2021 Dautel Trollinger, Württemberg, Germany

ABOUT THIS WINE

Dautel Trollinger is a red wine produced from the Trollinger grape variety in the Württemberg region of Germany. This wine is known for its light-to-medium body and vibrant character.

In appearance, expect a translucent ruby-red color that hints at its lightness and freshness.

Upon nosing the wine, you might encounter a bouquet featuring aromas of red berries, particularly raspberry and cherry, alongside floral hints and a touch of earthiness.

When sipped, Dautel Trollinger typically offers a lively and refreshing palate. Flavors of red fruits often dominate, accompanied by a zesty acidity and mild tannins. Its light body and easy-drinking nature make it a pleasant and approachable red wine choice.

This wine is often enjoyed slightly chilled and pairs well with a variety of lighter dishes such as roasted poultry, pasta with tomato-based sauces, charcuterie, or even lighter seafood dishes.

Overall, Dautel Trollinger embodies the characteristics of a quaffable, fruit-forward red wine with a refreshing profile that makes it ideal for casual enjoyment and versatile food pairings.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Though Württemberg is not yet well known in the states, the Dautel family is a leading producer with grape growing history going back 500 years. The region itself is marked by ancient, very steep terraced vineyards, among the most beautiful and forbidding you’ll see in Germany, including the Mosel-terrasen. These steep vineyards hug the Neckar and Ahr rivers while the rest of the region, similar to Austria’s Weinvertel region, consists of a rolling landscape with isolated steeper hillsides. Soils range from calcareous marl, Gipskeuper (deeper clay with a high gypsum content, which is common in Franken), a rare soil called Schilfsandstein (reed sandstone) which is a hard yellow-ish sandstone often used in building construction, and our old pal Muschelkalk which, as you know, means “fossil-bearing limestone.”

Today, Christian Dautel farms four Grand Cru (Grosse Lage) sites, Michaelsberg Grosse  Lage (colored  marl), Steingrüben  Grosse Lage  (Schilfsandstein), Schupen Grosse  Lage (Gipskeuper, weathered  limestone) and Forstberg  Grosse  Lage (colored  marl  and  stony  clay with  limestone  inclusions), and two 1er Cru (Erste Lage) sites Sonnenberg  Erste  Lage (Schilfsandstein,  Gipskeuper) and Wurmberg  Erste  Lage (Muschelkalk).