In this special English-language episode of Wijn en Wijsheid, Marcel Arentz and Marek Geist speak with Cornelius Dönnhoff, owner and winemaker of Weingut Dönnhoff. The family estate from Oberhausen an der Nahe has been regarded as one of Germany’s leading wineries for many years and enjoys an outstanding international reputation for Riesling.
We start, of course, with Cornelius himself. What was it like growing up in a family where winegrowing has been part of everyday life for generations? How did his education and experience outside the estate shape the winemaker he is today?
The history of the Dönnhoff family in Oberhausen an der Nahe goes back to at least 1761. Over the following generations, wine became increasingly important. Especially under Cornelius’ father, Helmut Dönnhoff, the estate developed into one of the great names of the German wine world.
Helmut played an important role in building the international reputation of the Nahe and showed that Riesling from this relatively small German wine region could compete with some of the finest white wines in the world. Cornelius gradually began to follow his own path. From 2007 onwards, he took responsibility for the cellar and in 2015 he fully took over the estate from his father together with his wife Anne.
Riesling plays the leading role, accounting for around 80 percent of the estate’s vineyards. We talk with Cornelius about why Riesling performs so well here and how much of a wine’s character can truly be attributed to soil, site and microclimate.
We also look beyond Riesling. How does Cornelius see the future of the various Burgundian grape varieties in Germany? What role do plant material, German clones and sélection massale play? And is the way vineyards are planted changing as winemakers gain a better understanding of vine density, genetic diversity and the value of old vines?
An important part of the conversation focuses on work in the vineyard. According to Cornelius, great wine does not begin with techniques in the cellar, but with healthy grapes. We discuss hand harvesting, yield control, canopy management, soil cultivation and the constant search for greater precision in viticulture. Climate change is, of course, impossible to ignore.
The Dönnhoff style is built around purity and precision. For the dry top wines, Cornelius wants healthy grapes, and careful selection during harvest plays an important role. We discuss pressing, skin contact, temperature, spontaneous fermentation and the choice between stainless steel and traditional wooden casks such as Stück and Doppelstück.
But Dönnhoff is about much more than dry Riesling. Kabinett and Spätlese remain an important part of German wine culture, while the noble sweet wines from sites such as Oberhäuser Brücke and Hermannshöhle belong to some of the most special wines produced by the estate.
And then there is Sekt. German sparkling wine is going through an enormous quality evolution, and more and more producers are taking traditional-method sparkling wine seriously.
Finally, we look with Cornelius at the future of wine. Alcohol consumption is under pressure worldwide, and younger generations appear to be drinking less, but more consciously. Is that a threat to wine producers, or could it actually be an opportunity for estates that focus entirely on quality?
Listen to this special English-language episode with Cornelius Dönnhoff and discover why Weingut Dönnhoff has been regarded for decades as one of the great benchmarks for German Riesling.
🍷 Wijn en Wijsheid
De podcast waar smaak, kennis en verhalen samenkomen.
Volg ons en blijf op de hoogte:
📌 Instagram: @wijn_en_wijsheid
📌 Instagram: @marcelarentz
📌 Instagram: @geist.op.wijn
📌 TikTok: @wijn.en.wijsheid
🎧 Luister via je favoriete podcastplatform
📧 Contact: [email protected]
Nieuwe aflevering elke maand.