The Dönnhoff family arrived in the Nahe region over 200 years ago, and their modest farm slowly evolved into a wine estate. Helmut Dönnhoff had been making the wine since 1966, and now his son Cornelius is the 4th generation to run this historic winery and their 25ha of Grand Cru vineyards.

For over 100 years, the Hermannshöhle has been revered as the Nahe‘s top-ranked site and the benchmark by which all other vineyards in the region are judged. It takes its name from a small mine, or “Höhle”, in the middle of the hillside. “Hermann” is derived from Hermes, the Roman god of messengers and travelers, and the name likely hints at an ancient place of worship once located here. This site faces due south and lies 130 –175 m above sea level. Its soils are primarily blackish gray slate mixed with extrusive igneous rock, porphyry and limestone. For generations, this marvelous site has shaped our expectations for what fine wines from the Nahe can achieve.

A perfect, steep southern slope with soils consisting of blackish grey slate and volcanic elements, extremely rich in minerals. The stuff of legends, for over 100 years this has been the most lauded site in the entire Nahe wine growing region.