The St Gisbertus Silver Moon Dornfelder Blood Red is a non-vintage $4.99 Aldi’s import exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Rheinhessen region (the largest grape growing area in Germany) located on the left bank of the Rhine River. Dornfelder is a recently created grape (1979, no, it is not a mutant) and it is popular in Germany, because it is a full bodied Red grape that thrives in conditions more suited for White grapes. Aldi’s is a German corporation and the parent company of Trader Joe’s. St. Gisbertus has been making wines for the European Aldi’s for years, in Europe they look at Aldi’s the same way we see Trader Joe’s. In the US, we see Aldi’s as a second tier grocery store, even though they do share some products with Trader Joe’s. The alcohol content is a reserved 12.5%.
The color is dark cranberry red. The nose is cherry and hard spiced candies, along with peach and chocolate mints. It tastes of tart cherry and Altoid’s mints, followed by blueberry juice and strawberry. The mouthfeel is slightly watery, but the flavors are bold. The mid-palate shows some mild POM Wonderful and soft black pepper. Not a complicated wine, but it is medium to light bodied and fairly tasty. The finish starts off strong, but fades quickly.
The St Gisbertus Silver Moon Dornfelder Blood Red is sold as a $4.99 Halloween party wine and as such, it pretty much rocks. It tastes different, but not too different, it isn’t too heavy and the alcohol is on the mild side and know one will know you paid less than five bucks. The label, a full moon dripping blood, is scary enough for any party, but the wine inside the bottle is not scary at all.
