St. Antonius Dornfelder Nahe 2021

The vineyards of Rheinhessen are planted on rolling hillsides covering a wide area,

between the two rivers forming its east and west borders – the Rhein and the Nahe. The

soils in the region are comprised of Loess, [limestone and loam], often mixed with sand

or gravel. These fertile, well-draining, loam soils, combined with the moderate climate

the region offers, enable the Dornfelder to ripen and develop complexity.

Our Dornfelder is produced exclusively from the Dornfelder grape, which is the second

most planted red varietal in Germany. It can be produced in many styles, from dry with

barrel-aging to fruity and sweet. Today, Dornfelder is considered a German red wine

classic.

Winemaking

The grapes are pressed and then remain in contact with the free-run juice to extract the

desired amount of color and tannin. As this variety inherently offers deep color, this

maceration process typically lasts only a few days, with the fermentation process

lasting between seven to 10 days.

The wine then goes through a secondary – malolactic – fermentation, which helps

soften the wine. After 10 to 14 days, the wine is racked off the lees and a week or so

later, racked off again – but not yet filtered – into large traditional wooden barrels,

which vary in size from 600 - 3,600 liters. After 30 - 90 days the wines are filtered

and placed into stainless-steel tanks until bottling.

Tasting notes

Deep in color - nearly opaque - with brooding shades of dark purple. It exhibits rich

plum and blackberry flavors and is quite mellow, with very little in the way of tannins,

but, nonetheless, quite generous. The sweet fruit fills the mouth and continues through

the finish.

Very pleasant, slightly chilled - as an aperitif. Also try with sausage and peppers and

or with honey-roasted ham. Grilled pork and lamb are also a good bet, but for

something special serve with Chicken or Lamb Tagine. The spiciness of the wine pairs

well with the ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, and also with the dried apricot, almonds

and herbs that go into this classic Moroccan dish.