Oberhäuser Leistenberg, Riesling, Kabinett, 2023
Finely pitched small, sweet fruits with a kick of lemony freshness and mirabelle plums. Clean and attractive. Leistenberg has the Lemberg in front which gives it some protection, unlike Hermannshohle, which sits fully exposed. This makes Leistenberg perfect for lighter Kabinett wines – indeed, historically, they bottled at least three variations of Kabinetts from this site: Kabinett, Kabinett Feinherb and Kabinett Trocken. A southeast facing site on 30-40% gradient, the soils are primarily weathered grey slate with a dark clay.
critic reviews
Donnhoff's 2023 Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett is clear, bright and aromatic on the nose that shows just-ripe fruit aromas intermingled with wet clay and slate notes. Round and quite sweet but still delicate on the palate, this is a light and fruity, savory and stimulating Kabinett that comes in with 9% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in October 2024.
The 2023 Riesling Oberhäuser Leistenberg Kabinett is from a south-east-facing site of shale, getting the morning sun; this is never affected by botrytis and is shaded in the afternoon, so a late harvest is possible because botrytis never occurs, and acids are preserved. The nose combines lemon zest, stone and herbal tisane. The palate adds just a little sweetness, giving the charm to the citric verve, but all remains light, tender, bright and so deceptively easy. What a tease, what elegance, what lemon resonance! (Medium)