First developed in Germany in 1956 as
a way for winemakers in that country to
add color and body to their Pinot Noir,
Dornfelder is not often seen as a wine
on its own recognizance. Sent to Norman
and Traudl Huber from friends who had
just returned to Germany from a visit
to the vineyard, Dornfelder arrived on
the Hubers doorstep as mere twigs. Their
friends thought that the Hubers should
have a bit of their native Germany in
their vineyard, and so these four young
vines were planted side by side with the
estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Dornfelder
had found a home in California’s
Central Coast, and thrived! The vines
flourished and produced magnificent, huge
clusters of inky grapes.
It took a few years to figure out how
to manage these bold grapes! With the
2005 vintage, winemaker Norm Yost has
somewhat tamed the grapes, with acids
and tannins in beautiful balance with
the dark berry fruits of the varietal.
But there is still a youthful bravado
and exuberance in this wine, peeking through
the dark color, supple palate and elegant
finish. A bit of German formality and
reserve with a California attitude!
Dornfelder can barely be called a red
wine, in that it is so dark that it almost
appears to be black. A very dark garnet
color with glints of purple edges first
hints of the depth of the wine to come.
Fresh blackberry and anise notes on the
nose are echoed on the palate, along with
dark plum, black currant, elderberry ,
marionberry and spicy hints of clove.
This is the most fruit forward Huber Dornfelder
to date, and is nicely balanced with bright
acids, elegant dusty tannins and a very
pleasant lingering finish. A beautiful
food wine, the 2005 Dornfelder pairs exquisitely
with barbecued ribs and is a delight as
an after dinner wine with a Black Forest
chocolate cake and hard cheeses.
How dark this wine pours,
with a purple glycerine that stains the
glass. Aromatically, it’s a powerhouse
with heaps of violets, blackberry jam,
raw meat and caramelly vanilla. In the
mouth, acidity hits first, then fruit,
and then the tannins lock everything down.
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