Fine Wine Source Club – January 2026

Posted on January 19, 2026 by thewineraconteur

A couple of weeks after my surgery, we went to see the surgeon for a follow up, I still should not lift anything heavy, we decided that a bottle of wine was fine, but a magnum was too heavy; this caveat was to continue at least until the end of the month.  It was the first time that I had been out of the house, we celebrated by going out for breakfast and then a trip to my local wine shop, The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.

We went to pick up the January club selections, and to let them know that I was still among the living.  The first wine represents The Old World and was La Bioca “Daje Mach” Verduno Pelaverga DOC 2021.  This was the second wine from La Bioca which is a small winery in Serralunga d’Alba in the Langhe zone.  The word “Bioca” is a Piedmontese local word to describe a decisive person with a “tough head.”  “Daje Mach” is also a local Piedmontese idiom which translates to “Go for It,” or in today’s parlance “May the force be with you.”  The winery began in 2012 and now has two spacious warehouses, an underground cellar, a large tasting room and terrace and an “agriturismo” with six rooms, along with their large production facility.  Verduno Pelaverga DOC was elevated in the 1990s to promote Piedmont’s lesser-known varietals.  The entire area is tiny acreage at the northern edge of Barolo DOCG.  Pelaverga is a rare red grape, also known as Pelaverga Piccolo, Carola, Cari, Fra Germano and Taddone.  This wine is pure Pelaverga Piccolo and is manually harvested, destemmed and undergoes cold maceration for seventy-two hours with two pump-overs daily in a temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tank.  Ther fermentation lasts for about nine days, followed by fifteen days of maceration, followed by Malolactic Fermentation and aging in Stainless-Steel for six months.  I have had this wine, and my notes are that it is a red colored wine offered notes of red currants, violets, and freshly ground black and white peppers.  On the palate this dry medium-bodied wine displayed savory tones of fruit, spices with velvety tannins, and ends with a medium-count finish of fruit and spicy peppers; this wine served slightly chilled, could easily be an aperitif with a charcuterie board.

The wine representing The New World was Séance Cabernet Sauvignon California 2021.  Christophe “Chris” Legrandjacques is the Director of Winemaking; born in Champagne, raised in Africa and trained in winemaking in Burgundy and Bordeaux, he now calls California his home.  He has named his wines Séance with the traditional French meaning of “to sit for a theatrical performance.”  The fruit is selected from various vineyards across California.  The fruit is harvested at night, destemmed and gently pressed.  A twenty-four-hour cold soak, followed by warm fermentations with limited punch-downs, to extract rich fruit flavors.  The wine is then racked and undergoes aging and Malolactic Fermentation in American Oak for ten months.  It is described as a deep red colored wine that offers notes of red and black cherry, red and black plum, roses and violets, and milk chocolate.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displays tones of red and dark fruits, and black currant jam blending with silky tannins and ending with a medium-count finish of dark fruit, hazelnuts and tobacco.

It was truly a pleasure to get my sea legs again, and the owner showed me some of the special orders he fulfilled for clients including Domaine de la Romanée La Tache 1986, Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2000, and Chateau Latour Pauillac 1986.  There was also an eye-catching display of Harlan Estate Napa Valley Red Wine 2018 in a three-pack wooden box set, as well as individualized wooden boxed magnums.  In fact, right after I took the photo, a customer grabbed a couple of the magnums for his collection.    

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“A Good Year,” Samples and Cairanne

Posted on January 16, 2026 by thewineraconteur

An afternoon of serendipitous intersections of a wine-themed film, and a couple of appetizer samples, and a sample bottle of wine for a lazy day.

One of my many mutual wine bloggers on Instagram mentioned a little-known wine-themed romantic comedy set at a chateau in Provence, that we were able to find at a local library; and the funny thing is that The Wine Raconteur, Jr. had just suggested that I should periodically do a movie and wine article.  The movie is a Ridley Scott film “A Good Year” with Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard and Albert Finney. It turns out Max Skinner learns that his Uncle Henry died intestate and he is the closest relative, and he goes to his uncle’s chateau in Provence, coupled with his childhood memories. There is also a story of two wine brands that are never fully fleshed out or explained.  We will watch it a couple more times, it was that pleasurable.

Now on to the subject of samples, some wine bloggers seem to have a propensity to obtain samples, I an rather laid-back on the subject, though it is flattering.  I have a separate heading for “Samples” on my blog, that I direct firms to read, before we have too many discussions.  Last month, one winery decided against sending me some samples and another winery that I have written about in the past asked for permission and sent me another bottle.  As in the past, this winery sends me a bottle of wine and some wine crackers, this time the package came during my medical problems, so we just left the shipping unopened and stored it in the garage, which at this time of the year is like putting it in the refrigerator.  I am not sure if the importer, warehouse agency sent me the wrong stuff or not, as I was expecting a bottle from the Loire Valley, instead I received a store brand wine from Cairanne (Rhone Valley) and some delightful Trader Joe’s Phyllo Crisps topped with dried cranberries, pumpkins and sunflower seeds and oats.  There was also a tub of Trader Joe’s Olive Tapenade, so my Bride and I had a picnic while we watched the movie.

So, onto the bottle of wine that was sent to me, which was Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Cairanne Lot #147 2022.  The first Trader Joe’s store was opened in 1967 by founder Joe Coulombe in Pasadena, California.  In 1979, it was purchased by the co-founder of Aldi, Theo Albrecht. Trader Joe’s is the exclusive retailer of Charles Shaw (aka “Two Buck Chuck”).  It has been said that Trader Joe’s was built first on wine, and then on food.  The company omits names of wineries off their labels, and many wines are from Bronco Wine, the company behind Charles Shaw.  Cairanne is an appellation that originally was classified as Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne but was elevated to Cru status in 2016.  The soil of Cairanne is basically of limestone and alluvial soils, as well as areas of red, iron-rich earth over sandstone bedrocks.  The wine is eighty percent Grenache and twenty percent Mourvèdre.  This deep dark-red wine offered notes of black fruit, spices and a soupcon of orange peel.  On the palate, this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of blackberry, cassis and currants along with some cinnamon and pepper blended with fine tannins and ending with a medium-count silky finish of fruit, spices and a touch of chocolate.  

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The Last Christmas Dinner of 2025

Posted on January 13, 2026 by thewineraconteur

We were trying to get everything together, before my procedure, and our one son and his wife wanted to see us, since we missed the big family get-together, unfortunately their children had to work that evening.

We started the morning off, with a leisurely breakfast of poached eggs and bacon, probably my favorite simple breakfast of all.  We were going to have Mimosas, since we were going to be fancy and my Bride surprised me with something new.  My Bride is an avid Costco USA member and shopper, and she enjoys the opportunity to buy some items in bulk, which creates logistics problems at home, but that is another story.  She also likes to try some of their singular items as well.  Kirkland Signature is their house brand and they offer a range of wines and spirits with that label.   There are also unproven rumors that these products are made by famous houses.  She bought a bottle of Kirkland Signature Mimosa by Julio Cabrera Italy NV.  This is a premixed drink of half Glera grape Sparkling wine (Charmat Method) and half Sicilian Blonde Oranges with no pulp, under the guidance of bartender Julio Cabrera.  I must admit that it was perhaps the best tasting orange juice I have ever had, but I didn’t think of it as a Mimosa. Perhaps in the future using it as the base juice with a bottle of Sparkling Wine.

For dinner that evening my Bride started with her now de riguer Charcuterie boards, followed by a Caesar Salad.  Then we had a tenderloin with Armenian Pilaf and Broccoli. I opened up a bottle of Bibi Graetz Testamatta Rosso Toscana IGT 2020 made by the artist and winemaker.  This was the wine that got people to stand up and take notice of Bibi Graetz’s work and he named it after the sobriquet that was given to him in this youth, which is “Crazy Head.”  A pure Sangiovese wine, a Super Tuscan displaying old vines from soils rich in stones and plenty of minerality.  According to Bibi Graetz the entire growing season was perfect and peak of quality since his first vintage.  It took almost three weeks of hand-harvesting, some parcels required eight times to pick the grapes at the perfect point of ripening.  The fruit was selected from the best five vineyards of the winery in different areas of Tuscany; Lamole Vineyard at 600 meters altitude, Montefili Vineyard at 400 meters altitude and both in the heart of Chianti Classico, Vincigliata Vineyard at 280 meters altitude in Firenze, Londa Vineyard north of Firenze towards the Rufina valley, and Siena Vineyard pressed.  The Initial Fermentations are conducted using natural and indigenous yeasts, in open top barriques for the smaller parcels of vineyards, and the larger vineyards were in barrels or Stainless-Steel with six manual punch-downs and pump overs each day. After about ten days of maceration, the different parcels are moved into old barriques and barrels for twenty months.  A nice garnet-ruby red wine that offered notes of black cherries, red berries, anise, sous bois, and vanilla.  On the palate a medium-bodied wine featuring cherries and strawberries, and plums balanced with velvety tannins and great mineral terroir.

After dinner we exchanged gifts, and my son said that he went to The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan and they pretended that they didn’t know who I was, but just handed him a bottle and said this is the wine that they had been waiting to get and they said that I had no knowledge of this wine. The bottle was Remirez de Ganuza Rioja Blanco Reserva 2022.  Remirez de Ganuza was founded by former wine-broker Fernando Remirez de Ganuza in 1989 when he acquired some plots in Rioja Alavesa and by today, he now has eighty hectares in six different locations in Rioja; the average age of the vines is sixty years. The Blanco Reserva was first produced in 2009 and is a blend of Viura, Malvasia, Garnacha Blanca and small amounts of other white grapes.  The fruit is manually harvested, manually sorted, and kept cool and only free-running juice is used for this wine.  It ferments in new French Oak barrels, where it remains on its lees for about twelve months.  The wine is now sold in a quota system to enable a somewhat equitable distribution. I had to get some outside tasting notes, as I haven’t tried the wine yet.  It is described as an intense yellow hue that offers notes of white fruits, jasmine, brioche, almonds, spices and lemon curd and lime.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displays tones of pears, peaches, spices in a complex blend of mouthwatering freshness, bright acidity, creaminess and minerality ending with a long-count fruit, vanilla, pepper and terroir.

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Christmas Dinner With TWR, Jr. – Part Two

Posted on January 10, 2026 by thewineraconteur

We always have a wonderful time with The Wine Raconteur, Jr. and his Bride and family.  We were also glad that we didn’t have to postpone this dinner, because it was before my operation and I presumed that my diet afterwards would not be of the caliber of this evening.

The Wine Raconteur, Jr., really enjoys his time at the stove or the grill and he was doing a great job.  For the sides he prepared Broccoli and “Smashed Potatoes.”  The entrée was a Flank Steak perfectly cooked and then sliced at an angle and I immediately thought of London Broil.  I jokingly apologized to them, that I only had a “Second Label” but that it seems to always get more press than the “First Label.”  I brought a bottle of Chateau Palmer “Alter Ego de Chateau Palmer” Margaux 1999, which originally was known as “La Reserve du General.”  Chateau Palmer is ranked as a Third Growth from the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, and I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Margaux wines as they have always been the most accessible and affordable over the years to me. Chateau Palmer was once part of the d’Issan estate and was bought by Major-General Charles Palmer of the British Army in 1814; since 1938 the Sichel and Mahler-Besse families have been major shareholders. The vineyards cover fifty-five hectares in the Cantenac commune on thin Gironde gravel on the edge of the estuary.  “Alter Ego” was introduced in 1998 with the intent of making a more approachable, earlier drinking wine.  This wine is a blend of seventy-seven percent Merlot and twenty-three percent Cabernet Sauvignon.  Initial Fermentation occurs in Stainless-Steel vats and different plots are vinified separately to assist in blending; and then aged in French Oak for twelve months. We brought plenty of items to their house for the dinner, I wish that I had packed The Durand, the cork broke and I had to bore a hole in the cork, filter the wine through a coffee filter in a funnel and pour into a decanter, one can see all the sediment that had caked on the back side of the bottle while in the cellar.  The deep blackish-red-purple wine offered notes of black cherry, plums and prunes along with some spices and herbs.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of dark fruits, with fresh acidity blending with drying tannins with traces of chocolate and ending with a long-count finish of plums, prunes and spices.

The Wine Raconteur, Jr. goes out of his way to try to find some unique wines, and this first wine came with a suggestion that I should write a series of articles about wine and cinema.  He gave me an autographed bottle of San Joaquin Wine Company Chazz Cabernet Sauvignon California 2021.  In case you don’t recognize Chazz as being the author and actor Chazz Palminteri who also dabbles in restaurants, cigars and now wine.  He is famous for films such as “A Bronx Takle,” “Bullets Over Broadway,” and “Usual Suspects.” This wine is dedicated to his Grandfather Calogero and all the hard-working people who came to America looking for a dream.  The wine is made by San Joaquin Wine Company of Madera and the Schafer Family Ranch.  They make their own wines and offer custom wine services for businesses, including wine and wine-based beverages.  The San Joaquin Wine Company is a California Certified Sustainable Winery.  The wine is aged for one year in oak barrels.  I haven’t tried the wine, but I did find some tasting notes.  It is a deep red to purple colored wine that offers notes of cassis, black cherry, plum along with traces of green bell pepper, vanilla, cedar, tobacco and mocha. On the palate the wine displays tones of blackberry, cassis and dark plum, along with eucalyptus, mint, black pepper, graphite, toast, espresso and dark chocolate.‍

The Wine Raconteur, Jr. also surprised me with a gift from a family trip to Japan, as he is always searching for a wine that will test my research abilities and for finding something totally unique.  This wine is Chateau Lumiere “Histoire” Red Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan 2020.  Furiya Winery was established by Tokugi Furiya, a local lord and the current president’s great-great grandfather in 1885 as an industry to compensate for the changes in the silk industry production. The winery has sixteen hectares of vineyards along with long-standing contracts with other local vineyards.  The main property is located off an alluvial fan with decomposed granite rocks. In 1992 the winery was renamed Lumiere (the light).  Chateau Lumiere and Histoire are often vinified in the classic Bordeaux style, using French Oak for aging.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Black Queen.  The Black Queen is a hybrid grape, a cross between the Baily and Golden Queen grapes, developed by Zenbei Kawakami in Japan.  It was developed for hot climates, dry summers and mild winters for both table and wine usage.  The grapes are hand-harvested, and hand sorted and then destemmed and then aged for twenty-nine months.  The wine is deep ruby colored and offers notes of sour plums, strawberry and cassis, along with scents of roses and potpourri, mint and licorice.  On the palate this wine is elegant and medium-light bodied with tart fruits, the acidity of pomegranates blending with smooth tannins ending with a medium-count finish of tart fruit, pine, pepper and minerality.  It has been mentioned that even though the wine is made to emulate Bordeaux, it tends to remind one of the finesses of Burgundy; an interesting wine to look forward to, as well as the proper meal to pair with it.    

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Christmas Dinner With TWR, Jr. – Part One

Posted on January 7, 2026 by thewineraconteur

Just so that I can keep some of my narratives in sequence, we had a couple of dinners scheduled, before the side trip to the emergency room and before we knew that I was going to have another procedure.

The Wine Raconteur Jr and I go back many years ago, we met, when I was on a campus posted an employment flyer and he responded as I was in the process of getting the notice on the wall.  We have since become family, as my Bride and I have watched him ascent into the business arena.  There was a brief debate about whose house for this Christmas dinner, but I think their new kitchen won the moment.  Of course, my Bride insisted that we bring the appetizers, especially since she took her charcuterie class and our “catering” business now has plenty of chochkas that are “necessary” for the appearance of a great board.  We also brought the wine.  We began with Chateau La Gabarre Bordeaux Rosé 2020 and is in the commune of Galgon on the Right Bank, northwest of Lalande-de-Pomerol. The estate has been in the Gabard family since the 1800’s and the present stewards are Stephane and Paola Gabard.  They use sustainable farming practices and the soil is gravel, clay and sand and the average age of the vines are between fifteen and thirty-five years.  Besides this wine they also produce a Bordeaux Blanc, and a Bordeaux Supereiur; and all three wine types are done both as Chateau La Gabarre and their label “La Gabarre.”   The wine is a blend of forty-five percent Merlot, thirty percent Cabernet Franc and twenty-five percent Cabernet Sauvignon.  They use a direct press method and then age the wine for nine months in Stainless Steel to keep the fruit and crispness and they produced eight-hundred-fifty cases of this wine.  This copper-colored wine offered notes of raspberry and strawberry.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of fresh red fruit with some bright acidity and ends with medium-count finish of fruit and spices.

Our real surprise for appetizers was just revealed, when my Bride brought out this new titanium pan that she bought initially for searing Foie Gras.  I mean this could be a dangerous precedent, as a local chef did us a favor and butchered for us, six perfect medallions, eight bigger medallions and all the scraps and he put them into individual freezer packs; for us, this could be a year’s worth of pampering.  My Bride later told me that it was much easier than she had anticipated, and I think The Wine Raconteur, Jr. was also acting as her Sous-chef for firsthand experience and knowledge.  She also brought with us the proper accoutrements for plating.  The four adults were pleased, the two teenagers tried the dish, and gave the balance to their parents, who did not have a problem with the leftovers.

Fear not, while my Bride was searing the Foie Gras, I was getting the right beverage.  I found this bottle of Chateau Peillon-Claveries Dubourg Sauternes 2010 and frankly, I don’t remember where or when I secured this bottle, but the color of the wine in the bottle was deep gold and that secured my selection.  I could find very little about the estate, even though they are esteemed for having a rich heritage and admired for their craftmanship.  They only make one wine and only for approved vintages, otherwise they sell the wine to blenders for secondary market brands. The wine is a blend of hand-picked Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle; which are left on the vines until they reach that perfect ripeness and affected by the “Noble Rot” (Botrytis Cinerea).  This natural phenomenon concentrates the sugars and the flavors of the grapes and is what makes Sauternes wines international favorites.  This deep golden colored wine offered notes of honey, acacia, honeysuckle and beeswax.  On the palate the medium-bodied, well-balanced viscous wine displayed tones of honeyed apricots and peaches, creamy sweetness with a burst of natural acidity and ending with a long-count finish of honey, orange crème and toasted almonds. As a side note, the teenagers, while they didn’t respond well to the Foie Gras, they did enjoy the wine.     

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New Year’s Day 2026

Posted on January 4, 2026 by thewineraconteur

I realize that my holiday narrative has been a bit down, as we didn’t partake of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or a New Year’s Eve dinner, though I have still other nights of wine to relay, prior to my surgery.

It was on Christmas Eve that I discovered that a hernia procedure that was done this past June, did not take.  Originally, it was decided that I would see the first surgeon again, but one of his other senior partners took the charge and the day before New Year’s Eve, I was back under the scalpel or whatever causes the three small holes that they now use with robotic surgery.  The first surgery, because of complications allowed me to stay at the hospital for four days, this time, I was an “outpatient.”  After the procedure I dined on two graham crackers that I believe were made of saw dust, sand and honey, as even with water I could barely eat it, what a curmudgeon I am.  The following day, I couldn’t keep any food down, even though I was supposed to, because of the meds.  The following day I made it with some oatmeal and later some dry hard-crusted bread.  I guess food and wine people have our own outlook about nutrition.

During the recovery period, we had received this tubular bell ensemble from our older son, that my Bride decided must be kept in the house, as the neighbors might burn our house down from the potential cacophony that could be delivered on high windy days outside, it is very pleasant and soothing under normal situations, but high winds, could be different.  Originally, she wanted me to hang it from a ceiling hook, and I told her that it might be too heavy, so during my convalescence, she found an industrial “Shepherd’s Hook” upon which to dangle the chimes.  Yes, I was awakened by her administration of hanging the chimes, but all I have been basically doing is sleeping. 

Getting back to New Year’s Day, I was bound and determined to eat something, not that I will ever get to skin and bones, but my body was determining some attention.  We had made the dinner plans prior to my medical relapse, and she wanted some real company that I truly could not accomplish for her.  She made a wonderful dinner featuring Braised Short Ribs and Bourbon Marinated Salmon.  I had a single helping of the Short Ribs and a few root vegetables, as I didn’t want to push it, the good news is that I could keep it down, so I am slowly recovering, at least in my mind’s eye.  I also opened a red wine for the guests to have with dinner, as I knew that she would select some good whites.  I know that I shouldn’t have any wine, but I figured that a small glass to make sure that the wine was good, the Gods would allow.  I selected a bottle of Wrath Estate Wines Swan/828 Pinot Noir Monterey County 2018 and is Estate Grown fruit and is part of their Winemakers Series.  Over the years we have received and enjoyed many wines from Wrath.  Wrath Estate Winery is in Soledad, California and they are a winery where production is limited, but not the quality, and since we have been there, they have opened a satellite tasting room in downtown Carmel.  The winery produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Falanghina and Sauvignon Blanc from their estate vineyard and some very respected private vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands.  This is among the top ten most highly rated Monterey wines by Wine Spectator and based on critic scores and price, this wine represents great value.  It is from their San Saba Vineyards which is just below the Santa Lucia Highlands.  This deep burgundy colored wine offered dark cherry, raspberries and sous-bois.  On the palate this full-bodied, well- balanced wine displayed red berry and cherry cola notes and ending with a long finish with notes of rich fruit, minerals and terroir.

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Three Beverage Gadgets

Posted on January 1, 2026 by thewineraconteur

Indulge me in this article, as I sometimes write ahead, like this article because I am writing this prior to an operation to correct the prior operation.

I received a leather embossed hip flask akin to what used to be used during The Prohibition, and then later seen especially at Football arenas, until the arenas started getting wise and getting their own beverage licenses.  Now, they have the right to inspect bags for such contraband as this.  It is a cute curio and will join my other flasks that I have received.  Though I did like its theme.

The next is from a company called Monkey Business and it is “Corkers Classics.”  It kind of reminds me of my youth, where we had something called “Mr. Potato Head” where one applied ears, noses, mustaches etc. onto a potato; and there were actually feet to apply, so that the potato could stand erect. I didn’t open the package, but it looks like there are eyes, ears, hat, mustache (sounds like someone I know), arms and legs.  Now, if I can only find a cork in this house.

The last item is from “Songbird Specialties” and it is a Bottle Pourer and the accompanying message on the package is “Hear it SING with Every POUR.” I haven’t tried it out yet, but I guess it is a type of aerator, and it may be very popular at her next Annual Ladie’s Party.  My Bride is very fond of cardinals, birds and not the team. We have several cardinal appearances, both as decorations in the house, as well as outside of the house as well.  

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Christmas 2025

Posted on December 29, 2025 by thewineraconteur

Normally at this time of the year, I write about the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners that we attend, and we usually just take a turkey or her famous Caesar Salad, and of course bottles of wine. 

Everything was going great on Christmas Eve, as my Bride was making a turkey and I was carving it and placing it in one of the many electric warm trays, in case we ever go into catering.  Back in June of this year, I had a hernia procedure, and this morning I discovered that it had popped up again.  I told her that I thought I could make it through the holiday season.  Alas, I was wrong, as I couldn’t even make it through the day.  We discovered that our internist was on holiday, and his service recommended I go to an Emergency Care facility, we went and it was not affiliated with my doctors or surgeons, so we ended up going to the Emergency room at our hospital.  I am a terrible patient, but after nausea medication and morphine in the IV, I was calm enough for all the tests, including a visit from one of the associates of the original surgeon, who was corresponding with the Chief Partner, who was my surgeon.  After about six hours, I went home and my Bride took all the Christmas presents for the people that we were going to see that day.

On Christmas day, my Bride went to church without me, as she had to lector and also because of the crowd, she also functioned as a Eucharistic Minister, so she was in the spirit of the Season.  She came home and made Poached Eggs, bacon and Mimosas.  We now have at the house, the same “California Champagne” that most of the restaurants use, as it is strictly for the commercial trade and not sold retail.  We have our version of the “Bottomless Mimosas,” with a bottle of bubbles and a very small carafe of Orange Juice, which is where I came up with the term “a tincture of Orange Juice.” I have finally decided that Orange Juice is dearer, compared to Charmat Method William Wycliff Winery “Brut” “American Champagne” NV, which is now part of Gallo (and they probably bought the winery for the designation).  A wine that was grandfathered in, so that it can claim the “American Champagne” designation and is I believe still made with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.  This wine is perfect for making Mimosas and we try to keep a case at home, just for our breakfasts when we feel fancy.

Later, that day, my Bride made us dinner from the turkey, and stuffing that she had made to take to another party, but my trip to the emergency room precluded that trip.  I figured that we make the most of the day, as I may not be able to enjoy any wine if I am on meds.  To pair with the turkey, I chose a bottle of Domaine Gilles Noblet “La Collonge” Pouilly-Fuissé 2022.  Pouilly-Fuissé is known for the famous white wines of the Maconnais, and the appellation was awarded in 1936, but had actually been structured back in 1922.  It is exclusively Chardonnay and grown on limestone-rich clay over a granite base.  Since the 2020 vintage, a Premier Cru appellation level was approved and there are twenty-two Premier Crus.  Domaine Gilles Noblet was founded in the village of Fuissé in 1927 with a current vineyard of twelve hectares.  It was during the fourth generation led by Gilles Noblet, who began bottling their own wines and moved the estate and new cellar to “En Collonge.” They are now in the fifth generation and in 2019 were certified as a high environmental value operation.  At harvest the bunches undergo pneumatic pressing and settled for twenty-four hours at low temperature, then the juice is placed in casks and oak barrels for both Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation; with aging on fine lees for twelve months.  A soft-golden-yellow wine that offers notes of lemon and citrus, hazelnuts, and spices.  On the palate beautiful tones of fruit, and spices, big and fresh, balanced, and ending with a splash of salinity, perfect for dinner.  

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Merry Christmas 2025

Posted on December 26, 2025 by thewineraconteur

My Bride and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

May the Christmas Season bring you plenty of love, luck, health and happiness.

And further adventures with Nick and Nora, as we settle in to being retirees.

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Fine Wine Source Club – December 2025

Posted on December 23, 2025 by thewineraconteur

I went back to my local wine shop The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan the next day after the Lingua Franca tasting, as the shop was wall to wall people with those leaving the tasting and making purchases, and others tasting some different wines prior to going in for the main event.  It was just easier to pick up the wine club selections the next day. 

The first wine representing the Old World was Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant Mousse IGP Pays de l’Herault 2021.  IGP Pays de l’Herault is a department of Languedoc-Rousillon on the southern coast of France and well over a hundred varieties are allowed to be used, and the region is so vast that it encompasses plenty of different terrains.  Mas de Daumas Gassac is well known and is nicknamed “the Lafite of the Languedoc.”   The winery cellars were built in the foundations of an ancient Roman mill.  The wines are vinified in Stainless-Steel and kept naturally cool by two springs running under the cellars and slows down fermentation.  The first vines were planted in 1972.  The estate is still family owned and operated.  The wine is a blend of seventy percent Cabernet Sauvignon and thirty percent Mourvedre; all hand-harvested and grown on white clay soil.  They use free-run juice (saignée) at low temperature, followed by fermentation in the Charmat Method.  A coppery-rose colored wine offering strawberry, raspberry, cranberry and violets.  On the palate a charming sparkling wine with tones of watermelon, strawberry, soft mousse and short finish of fruit and terroir.

The second club entry was Three Wine Company Faux Pas Contra Costa County 2024, that is “chillable,” and their sentiments are “the dirt, the micro-climate and don’t screw it up.”  Winemaker Matt Cline’s philosophy is that the dirt, the micro-climate, and sustainable winegrowing form the cornerstone of good winemaking, and he places them in every bottle of wine he produces. He has a passion for preserving and educating on the historic varietals to California, such as Zinfandel, Mataro and Carignane.  He and a like-minded group stood up to the State and saved an historic vineyard.  This wine is a blend in two ways, first the wine is a blend of sixty-three percent Carignane, twenty-nine percent Zinfandel, six percent Petite Sirah and two percent Mataro.  The Carignane is from the Joaquin Jose Vineyard which was planted in the mid-1880’s with an average age of over one-hundred-thirty years.  The Zinfandel came from the Vineyard Lane and Oakley Road Vineyards.  The Petite Sirah is from the Mazzoni-Live Oak Vineyard planted also in the mid-1880’s of which only 1.9 acres remain but is part of the seven-acre portion of the vineyard that is planted to the same varietal.  The other part of the blend of this wine is that it is a blend of rosé and red wine lots fermented in Stainless Steel tanks.  The rosé portion is a blend of mostly Zinfandel with some Carignane with about twenty-two hours of skin contact and fermented for forty-two days.  The red wine portion had the Carignane fermented on its skins for thirty-one days, while the Petite Sirah was fermented for fifteen days.  All the lots were unfined, and once the blending was complete, the wine was aged for four months in Stainless Steel.  This wine is suggested to be lightly chilled before serving.  According to the notes, this light crimson colored wine wine offers notes of Bing cherry, raspberry and pomegranate.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displays tones of fruit, a touch of minerality and fine acidity, ending with a medium-count finish ending with a dominate finish of cherries. It is suggested that if you drink this wine during the summer months that a slight chill to the wine will make it feel more refreshing.

I thought I would just like to mention a few more facts about Larry Stone that was gleaned from his hour long tasting with nine wines from the day before.  Besides his accolades from being a Master Sommelier and Best International Sommelier, he also managed a couple of restaurants that I know of.  He was in the back room and the front of Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago and for Francis Ford Coppola’s Rubicon. Which is great training for dealing with the public.  He began as a winemaker with the creation of Lingua Franca in 2012 and in 2022 he sold to Constellation Brands, leaving in place his original winemaking team, and he is now their “Brand Ambassador.”

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