2024 Donnhoff - Kreunacher Krotenpfuhl Kabinett (750ml)

Weingut Dönnhoff, based in Germany's Nahe region, rose to world-class status under Helmut Dönnhoff, grandson of the estate's founder, who took the reins in 1971 after training under his parents and completing formal studies in viticulture. Helmut expanded the estate's holdings to include some of the Nahe's finest parcels, and since 2007 his son Cornelius has continued that legacy, now overseeing roughly 28 hectares of vineyards.

The Krötenpfuhl vineyard, whose name translates to "toad pond," sits on a stony plateau of gravel and quartzite over volcanic slate, a combination that gives its wines a distinctive, piercing minerality. Made in the Kabinett style, this Riesling carries a touch of natural sweetness and lower alcohol, around 9 to 10%, the kind of balance that made Kabinett a beloved category of German wine long before the modern turn toward bone-dry styles.

The result is full of lemon and white floral aromas, with summer blossom wrapping around stony, mineral notes for a light, delicate finish. On the palate, bright acidity carries lime zest and apricot alongside gentle sweetness, closing on that same intense minerality the vineyard is known for. It makes a wonderful aperitif or a natural match for Thai, Vietnamese, or other spicy Asian cuisine.