Hermann Dönnhoff, Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl, Riesling Spätlese, 2006

If you ever wanted to know what a toad puddle (=Krötenpfuhl) tastes like, here comes one. Well, it is not as muddy as you may now think, but Krötenpfuhl is the name of the vineyard on which the grapes for this late harvest Riesling were grown my one of the grand wizards of German Riesling.

Starting with a taste that was a little bitter, this greatly named wine soon developed into something really yummy. Delicate colour; a somewhat delicate nose that combines mineral with a little bit of lemon and apple. Certainly not an immediate in-your-face fruit explosion, but still with the promise of several layers of taste.

In the mouth, a yummy mixture of mineral, green fruit, apple, stone fruit, lemon and gooseberry. The right kick of acid balanced by yummy sweetness and hints of a chilly sensation on your gum. Very strong finish that in itself seemed to open up several layers of taste. I think Hermann nailed this one.