producers that are listed above are the three that seem to stand out. I also have noticed that many of the articles I have read do tend to prefer the drier wines from the Nahe. I will definitely try a range of these wines, but it’s awesome to have a great starting point. Thanks to everyone for the help!

To be clear, I think there are outstanding Nahe wines at all sweetness levels. Dönnhoff Kirschheck Spätlese and Brücke GKA are consistent favorites of mine, as well as Hermannshöhle GG. Plus their dessert wines, which I haven’t tried, have quite a following. It’s just that I’ve had very few Mosel trockens that I liked, whereas there are Nahe trockens from about $20-$25 on up that I enjoy.

Not much to add to above…agree I find more pit fruit in Nahe, plenty of underlying acidity, and power, and a bit more wet cement stoniness.

Pardon the pun, but my sweet spot here is Kabinett and Spatlese. Some nice Trocken wines too. Not as big of a fan at the Auslese levels and up. Donnhoff and Schafer-Frohlich definitely rule the roost for me, as mentioned Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett may be the greatest wine value on earth.

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This was a short thread [cheers.gif]

It’s quite a striking region. A tighter narrower feel than the Mosel because the river is narrow. Striking vineyards rising up from the valley floor.

Kruger Rumpf and Hexamer are two other well known producers although I don’t know the wines well.

Beyond the flavor comparisons mentioned above, I find the side by side comparison of Pradikat wines from Nahe to MSR to be tough for Nahe. The acidity, precision, and elegant textural balance of good MSR wines make even the best Pradikat wines from Nahe seem a little clumsy by comparison, especially after say 15-20 years of age. Which is not to say the Nahe Pradikat wines are not enjoyable and delicious on their own. A number are mentioned above. I personally have a ton of Donnhoff in the cellar—Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, and Eiswein. They are great wines.

For me, like others have suggested, the dry wines are the other way around. Here the Nahe does thrive in comparison, and I’m not sure if that’s because it hasn’t been the focus of the better known MSR growers coming to the US that I know until recently or if the potential for dry Riesling is just higher based on soil, exposition, and climate in the Nahe or a combination of the two.

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[scratch.gif] How can a Riesling thread be wrapped up before Mattstolz posted??

I love the Nahe as well and those three producers but if you leave Harald Hexamer off the list it’s definitely the OP’s loss.

I think it’s hard to go wrong with just about any Donnhoff, especially for the price; however, I think their wines from Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle tend to impress me the most.

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who told you that the domaine was broken up?

the Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Schlossböckelheim-Niederhause****n has been re-incarnated under private ownership as Gut Hermannsberg

since i have in the past enjoyed a professional affiliation with the domaine
both as importer and translator
i shall go no further than to report that the old copper mine remains very much in production

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