

Dornfelder? I must admit that 99% of the wines I drink from Germany are from one grape: Riesling. But lately I have been inspired by German wines made from red grapes, and the 2009 Villa Wolf Dornfelder had me pushing aside my beloved whites and going back for more.

Looking back at my Instagram post, here were my in-the-moment thoughts:

“Enjoying an exuberant Dornfelder. Bright German red wine.”

It reminded me a lot of a refreshing Beaujolais; this Dornfelder was very light and gulpable, especially served slightly cool. I wondered if it had, like many Beaujolais, gone through a process called carbonic maceration. I’m not in the mindset to give you a chemistry lesson (nor do I have the skill set), so I’ll just say it’s a process that amps up the fruitiness and tamps down the harshness. This would be such an ideal summer red; it would kill with burgers and dogs.

So start exploring the world of German wines beyond Riesling. Get a bottle of Dornfelder and fire up the grill!

Full disclosure: This wine was provided as a sample to a friend, who then provided me with multiple tastes of it.

Tags: beaujolais