From the unusual grape files: Blaufrankisch

Jeff's parents enjoying 2009 Wild Horse BlaufranischMany wine drinkers, ourselves included, tend to stick to a few tried and true varietals. If we're feeling red, we generally gravitate towards a Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Or, if it is a white kind of night, then we might decide between a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc. Those are all terrific varietals, but there's no reason to drink them exclusively!

Last weekend, we had a terrific dinner at Jake's Del Mar with Jeff's parents, Bob and Kathy. We brought along a couple of bottles of 2009 Wild Horse Blaufrankisch because we thought it would be fun to try a new varietal.

The wine turned out to be a terrific complement to the salads, seafood, and lamb dishes we collectively ordered. It had a lot of dark fruit on the palate that went down incredibly smooth with no earthy undertones and very light tannins. There was even a hint of green apple, which made a perfect pairing with our salads.

Blaufrankisch, also known as Lemberger, is predominantly grown in Europe but can occasionally be seen in the U.S.  It's definitely an unusual wine and our server at Jake's hadn't seen that varietal before. That made the wine even more fun since it served as an ice breaker and conversation starter.