2006 Fenn Valley Meritage

We enjoyed this one at the tasting room and for the price it seemed like one to get. This is a Bordeaux blend of Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc, and Merlot and all the grapes were grown in southwest Michigan.

A big nose – spice, vanilla, and cherry at first but as the bottle opens the nose brings some distinct plum notes take over.

I would've thought this was Italian – earthy, chocolatey, some cola notes, lots of acid, some dried Italian spices, all with some nice tart cherry. Medium bodied with some very nice tannic structure.

The finish lingers for some time with the earth and chocolate sticking around the longest.

For $16 this falls right into line with what I'd expect and makes this is a fairly easy recommendation.

N/V Tabor Hill Red Heritage

I'm not sure what the price on this one was in the tasting room, but I do recall it was in the $10 range.

A funky nose – carob and rotten raspberry.

Smooth, easy drinking, but by no means dumb – a nice fuzziness, some cherry, cedar, chocolate, tobacco, and surprisingly pronounced tannins.

Some nice herbal notes come through on the finish with some chocolate and raspberry.

This is pretty damn good – it's perhaps not the most complex wine on the planet, but for the price, it's solid – earthy, fruity, well balanced, and interesting enough to get a solid recommendation.

N/V Black Star Farms Red House Red

Black Star was a good place and we grabbed this one because our sample in the tasting room screamed QPR.

I get some distinct cola notes on this nose which wins me over immediately.

Some earthy and funky notes with some cherry and raspberry – it's a soft wine and it could use some more backbone but I believe they're striving for an easy quaffable pizza wine and this more than succeeds.

The finish fades but the sour cherry notes linger with some earthiness.

When one thinks of a non-vintage table wine most people automatically assume it's going to be crap – rest assured this one is certainly solid and well worth the $11 pricetag.

2005 Bowers Harbor Cabernet Franc Erica Vineyard

Cabernet Franc is immensely popular in Michigan – it is probably one of the easiest grapes to grow in the area and it's something most wineries make. I didn't keep my receipts but the winery's website lists this at $25 (a number that seems high to me).

A bit of earth and a bunch of tart cherry on the nose.

Nicely balanced – some good earthiness along with the black fruit – black cherry and casssis – plus a touch of sweet oak give it some good backbone.

Some vanilla notes come through as well as some plum and a bit of oak.

So let's go with that this does go for $25 – it's a small producer in a fairly unusual region and a relatively obscure grape for a single varietal wine - and they knock it out of the park.

2007 Fenn Valley Chambourcin

I bought this thinking it was a damn good example of the varietal and a good value at $12.

Earth, carob, and spice on the nose.

Raspberry, chocolate, and tobacco with some odd rosemary touches. Some acidic zing lingers on the mid and back palate, dried spices, potent strawberry, and almost a bit of saltiness.

Tart cherry with some lingering earthiness on the finish.

Good rule of thumb about Chambourcin – decant for at least an hour or two – there's a loud of funk and weirdness in this varietal but it normally blows off. If I did notes on first pour from the recently opened bottle I'd say it was all weird and funky with way too much acid. For $12 this is a fine example and well worth a look.

2005 Shady Lane Pinot Noir Leelanau Peninsula

We hit up this winery on our recent trip to Michigan and found this wine enjoyable enough to grab a bottle.

The nose here is distinct and clear – cherry cola gummy candy.

Cherry cola on the palate as well with some sharp acid. While I wouldn't call this simple, the dominating forces here are cherry cola – which to me is outstanding.

The finish brings some interesting notes of bell pepper

Day two brings more cherry and cola notes but the bell pepper has worked its way onto the palate and some chocolate notes start coming through as well.

At $16 this is easily one of the better under $20 Pinot Noirs that we've had from any region. Well done.

2003 Domaine Bott-Geyl Pinot Gris Beblenheim

I have no recollection about why I bought this wine other than it was on clearance and ran me under $10....really, that's all the reason I need.

Interesting floral notes with some hints of gasoline.

I certainly didn't expect this. Rather acidic, some strange gasoline essence plus floral notes and quite a bit of tea – sort of like orange blossom tea sweetened with honey. The feel on the mouth is somewhat thin – so the flavor profile is somewhat like a very mellow and light Sauternes, but definitely not the same mouthfeel. Interesting, strange, not unlike anything I've had really. There seems to be just a kiss of oak here but I wouldn't bet my life on it.

The finish has a sort of fuzzy honey feel.

To my knowledge there is nothing on the label that would suggest this is not a typical Alsatian (dry) white, but as long as you know what you're in for this is definitely a wine I can recommend

Brief note

No - we didn't go on a giant drinking binge.

I recently discovered an old file with notes I never put up - we're just about caught up now.

2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 35 Yountville District

This one was about ten bones at Costco and I believe they have some sort of exclusive arrangement for this particular lot.

Extremely weak nose....nothing really jumps out at all.

A mild palate as well at first but it opens well enough after a couple hours – some cherry comes through at first and tannins are present right away, mid palate brings some eucalyptus, and more cherry come through on the back palate.

Some dried spices come through on the finish.

It starts off boring but with a bit of airtime this wine becomes somewhat interesting. For $10 I'd say grab a bottle and see what you think. It's strikingly mild which I suppose is preferable to the fruit bomb trend, but I'm not quite sold.

2004 Domaine Roblet-Monnet Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes Pinot Noir

This was an ultra bargain – something like $8 marked down from over $20 – and I do recall it was the last bottle they had, let's see how we do.

Earth on the nose.

A lot of acid, a lot of funk, some barnyard, and a fairly thin mouthfeel (not necessarily a bad thing). There are some unpleasant notes of grape stems - something I rarely taste but is certainly present here. A bit of chocolate, some spice, a little bit of vanilla, and as the bottle opens up some *very* distinct cherry cola notes – excellent.

The earthiness and some herbal notes linger for some time.

Even closer to $20 this would be fine....good Burgundy doesn't come cheap and this one, while flawed, has more pros than cons.

2006 Galena Cellars Eric The Red Marechal Foch

We bought this from the winery's tasting room in Geneva, Illinois after enjoying a sample.

A bit earthy, a bit funky, a bit chocolaty, and a bit of rotten raspberry on the nose.

Fairly smooth, not much in terms of tannin but a fair amount of acid. Rich dark fruit – blackberry, plum – and a fair amount of chocolate.

Chocolate covered cherries that are just a bit too old is what the finish tells me.

Clearly a somewhat odd wine – it's the sort of thing that you try and know it's either an odd varietal or from a weird region – both are true. While not bad, my palate is forgiving of this style where others may not be.

2006 Penfolds Koonunga Hillls Shiraz – Cabernet Sauvignon

Nine bucks and highly rated, why not?

Lots of dark stuff on the nose – plum, blackberry, some chocolate, and black cherry.

Not bad – definitely a big wine – chocolate covered cherries, plums, some mild tobacco notes, a bit of vanilla comes through as well as some black pepper and dried spices.

Candied cherries linger for some time along with some oak and spices.

Nest day: Chocolate covered cherries on the nose. A huge, black fruit palate with a touch of flabbiness...some vanilla comes through from the oak as well as a hint of black pepper. It seems to have gotten bigger but simpler.

Nice complexities on an under $10 bottle and definitely worth a look.

2006 Three Knights Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

I believe it was in an old issue of Wine Spectator where I read Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley is probably the safest bet. Is it safe even if it's a measly seven bucks from Trader's Joe's?

A bit of strawberry, a bit of vanilla, and a bit of funk on the nose.

Lots of vanilla – strong enough that it's weird – some cherry, strawberry, mild tannins, and solid acid – a good structure all around.

The tannins come forward on the finish with some lingering strawberry notes.

I can't argue with this as a bottle of cheap wine, but if you're looking for a good quality Pinot Noir, look away.

2006 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

You know, I've seen this wine around for some time and I finally broke down and grabbed a bottle. This one goes for between $16 and $25 depending on where you shop – I have no access to sales figures and the like but my assumption is this is probably the most popular Pinot Grigio in the United States – from serious wine shops to Costco to the local grocery store, to almost any Italian restaurant's wine list, this one seems to everywhere.....but does it deserve to be?

Ultra tart apples and a little bit of pear on the nose with the slightest hint of gasoline.

Fruity, yet ultimately fairly dry. Apples, a little bit of grape jelly, some very dry stone fruit, maybe a bit of lime, and there is some decent mineral character here.

The finish is fades quick and is mostly lime.

I'll call this absurdly mediocre – there's nothing here, other than perhaps some less residual sugar, that you can't get in any number of cheaper Pinot Grigio out there.

N/V L Mawby Blanc de Noir Cuvee 124

The label here says “en tirage June 2006 / degorgement December 2007”

From a foot away you get a big whiff of bread dough but as you get closer some distinct red apples notes with a bit of nuttiness take over the nose.

Lots of crisp red apples on the palate, fruity but dry, a bit floral, and some solid yeasty notes make this a very nice well rounded bottle.

Good acid comes through on the finish with lingering apple

At $18 this is an easy recommendation. L Mawby rocks.

N/V L Mawby Blanc de Blanc Cuvee 118

The label on this one says “en tirage March 2006 / degorgement June 2008”

Citrus and walnuts on the nose.

Fairly mild – crisp, fruity, and a slight bit of sugar – good acid, sour green apple, pear, and orange zest and a bit of grapefruit all with just a bit of toastiness.

Orange rind and grapefruit linger on the finish

A solid bottle all around – while the $18 pricetag doesn't scream bargain, this is certainly a solid bottle and one I can't argue with. Recommended.

N/V Codorniu Pinot Noir Cava Rose

You know the drill - summer + heat + $10 sparkling wine = good time.

Not much on the nose other than just a bit of watermelon.

Light, crisp, somewhat fruity yet still dry. A bit of the watermelon comes through, some mild strawberry notes – not a good quality farmer's market strawberry, a gigantic out of season grocery store strawberry where it's mostly white on the inside but it still sort of tastes like strawberry (consider this an indictment of the berry, not the wine).

The acid presents itself nicely on the finish along with some strange lingering watermelon notes....imagine chopping a watermelon on a cedar plank, letting the juice sit on the plank for an hour, and then licking it off....is this a good thing? I'm still not sure.

Generally, when I come up with goofy descriptions I recommend if for no other reason than it makes me think....this is no exception.

2006 Gabbiano Rosato Toscana

The lazy dog dangling days of summer are rapidly making their way out, so what better way to enjoy it than with a rosato. I found this one at Trader Joe's for $1.99 not too long ago – every so often they get a new variety from a large producer for dirt cheap – I'd expect to find this for probably closer to $8 in the store.

Just a little bit of strawberry and spice on the nose.

Bone dry and just the slightest bit tannic. Very light fruit, hard to pick out – really, the strongest flavors are stone fruit – peaches for the most part. A little bit of cherry as well.

The tannins present themselves a bit more of the finish with just a bit of lingering fruit.

For $2 this is obvious. For $8 I'd still consider it even though I'd be far less giddy about it.

2005 Meinklang Beerenauslese

I've had this sitting in the fridge for quite a while – I recall getting it on a great clearance deal but don't recall any specifics other than part of me thinks I paid about $8 and the retail was much higher.

A strong nose of honey and dried apricot.

Thick and viscous – honey and dried fruit – apricot, apple, peach, fig, and golden raisins – though it's quite sweet but it's really not cloying.

Dried apple is quite strong on the finish.

No complaints other than it is perhaps a bit simple.

2005 XS Red California Cabernet Sauvignon

This was four bones on clearance at World Market, so what the heck?

A little bit of rotten strawberry on the nose.

Hmmm....fairly light, some garbage, a little bit of chocolate, some strawberry, and decent tannins.

Some herbal notes come through on the finish – dried Italian spices – and chocolate.

You know, this isn't half bad for the price...the garbage notes aren't entirely pleasant but they're at least interesting. Give this a Tombstone pizza or something of equal quality and you can have a decent cheap night.

N/V Pommery Pop Extra Dry Champagne

The regular price here is around $40, but I grabbed it as it was marked down to $21.99 – a solid price for any real Champagne

Some toast, yeast, and even a bit of 7-Up on the nose.

A bit yeasty, some nice doughy notes, along with some citrus notes – lime zest mostly – just a slight bit of nuttiness too. There's some sweetness but everything really blends together nicely.

For $22 you might find a more interesting domestic sparkler but you'd be hard pressed to find another Champagne. It's not bad, in fact it's rather good, but when we're talking full pricepoint, I just can't say this is something I'd consider buying again.

2006 Bear's Lair Viognier

This was four bucks at Trader's Joe and I bought it on a whim.

Tropical fruit on the nose – papaya and pineapple mostly.

Feels a bit viscous in the mouth, some spicy notes, and a bit of fruit – quite dry over all actually.

This is interesting as the finish is huge while the palate is somewhat muted....lots of spice and tropical fruit – papaya and maybe even some guava with lingering vanilla bean and at the very end some strong lime notes coming through. An insanely long finish for almost any wine, let alone one under five bones.

This is a tough bottles to complain about...dirt cheap and surprisingly complex. I like my Viognier with more melon on the flavor profile but hey – four bucks? I'm sold.

2005 Husch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

This is one of my last super ultra discont wines – marked from about $20 to under $10. It was great while it lasted.

The nose is quite interesting – cat piss, chocolate, and Coke. Interesting.

A bit fuzzy – chocolate, cherry, cola, strawberry, a big dollop of oak, some cinnamon and other spices – almost a cayenne pepper hit.

Where this fails is the finish – maybe some cola lingers and perhaps some strawberry, but really it's disappears quickly.

Even if this was $20 I'd still give it a strong recommendation – I'm sad I only got one bottle – good quality Pinot is tough to get and this one definitely is a good one in this price range.

2006 Newman's Own Cabernet Sauvignon

I have to admit – I like Paul Newman's products but I have no idea who he is....in my attempts to come up with a snarky comment about this all I could think of was Robert Redford or Richard Dreyfuss – so who the hell is Paul Newman, other than a guy who makes solid pasta sauce and lemonade? I think he taught Tom Cruise how to hustle? Anyway – this was about $12 and is made by the Three Thieves so I'm going in with high expectations.

Twizzlers and smoke on the nose – an odd combination.

Mildly tannic, a nice fuzzy feeling coats the tongue, some nice blackberry notes, a bit of vanilla, and some very dark, very ripe – almost bordering on slightly dried – fruit, like a plum that needs six hours in the dehydrator but only got three. Very nice – soft and easy drinking.

A little bit of wood and a whole punch of black fruit fade quickly..

Some may complain it's too simple and perhaps it is, but at this pricepoint there's no issue here at all.

2006 Hogue Columbia Valley Riesling

Hogue is a reliable producer and I grabbed this because it was on sale for about seven dollars.

Mostly apricot on the nose.

Great stuff – a bit of spice, a bit of sugar, and a bit of acid – as balanced as you'll get, especially at the price. The palate is all lightly spiced stone fruit – peaches, nectarines, apricots. Sweet enough I'd almost call it Auslese in style.

The acid lingers as well as more of that nice stone fruit.

On the second day, almost all the stone fruit went away and was replaced with grapefruit. Nose, palate, finish – all pink grapefruit with a bit of zest and rind on the palate. The balance of sugar and acid was still acceptable but the flavor structure changed.

If you're interested in QPR, and you like your Rieslings with some sweetness, you can't go wrong here.

2005 Big House Wine Company Prodigal Son Petite Sirah

This one ran about $14 at World Market, if memory serves.

A tight and funky nose at first but it opens to reveal barnyard, anise, leather, earth, and oak.

Funky barnyard with big fruit – ripe plum, blackberry – a fair amount of vegetal qualities...green pepper and onion....and plenty of cedar and cigar box.

Leather and tobacco present themselves on the finish.

It's interesting but I'm not sure all the funk is working for me.

2005 Tutu California Pinot Grigio

This was about $13 a while back, I admit it, I thought the label was amusing.

A weird, funky nose – almost cheese like.

Interesting. Crisp green apple, some minerality, a strange balance of acid and fruit, and a bit more of that weird soft cheese (I'm thinking Brie) – a somewhat unpleasant profile. What I dislike about this wine is somewhat new to me, so I'm struggling to put my finger on it.

The finish fades fast but leads a thick coating on the palate.

Not good....not good at all. I've said before it's hard to screw up Pinot Grigio – this proves it can be done....screw this, save your money and buy Gabbiano.

N/V (?) Botham Vineyards Riesling

We were in Wisconsin and I saw a section of “local wine” at a shop we were visiting so I figured to grab this one for about ten bones.

The nose here is artificial peach – like a peach Jolly Rancher.

At 10.4% alcohol this one is very light and dangerously quaffable. Very smooth – not a lot of acid, and while it's sweet there's a nice balance here – very light bodied. Mild peachy notes – imagine the syrup of canned peaches but watered down severely. That's about it really.

The finish's peachy notes linger for a surprisingly long time.

So this one depends on what you like I suppose – I prefer my Rieslings a bit sharper, but this one just seems to work for me. It's easy drinking and simple – if that makes you cringe then avoid it but I occasionally go for this type of thing and it more than works as a picnic or patio wine.

N/V (?) Sacred Stone Master's Red Blend Old World Style Red Wine

Welcome to post #400! I didn't expect to reach post 40, let alone 400. I was thinking about using this very special occasion to open something fancy pants but the more I thought about it, the more I thought the spirit of this blog is to enjoy wine but to try to find something good and cheap, so I present to you a great $10 wine. Maybe post #500 will be something pricey.

Not sure where I got this – the usual places don't seem to carry it. A brief poke around the internet shows this blend of Syrah, Carignan, Grenache, Sangiovesse, and Zinfandel goes for about ten dollars.

To me, the nose just screams “Black!” Black fruit – blackberry, dark ultra ripe plums – maybe even prune, black dirt, and asphalt.

Quite mild with tannins but big on black fruit and very powerful on the spice – black pepper almost assaults the palate with loads of dried Italian spices.

Black cherry with cinnamon and other spices lingers for quite some time on the finish.

The second day brings an asphalt nose. The palate now has a nice bit of chocolate to compliment the rest of the black flavors – which have somewhat mellowed. Still lots of black pepper and spice but it's all calmed down with black cherry and eucalyptus being predominant.

Should I see this bottle at ten bucks again I'll be grabbing a case. Phenomenal QPR.

2006 Vino Sin Ley G4 Grenache

I don't recall why I bought this – it's been on the rack for a while, it either came recommended from the wine shop or we tried at a tasting and dug it...either way, this is about ten bucks.

Earthy and chocolatey notes on the nose.

Earth, cherry, and chocolate. Not a whole lot of oak or tannins – this is a very nice, smooth wine. Well made and a great value.

There's a bit of heat on the finish with some more of that dark chocolate.

For $10, this is an obvious recommendation – a solid and well-made Old World Grenache which I'm a big fan of.

2005 Kirkland Napa Valley Meritage

A Costco find for something like $12 – I don't know if I've ever seen a Meritage for under $15, so let's take a look.

The nose on this one is tight – maybe some vague earthy qualities and berries, but I can't pinpoint much – after being open for a couple hours, I'm definitely getting some carob.

A nicely balanced wine to be sure – spice, fruit, and oak are all in good harmony here. A little bit of green pepper, some clove notes, bing cherry, and nice smooth smokey oak. Somewhat tannic at first but it really faded into a smooth, easy drinking wine after a few hours.

The finish presents some plum along with some linger sweet oak.

No issues at all with the $12 pricetag.

N/V Paul Cheneau Cava Brut

We had planned on having a guest reviewer for this one, here's a photo from the session:



Unfortunately, Pudge felt the nose did not remind her enough of cat food and refused to continue with the blog post.*

Back to the regulars: this was about $8 at Costco and always being up for a sparkler, I grabbed it.

A bit of bread – dinner roll really – with a slightest hint of blueberry.

Yes...yes indeed. Lots of berry here, some interesting and subtle flavors – boysenberry almost. Not much in terms of citrus though I suppose I do get some apple. Not much toast, not much yeast, but some nutty qualities along with the fruit – GrapeNuts, you say? Alrighty then.

The finish has more of that interesting grapey, nutty, berry profile. I can't argue with it.

This is a no-brainer. Go for it.

*Pudge was not legitimately offered wine as she is underage. Cats, dogs, and other pets who are under the age of 21 (in human years) should not be given alcohol. Once they hit 21, it's not a good idea either.

Michigan Wine Trip – Round Up

Two days, 14 wineries and tasting rooms, 99 wines sampled (actually over 100, but some were fruit based - (“this cherry wine tastes like cherries?”) - I spit most of my samples so my liver is fine, but I'll be damned if my tongue doesn't hurt.

A word on my tasting notes: they were mostly done in a somewhat high pressure situation, with a sales person standing near me, sometimes watching what I write (I counteract this by writing in a fashion that is legible only to me), and often with only a few seconds before I'm being asked a question about what I thought or what I want next. This is part of the reason there isn't much variation in the my descriptions.

Of course another reason for this is that most of the wines are made with the same handful of varietals made in similar styles – subtle differences are present, of course – but what I can break down with a full bottle and three hours in my apartment I won't find in 30 seconds at a tasting room. You still get an idea. If something is absolute crap I'll say it, if something is outstanding I'll say it – otherwise if it's just a general description that it's “fine” - not bad, but not good enough to excited about.

We grabbed quite a few bottles so you'll see a number of Michigan wines reviewed over the next few months.

Round Barn Winery/Free Run Cellars Tasting Room – Union Pier 7/15/08

Round Barn Winery / Free Run Cellars

We got here and a limo full of women were loudly drinking and having a good time, while the lone employee looked positively haggard. I figured we'd stick around and try to hang back while people watching. I'm not 100% sure how this place worked, there seemed to be wine from two different producers in this tasting room.

Free Run
2006 Dry Gewürztraminer – I thought something was up with the glass as it smelled distinctly like vomit...it turned it was the wine. Oddly, it tasted thoroughly dull, almost watery. Strange.

Union – big cinnamon nose / blackberry, plum, some alcohol burn – there was a lot going on here that I couldn't place, so a bottle review is forthcoming.

2005 Cabernet Franc – mild nose, smooth, smokey, and more cherry

2005 Syrah – Lots of chocolate on the nose and palate – somewhat weird honestly, a lot of cocoa powder and just a strange feel to it....I almost wish I grabbed a bottle because it was so weird.

Round Barn
Gewürztraminer – good character – sweet, spice, peach and apricot, great balance.

Vineyard Red – earth, chocolate, and raspberry nose – not much acid, lots of chocolate, with some oak and cherry.

Merlot – trash on the nose with some oak / something seems off on this one, but I can't place it – vanilla, ultra ripe, black fruit, and some carob on the palate.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Oak, vanilla, and cherry – not bad at all.

Saint Julian Tasting Room – Union Pier 7/15/08

St. Julian
Saint Julian is the largest winery in Michigan – several tasting rooms are across the state and we stopped at the one in Union Pier. The folks working are clearly not too invested in the winery's operations and I found the whole place somewhat strange.

2005 St. J Merlot – extremely light, very mild tannins, cherry and spice, but just a mild wine.

2005 Braganini Reserve Cabernet Franc – earthy with mushroomy notes / cherry and almost no tannin nor much earth or structure. Weird.

2003 Braganini Reserve Meritage – a bit of coffee on the nose / best of the lot at this place, earth, oak, spice, black fruit.

2004 Braganini Reserve Chancellor – carob nose / somewhat funky, cherry, mocha, low acid and tannin, just a big meh.

Blue Heron – peachy nose / tropical fruits on the palate, but quite flabby and nondescript.

My take on this place: Meh!

Left Food Charley – Traverse City 7/14/08

Left Foot Charley

This place is in a strange area in the city – there's abandoned buildings and high end restaurants plus this winery. This place is in what I believe used to be an asylum – it's unique to say the least. We liked this place, the young woman working was friendly and the whole set up was quite cool. That being said, my palate was severely suffering at this point and sharp, acidic whites – something I like – were so not working for me at this point in the day so these notes are fairly weak....a shame because this was a good place.

2007 Pinot Grigio – Pear, somewhat sweet, with a nice acidic backbone.

2007 Pinot Blanc – Crisp green apple and nicely balanced.

2007 Dry Riesling – Mild peach, very mellow, but really not working for me.

2007 Murmur – Not bad, mostly Pinot Grigio and it shows with the pear notes as well as some green apple.

Red Drive – banana nose / banana, strawberry, and garbage on the mouth, not unlike a Beaujolais Nouveau.

This reads as thoroughly unenthusiastic, but this was a really nice place with solid wines...we'll definitely be back. If you're into crisp whites this is a place to go.

Shady Lane Cellars – Suttons Bay 7/14/08

Shady Lane Cellars

We really liked this place – you go up to the tasting bar, the first pour is free, after that for $5 you pick four more and get your choice of cheese and crackers, you get a seat on the patio and they bring it to you – jolly good. This is a great place to slow down and relax.

2006 Semi-Dry Riesling – fantastic stuff, good acid, just enough sugar - excellent balance – with mostly grapefruit.

2006 Pinot Noir Rose – dry and peppery, strawberry notes, mild tannins – quite good.

2007 Gewurztraminer – this was their first vintage of Gewurz and I think it shows promise as a work in progress. Floral and honey noteeso n the nose. Quite dry, but it drinks like a Riesling – not enough spice though the acid was pretty good – by no means bad but I'd wait a few years.

2007 Coop De Blanc – Nectarine on the nose / spiced stone fruit palate – not bad, but so much of the wine up here is like this, it's just not interesting.

2006 Roost – cherry cough syrup on the nose / a simple palate, cherry, a bit of sweetness and some medicinal qualities, but really this isn't bad.

2005 Pinot Noir – cherry and dirt on the nose / good acid balance, earth, cherry, spice – detailed notes coming.

2005 Cabernet Franc – Pepper on the nose / cherry, earth, solid tannins, and good stucture

2006 Late Harvest Vignoles – honey and under ripe cantaloupe on the nose here. Good crisp acid, more of that mellow melon and some musty qualities too. Good stuff.

Black Star Farms – Suttons Bay 7/14/08

Black Star Farms

This place had a bit of a corporate feel – take that for what it is, on the one hand it's impersonal – the staff can answer only the most basic of questions - on the other they charge you for the samplings, you get the keep the glass, and since the tasting bar is completely separate from the cash register, there's zero pressure to buy. $3 for five wines and then there's a reserve list where it's $5 for two.

2006 Arcturos Pinot Noir – spicy and a bit of earth, cherry, medium body with mostly cinnamon and nutmeg.

2005 Arcturos Cabernet Franc – peppery nose / cherry, mild tannins, chocolate, and cedar

2006 Leorie Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc – earth on the nose / really good, balanced, complex but approachable black spice, pepper, cherry, oak, tobacco, and cedar.

2006 Arcturos Merlot – Light bodied, cherry, oak and spice...meh.

Red House Red – light, easy drinking, cherry – a good pizza wine

Red House Rose – all strawberry, really more of a blush

Late Harvest Riesling – nicely made, good balance of acid and sugar with a whole mess of peach.

Sparkling Wine – too sweet for us, a bit of toast on the nose / good body and well made just not our style.

2007 A Capella Riesling Ice Wine – At $92.50 this is easily the priciest of what we've sampled – peach nose, nice and balanced but honestly this is incredibly mild – no great explosiveness on the palate, nor any significant depth....of the ice wines we had, this was probably the least interesting.

L Mawby – Suttons Bay 7/14/08

L Mawby

We've had a couple of this producer's wines before – in fact, this winery was one of the motivating factors to making this trip....the room was worked by two women, both friendly and really knew their stuff. So how does this place hold up to scrutiny?

Here's how it works: They only making sparkling wines, you get two free samples, and for $5 you can get two glasses of your choice plus crackers and cheese.

Sandpiper – peachy nose / light bodied, sweet and peachy, though quite good for a sweeter sparkler, somewhat like a sparkling muscat

Blanc de Blancs – hell yeah – dry, crisp green apple with citrus notes.

US – not too much jumped out at me here, fruity and a bit of sugar.

Cremant – not a whole lot on the nose / palate is quite nutty, a bit of apple and orange zest, good stuff.

Talismon – yeasty and toasty with green apple, quite good.

Sex – smells sweeter than it is, a bit of peach and grapefruit, good stuff.

Blanc de Noir – toasty, yeasty, citrus zest – very good, probably the best of the lot.

Easily the best sparkling wines in the area – and best of all, to our palates, were the mid-priced ones – excellent.

Peninsula Cellars – Traverse City 7/14/08

Peninsula Cellars

Most of the time, people working in wineries see nerds like me taking notes and respect it. Well sometimes they don't – in fact, sometimes it seems to piss the person working off. I present to you: Peninsula Cellars.

I'll point out at this point – I am not obnoxious with what I do – I try to be discreet, we stand in the corner if at all possible, I write quickly, and never make faces or nasty comments out loud....so before you go thinking “well you're a snob” - you are mistaken.

2006 Pinot Noir – earth and funk on the nose / cherry, wood, but something weirdly artificial going on, almost plastic?

2005 Cabernet Franc – Good stuff, cherry, vanilla, oak, strawberry, and a bit of tobacco.

2005 Cabernet Franc Reserve – Black fruit and black licorice on the nose / bigger and bolder than the regular, good tannic structure, menthol, cherry, blackberry, plum, and cigar box.

2005 Hog's Back Merlot – Not much nose / cherry, cedar and a lot of acid.

Old School Red – Italian style nose / harshly acidic, raspberry, herbal notes, a bit like a Chianti

Melange – a cherry and grape fortified wine – orange nose / lots of citrus and black cherry with some nice cinnamon and spice.

As we exited, we walked quickly thus preventing the door from hitting us with the good lord split us. The building is cute and the Cab Franc is great, perhaps one of the best we've had - I've been informed the management of the winery has changed so next time we're in the area we definitely will be giving Peninsula Cellars another try.

Bowers Harbor Vineyards – Traverse City 7/14/08

Bowers Harbor Vineyards

This place was run by a couple women who were very friendly and talkative – we liked them a lot.

2007 Gewürztraminer – spiced apricot nose / light peach, somewhat dry, and overall quite mild.

2004 Cabernet Franc – earthy nose / the palate here is funky with a fair amount of garbage...

2005 Cabernet Franc – a more herbal nose / earthy mouth with some cherry, nice firm tannins.

Bowers Harbor Red – a Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend – earth, cherry, and cinnamon on the nose / fairly light, nice acid mild cherry with a bit of spice.

2004 Pinot Noir – a mild nose with mostly earth / a bit of cherry, nothing here suggests Pinot Noir really.

2005 2896, Langley Vineyard – menthol nose / very nice body, smooth, black cherry, plum, blackberries, and firm tannins.

Chateau Grand Traverse – Traverse City 7/14/08

Chateau Grand Traverse

This was a nice place, the people working the bar were very friendly and knew their stuff - the tasting room was fairly bit with an array of sauces and knicknacks.

2006 Pinot Noir Vin Gris – I grabbed a bottle of this just because it's so unusual – a white wine made with Pinot Noir, the juice saw absolutely no time with the skins. Dry, fruity, very light with cherry notes- expect full notes in time.

2006 Gamay Noir Limited Bottling – an earthy, Pinot Noir like nose / the palate is like a tremendous Beaujolais – earth, cherry, nice tannins, a great botte.

2005 Gamay Noir Reserve – Eucalyptus and cherry on the nose – a cherry cough drop if you will / earth and cola notes plus some strawberry. Outstanding.

2004 Merlot Reserve – when you're a nerd and you're spitting your wine and taking notes, sometimes the people like you – this bottle was “not available” for sampling but they had an open bottle and hooked us up – earth, wood, and cherry on the nose / quite big, spicy, black fruit, earth, and cedar – great balance.

2007 Semidry Riesling – Good acid and fruit, but not terribly sweet, all stone fruit of course.

Cherry Port – Imagine eating a chocolate covered cherry with a brandy filling – yes sir, I'll take a bottle.

Chateau Chantal Winery – Traverse City 7/14/08

Chateau Chantal

This is a beautiful property – worth visiting for the views alone. The tasting room was run by a young girl who I can't imagine was 18 and was so socially awkward I can only assume it was her first week on the job, she was some sort of alternate, or she was intimidated by my shiny balding head.

Tonight Sparkling Wine – apple nose / red apple in the mouth, simple though not bad.

2006 Pinot Noir – extremely light in color, cherry nose, cherry and earth on the palate, nicely balanced but absurdly light.

2006 Proprietor's Reserve Trio – cherry cola nose / cherry and oak on the palate, a nice one.

Naughty Red – like a good Beaujolais, just a faint bit of banana with funk, cherry and earth. If you are into Beaujolais (not Nouveau) this is your thing.

2006 Riesling Late Harvest – peachy nose / spice stone fruit, somewhat flabby to be blunt.

The wine here was fine and it's worth a visit if you're in the area and have time but honestly I don't foresee a revisit from us in the immediate future.

Two Lads Winery – Traverse City 7/14/08

Two Lads Winery

We absolutely winged this trip – other than the hotel room, nothing else was planned including which of the many wineries in the area to go to we'd visit....in browsing the “Wine Country” magazine the state puts out, I'll freely admit something about this place's logo spoke to me....yep, the logo.

Working the tasting bar was a young woman who was friendly and knowledgeable.

At the time of our visit, none of their reds had been released – this is a brandspanking new winery which opened in 2008, but the quality in these bottles was the best we've seen among young wineries. The woman in the tasting room told us their plan is to specialize in reds and try to outdo everyone else in the state – I intend to be back after they're released next spring.

Pinot Grigio – Spicy peach on the nose / A bit fruity, green apple, pear, dry, and nicely balanced – there is something here, some extra “oomph” which sets it apart from every other Pinot Grigio I've had.

Sparkling Wine – my notes say “smooth but blah.”

Chardonnay – as a rule, I hate Chardonnay – we said we'd pass, the woman working suggested we try it anyway - “why not?” - I stand corrected....light and fruity, a little butter but none of that overoaked nonsense – a damn good Chardonnay, perhaps the first oaked Chardonnay we've had that I've truly enjoyed.


Rose – a fairly big rose, dry and fruity...I bought a bottle and will do full notes eventually.

Off Dry Pinot Grigio – somewhat like a Riesling with some stone fruit notes, light bodied and good balance.

A beautiful setup, a great building, a winery that I think shows tremendous promise.

Tabor Hill Winery Tasting Room - Saugatuck Tasting Room 7/13/08

Tabor Hill

In this winery, I noticed a trend present at all three we had been to – bougie women come in, try wine, bitch it's not sweet enough, and buy stuff that's on par with White Zinfandel....when you're at a small winery and are talking to someone involved in the winemaking process, part of them dies every time this happens. I've heard – from a winemaker in Illinois – that the most difficult part of his business is he can't spend enough time crafting good wine, because everyone in his area, who make up most of his business, like the sweet, blush wines....what can you do?

Anyway – the guy at this tasting room clearly didn't know what to make of us and seemed hesitant, but there's something about a youngish guy swashing around a mouthful of wine, discreetly spitting it into a plastic cup, and frantically writing notes that either wins you over with the person working or just plain pisses them off – this guy liked us.

Red Heritage – A bit of funk on the nose / smooth cigar box and cherry.

Red Arrow Red – earth and tobacco nose / easy drinking, earthy, mild oak, vanilla, mild/medium tannin, cinnamon and cherry.

Lake Michigan Shore Cabernet Franc – Mild cherry nose / lots of spice and oak on this one.

Lake Michigan Shore Merlot – Ultra soft, raspberry and cherry, some earth and medium tannings – a good, light wine with some nice depth.

Lake Michigan Shore Cabernet Sauvignon – a bit of “White Out” on the nose, light bodied, some bell pepper, and a lot of tannins – this would be an interesting one to put away for five to seven years and revisit.

Lake Michigan Shore Cabernet Franc Rose – a bit of stone fruit on the nose / fruity but dry, strawberry, an easy quaff – a good, genuine, rose.

Lake Michigan Shore Kerner – Honey, peach, and stone fruit – a Riesling cousin and it shows.

Gewurz – Floral and peachy nose / excellent balance of acid and sugar, peach pie filling is all over this.

Classic Demi-Sec – we weren't going to try this one but the guy working said it was their best selling bottle, outselling almost every other white combined so we should try it. A peachy nose mostly / extremely good, I'm glad we tried it, Auslese style, nearly ideal balance of acid, with peach and spice.

Special Select Classic Demi-Sec – if I'm not mistaken this is made slightly differently in that the grapes are not pressed...the bottle is more expensive by a few dollars but I think it's somewhat less interesting – a mild, grapey nose and a grapey palate, a bit sweeter with less acid, but by all means it's still a good bottle.

Tabor Hill is a must visit in Southwest Michigan!

Fenn Valley Winery – Saugatuck Tasting Room 7/13/08

Fenn Valley

I must talk about Saugatuck before I talk about anything else.

It is the whitest place on earth – seriously...this is where the ultra-rich, Midwestern white elderly people take their grandkids, it would be funny if there wasn't something so menacing lurking underneath. Even seen “Hostel”? I'll bet when the guys who go there are on vacation, their wives are here.

Anyway – the tasting room was being worked by a man and a woman of about 50 and another guy who was perhaps in his 70s – the older guy was cool, the other two, not so much.

Blanc de Noir – Dry, acidic, crisp green apple, a bit of toast, not bad even at $25.

Sparkling Riesling – Somewhat like a sparkling Muscat, flabby and sweet.

Capriccio – Soft raspberry nose / soft and low tannins, lots of berry fruit, but by no means sweet, a nice easy going bottle.

2007 Chambourcin – the nose had a distinct whiff of skunk / a good Chambourcin though, strong acid, raspberry and cherry with a bit of tobacco.

2007 Pinot Noir – Simple, earthy, and dry.

2006 Meritage – Good Bordeaux blend, oak, spice, earth, cherry, and cinnamon.

Lakeshore Demi-Sec – typical, sweet, Midwest style white.

Port – Prune, black fruit, rich tobacco nose / fruity, oaky, spicy, and smooth.

Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2007 – Solid apricot/stone fruit nose / Honey, apricot, great balance, and a lengthy finish.

Warner Vineyards – South Haven Tasting Room 7/13/08

Warner Vineyards

A friendly, young blonde woman was working the room – this was our first winery of the trip and took us off to a good start.

Gewurztraminer – Spice and apricot nose / sweet, stone fruit, good acid – well done.

Cabernet Franc – Earthy nose / dry, good tannic structure, tobacco and black currant

Cabernet Sauvignon – Cherry nose, smooth and mellow, blackberry and some plum, good but unexciting.

Merlot – Quite acidic, cherry, and overall rather light in body.

Veritas – Mellow vanilla nose. No tannins to speak of, smooth overall, vanilla and blueberry – a good pizza wine.

Port – The nose was like smelling a landfill – thick with honey and caramel notes, a touch of raisin and maybe some tobacco with a strong burn.

2005 Director's Cut Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This was about $25 at Trader Joe's – I bought on a bit of a whim, figuring it was a pricier Coppola bottle perhaps it would be somewhere between the standard, somewhat mediocre line, and the Niebaum labels which are a bit out of our price range.

Vanilla, raspberry, and a bit of asphalt on the nose.

Rather smooth – soft tannins, cherry, vanilla, and some smooth oak – just a bit of cola as well, quite interesting.

Some spice comes through and more of that cola essence lingers as well.

This is definitely a solid bottle, certainly a step up from the standard Coppola line (even though the Ivory label Cabernet was well received here), and one really is ideal if you're looking for a gift for a movie and wine lover. I'm not sure I'll be rushing out to get this again – it's not kick you in the pants amazing, but it's a good bottle overall.

N/V Bouvet-Ladubay Signature Brut

We were into the Bouvet Brut Rose well enough that when I saw this on sale for $10 I figured I'd snag a bottle.

Apple and lemon on the nose.

Brut? I think not. I've had bottles of Demi-Sec that were sweeter. This is far sweeter than I generally tolerate in sparkling wine and therefore I am a bit biased against this one. A bit of honey and some suggestions of apple pie – spiced, sweetened apples with some crust like hints – on the palate.

A bit of yeast and apple on the finish.

I can't in good faith recommend this if you are a fan of Brut sparkling wines – if you like a bit of of sweetness I suppose it's worth a shot but to me, it loses tremendous points for the inaccurate label description.

N/V Galena Cellars American Cabernet Sauvignon

So my sister calls me at work and says “hey, we're at Galena Cellars, do you want something?” I figured I'd try their a cab, that's apparently non-vintage.

Very light cherry and spice on the nose.

I'd call it “soft” - a little bit of oak, but mostly cherry vanilla ice cream of sorts. There are no flaws here, it's just fairly simple – a very easy quaff.

A gently tannic, soft and fuzzy finish with linger cherry.

I can't help but cringe at the $20 pricetag here – it's not a bad bottle of wine at all, but it's also not terribly interesting. Considering it's an Illinois wine from a small, family owned winery I can't criticize this too much - I look forward to revisiting their tasting room and trying an assortment.

2007 Fat Bastard Rose

I'd like to say I'm at a point where cute animals on wine labels don't grab me anymore but when I saw this hippo I couldn't say no even though I'm hesitant.

A bit of spice on the nose, maybe some cinnamon.

Shocking...almost bone dry yet still fruity – this is just about exactly what a rosé should be....dry, fruity, well rounded, and an enjoyable quaff. Red berries are just about it – cherry and strawberry with some stone fruit creeping in mid-palate.

The stone fruit comes through a bit more strongly on the finish.

Simply put, this is my kind of rose and for a mere seven dollars I give it eleven thumbs up. Well done.