It always catches people off guard when we tell them we make wine from Dornfelder in California. It's an unexpected grape for the region. We first learned about it from our German neighbors, who grew it on their vineyard, and a few years ago, we decided to plant it ourselves in the Sta. Rita Hills. This year marks the first time we've had enough of a crop to produce our own Dornfelder. While most of it is bottled under our Pali Wine Co. label, we made sure to set some aside for a carbonic maceration, Neighborhood-style. Aged for 8 months in a combination of 50% stainless steel and 50% neutral oak, this wine is dark and inky purple in color. You might expect a big, lush red, but it’s quite the opposite. With aromas of blackberries, graphite, iron, and wet gravel, it surprises with high acidity, balanced by dark fruits and hints of roasted meat. Best served chilled, this refreshing and vibrant red is fermented with native yeast using the carbonic maceration method, harvested at low sugars, and bottled with minimal sulfite additions. Like all our wines, it remains unfined and unfiltered for a pure expression of this unique grape.
It always catches people off guard when we tell them we make wine from Dornfelder in California. It's an unexpected grape for the region. We first learned about it from our German neighbors, who grew it on their vineyard, and a few years ago, we decided to plant it ourselves in the Sta. Rita Hills. This year marks the first time we've had enough of a crop to produce our own Dornfelder. While most of it is bottled under our Pali Wine Co. label, we made sure to set some aside for a carbonic maceration, Neighborhood-style. Aged for 8 months in a combination of 50% stainless steel and 50% neutral oak, this wine is dark and inky purple in color. You might expect a big, lush red, but it’s quite the opposite. With aromas of blackberries, graphite, iron, and wet gravel, it surprises with high acidity, balanced by dark fruits and hints of roasted meat. Best served chilled, this refreshing and vibrant red is fermented with native yeast using the carbonic maceration method, harvested at low sugars, and bottled with minimal sulfite additions. Like all our wines, it remains unfined and unfiltered for a pure expression of this unique grape.