The Fine Wine Source Club – April 2026

Posted on April 16, 2026 by thewineraconteur

With so much going on between me and the house, and my Bride helping her sister, it felt wonderful to go out and be with people.  And picking up the wine club selections was a bonus.

As always there is a wine representing the Old World, and one representing the New World.  The first wine is Il Colle Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022.   The first wine that I picked represented the Old World and it was a bottle of Il Colle Cabernet Sauvignon Veneto IGT NV.  Il Colle was established in 1978 by Fabio Ceshin and his wife Gianna, with the desire to pass on this wine culture to their three children.  The location of the vineyard is in the Hills of Treviso in Veneto, on clay soil, and the vines are ten to fifteen years old.  After harvesting the grapes undergo a soft maceration and fermentation is for about fifteen days in Stainless-Steel tanks with temperature control.  The wine is then aged for six months in Stainless-Steel tanks.  The wine is described as straw yellow and offering notes of lemon and lime citrus, and green apples, followed by white florals and some spices.  On the palate this light-bodied, well-balanced wine displays notes of crisp and fresh green apples and pears blending with citrus acidity and ending with a good medium-count finish of fruit and crisp acidity. 

The wine representing the New World is Ocnautic Red Blend Paso Robles Shandon Vineyard 2023, one of the brands from ASV Wines (Arroyo Seco Vineyards).  ASV Wines was started in the early Seventies and now are into the fourth generation of families in the business.  ASV Wines was created in 1982 and now they have acquired 1,500 acres of vineyards in Monterey County.  Located in the southeast of Monterey Bay adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Creek, the vineyards benefit from the extended growing season, maritime climate and the geographical features and soils of the region.  This wine is a blend of sixty-two percent Cabernet Sauvignon, twenty-four percent Petite Sirah and fourteen percent Zinfandel and all sourced from their Shandon Vineyard.  The fruit is harvested at night, with extended skin contact during pressing and the Initial Fermentation is done in the tanks.  Secondary Fermentation occurring in the barrel; Cabernet was aged in new and seasoned French Oak, the Petite Sirah in neutral French Oak and the Zinfandel was treated to all new American Oak.  All the components were aged for eleven months, and then combined into the final blend.  The wine is described as a deep garnet color offering notes of dark fruit, and dark chocolate.  On the palate this medium-to-full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of black cherry and blueberry, along with anise and mocha blending and ending with a good medium-count finish bold almost sweet hints of black cherry pie, blueberry jam and cooking spices.

They then asked me if I had time to taste a couple of wines.  It was pure music to my ears, after seeming to be in solitaire for the last couple of weeks.  I had a glass of Francine Bachelier “Hommage” Chablis 2020.  Francine Bachelier and her husband, Olivier Savary, own a small, highly regarded estate in Maligny, which lies at the northern edge of the slope of the Grand Cru Chablis vineyards.  Olivier markets his wines as Domaine Savary, while Francine produces limited-run selections in the cellar for her own label.  While they own property in two Premier Crus, their specialty is producing quality Chablis Village wines.  She also produces a very limited special bottling “Hommage” dedicated to her father Raymond Bachelier who runs the family Domaine in Villey-en-Auxois.  The grapes are sourced from fifty-year-old vines on hillside vineyards of clay and limestone in Villy.  The soil also has an abundance of ancient, fossilized oyster shells, which create a mineral-driven wine, and the wine is an un-oaked Chablis, which reflects the terroir.  This wine comes from 1.6 hectares of densely planted Chardonnay and produces less than six hundred cases.  Initial Fermentation, as well as Malolactic Fermentation is done in Stainless-Steel tanks.  This soft golden colored wine offered notes of pears and yellow apples, lemons and limes, white florals and spiced honey.  On the palate this medium-to-full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of yellow orchard fruit, with traces of pineapple blending with crisp acidity and ending with a medium-to-long-count finish of fruit, citrus and distinctive minerality.       

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Easter Sunday 2026

Posted on April 13, 2026 by thewineraconteur

In Armenian one would say Shnorhavor Surb Zatik or Happy Easter in English.  We had about fifteen here for Easter dinner and alas the family is getting splintered, and plenty is from the demands of employers.  Of course, when I was a kid, only a few businesses were open, in fact I remember that there was only one pharmacy in Detroit that had Sunday and holiday hours. 

My Bride had taken a sabbatical from helping her sister, so that she could work just as hard here, preparing for our annual Easter dinner.  We started the day with a quick version of Eggs Benedict, to hold us over until we ate with all the guests.  We began the day with Mimosas, but to our chagrin, we were out of Orange Juice, so we tried it with a tincture of Lime Juice; I mean we can’t drink sparkling wine at nine in the morning.  For a good sparkling wine to use for a Mimosa, we used Korbel Methode Champenoise Brut California Champagne NV.  It is a blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, French Colombard and Pinot Noir.  A perfect way to start the day, and Korbel is one of those houses that have been grandfathered in using the term “California Champagne.” Korbel Champagne Cellars was established in 1882 in Sonoma by three Korbel brothers, who came from Bohemia.  The winery was bought by Adolph Heck in 1954 and is now under the ownership of his son Gary and production has grown that they are now the twelfth largest producer in the United State of America.  It has been served at six different presidential inaugurations, and they are also known for their Korbel Brandy.  Before the addition of the Lime Juice, the golden-colored wine with a decent flow of bubbles, offered notes of citrus, and a touch of cinnamon.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of oranges, limes and strawberries, and ending with short-to-medium count finish of fruit and a dash of vanilla.  

My Bride has started to clamp down a bit on time, and had decreed that appetizers would begin at two, and dinner at three.  At two, she began laying out her charcuterie boards, vegetables and jumbo shrimp with a horseradish sauce.  I wanted to make it a day for my Bride, and I selected one of her favorites to begin the festivities with.  I started pouring Azienda Agricola Ottella Lugano DOC 2022, and the Lugano region straddles Lombardy and Veneto, but is considered part of Lombardy.  The grape for Lugano is known as Turbiana, Verdicchio and as Trebbiano di Lugano. The Montresor family has been running Ottella for four generations and it has been attested that the Montresor family were the only ones to produce Lugano in the province of Verona in 1905.  In 1964, the family began delineating the land and they began working to get a DOC designation.  The fruit is manually harvested and undergoes slow fermentation in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks for five months.   The wine is a straw-yellow color and offers notes of candied fruits, citrus, and minerals.  On the palate this dry wine offers tones of citrus, apples, tropical fruits, and lemon zest with a nice medium count finish of fruit and minerals.

At three, my Bride moved everyone from the living room to the dining room for dinner.  She started with Hearts of Romaine, fruit and Champagne Vinaigrette, followed by a Lamb Roast with root vegetables, Armenian Pilaf, Sautéed Chicken (for those that won’t eat lamb), mashed potatoes, and other vegetables and sides brought by guests.  After dinner, she also had cakes and pies for dessert, as we had a birthday to celebrate as well.  And to keep my Bride smiling I poured another of her favorites Cain Vineyard and Winery Cain Concept “The Benchland” Napa Valley 2007.  Cain Concept “The Benchland” is from vineyards lower down the mountain side going from Yountville to Oakville to Rutherford to St. Helena and all very special real estate of its own, which are alluvial fan benches.  The fruit is from the Oakville/Rutherford vineyards of Beckstoffer Georges III, Missouri Hopper and To Kalon and Garvey Family, as well as two vineyards in Carneros the Truchard Atlas Peak and Stagecoach.  This wine is a blend of fifty-seven percent Cabernet Sauvignon, eighteen percent Merlot, thirteen percent Cabernet Franc and twelve percent Petit Verdot.  Cain Concept is handled by the winery the same way as they produce Cain Five (which is the mountain vineyard) which is hand-harvesting, gentle destemming, manual pressing and maceration, native yeast Initial Fermentation followed by Malolactic Fermentation in the barrels with twenty-one months in French Oak of which seventy-five percent is new; with egg-white fining and bottled without filtration.  This deep purple wine offered notes of dark fruits, Sous-bois, tobacco and oak.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of plums, black cherries and cassis blending with smooth velvety tannins and ending with long-count finish of fruit, herbs and spices and rich terroir. 

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Easter Eve 2026 – Part Two

Posted on April 10, 2026 by thewineraconteur

The annual gathering of all the cousins is a major event, and the crowd is growing, because of weddings, and even the announcement of a new cousin or grandchild, depending on your point of view, so the happiness will continue. 

With the retirement of a local caterer, my cousin took it upon herself and one of the others to learn how to make boregs (phyllo stuffed pies), both cheese filling and meat lamb filling, as well as Lahmajoon, the classic Armenian pizza for a lack of better description.  She also made stuff grape leaves, plus a large charcuterie board.   Another major hit in the appetizers was an item that I had found on social media, Basturmah and String Cheese in a woven pastry.  Now Basturmah is like a earlier and distant cousin to Pastrami, only much more pungent.  Did I mention that we brought some wine.  The first wine was Gran Passione Rosso Veneto 2020, a limited production wine made by Cantine Bertoldi.  Cantine Bertoldi is known for their Valpolicella and Amarone wines.  They were founded in 1932 and several generations later they now own fifty acres of hand-cared vineyards.  They are now part of the larger umbrella wine producer and distributor Casa Vinicola Botter.   They began selling local Veneto wines in 1928.  After World War II, they moved onto bottled wines and started exporting.  Now in their third generation, ninety percent of their business is done overseas.  The soil of the estate is basically clay, and this wine is a blend of sixty percent Merlot and forty percent Corvina.  The grapes selected for this wine are hand selected and harvested, allowing for the grapes to dry on the vine, reducing the weight by about fifty percent.  This technique is in the tradition of Apasimento (to dry and shrivel), just like how Amarone is made.  After harvest, the over-ripe grapes are destemmed and undergo maceration and fermentation for fifteen days on the skins, and then malolactic fermentation occurs in the barrel aging.  This intense purple color wine offered notes of black raspberry, black cherry, cassis, black tea and dried violet blossoms.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine had intense flavors of black fruits, blending with supple tannins and finishing with long-count finish of fruit and terroir.

For the dinner, my cousin had a caterer set up in a garage stall to smoke and roast lamb for a myriad of Armenian dishes that everyone was encouraged to create.  There were salads, vegetables, sauces, sides and enough of everything to make the table and the dishes sag from all the weight.  My grandparents and all the deceased parents and relatives, I am sure they were looking down at us with total approval.  Suffice it to say that I couldn’t even avail myself of all of the wonderful desserts that followed. The second bottle that I opened has become one of my Bride’s favorite wines, and she never liked this varietal until she had this wine, and I think that we still have four cases left; and I have never mentioned it.  I am talking about Elyse Winery Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County 2019.  Nancy and Ray Coursen arrived in California from Cape Cod to fulfill Ray’s dream of making wine in 1983. He began working at Mt. Eden Winery, Tonella Vineyard Management and then Whitehall Lane Winery.  In 1985 he started the Elyse brand, their daughter Elyse Sarah was born in 1986, and in 1997 they purchased a small winery.  This wine is made in one of the smallest AVAs in California, and Dry Creek Valley is known for its climate, and well-drained soils.  Carreras Vineyard is famed for their ancient hundred-year-old Zinfandel vines.  This deep black-purple wine offered notes of blackberry, peppercorns and coffee beans.  On the palate this medium-to-full bodied wine displayed tones of mixed black and red berries, blending with velvety tannins and ending with a long-count finish of fruit and terroir.

Everyone was having a wonderful time, and it was great to sit back and have some great conversations and remember the old days.  As always, there are some that couldn’t make it.  A true joy, especially to relive the egg battles, and watching how big the children’s eyes got when they received their own Easter baskets.  Just getting a group shot was amazing to observe.   Our hostess looked great in what I called her vintage Carmen Miranda headdress. I know that we are looking forward to next year’s gathering.

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Easter Eve 2026 – Part One

Posted on April 7, 2026 by thewineraconteur

One of my cousins several years ago, realized that all the families were starting to splinter, because we all had children and some even had grandchildren and there was no singular matriarch or patriarch to keep us all together.  So, rather than trying to compete, she started a new night that no one had “dibs” on.

We were all products of major holiday events that were divided by our parents under the careful eye of their parents.  Most of us grew up in two family flat homes with a kitchen that could seat at least eight, while the cooking was going on, and then the dining room was where all the adults sat, so all the cousins were always together.  I think that the other unwritten rule about big family events was that there would not be any empty spaces on any table, where food could be featured.  Since I was a fat kid, I never understood how anyone in the family could be thin, with all that food.  Easter always had the traditional egg fight, no we didn’t toss raw eggs, we would each choose a decorated hard-boiled egg (and everyone had their own method of selecting the proper trait of a winning egg).  Then systematically one egg end, would strike another egg end, and one egg would crack, eventually one egg would survive all the other eggs, and that was the result, that you had bragging rights for the year.   

My cousin also had a mini shrine placed in her house honoring her mother.  I was the ringbearer for her mother’s wedding, and yes, there are age differences among all the cousins.  Her mother lived in the upper flat with her mother (who was also my grandmother) and my father and mother and kids lived downstairs in the lower flat.  Lifestyles were much different back then.  I digress, as I usually do.  The bottle was hand-painted and decorated and was also inscribed with paint and says “Medzeeg” which translates from Armenian as “grandmother.”  I had never heard of the wine, and it took a while to find any information.  The wine is Domaine Badet Clement “Josephine” Cabernet Sauvignon IGP Pays D’Oc 2022.  Domaine Badet Clement offers 111 wines with the designation of Pays D’Oc.  This designation is a catch-all for the southern coast of France and basically corresponds to the Languedoc-Roussillon, one of the larges wine regions in France and produces the majority of what used to be called Table Wines.  This bottle of wine will never be opened, but I have found out that it is a garnet-colored wine that is light-to-medium-bodied with decent acidity and tannin structure.  I think it is a great item for the family.

My cousin had her whole house decorated for the Easter celebration with butterflies of assorted sizes and motifs.  She was also requesting that everyone take photographs of the evening and send them to her, and she would create a total page or site for the party.  She had Armenian flags flowing as well, and before the dinner commenced, she had the group pray “Hayr Mer” or “Our Father” and known universally as “The Lord’s Prayer; and people could recite it in Armenian or in English. And in a more playful tone, my cousin had a huge collection of bunny ears (not reminiscent of Mr. Hefner) and she was taking photos of everyone.  For years I had survived not being in the ears, but my Bride and my cousin ganged up and just as the photo was being taken, the ears slid off the top of my head, and I had the only example of a bunny goatee.   

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More Wines Served at Home

Posted on April 4, 2026 by thewineraconteur

As I have stated, the first several months are rather quiet at the home front, with my Bride helping her sister.  This year that worked out very well, as just before Christmas, I had a hernia operation that ruptured, and it was totally a period of being pampered.  And now just before Easter, I must have some oral surgery; let me say that I have had better years.

My Bride has always been partial to fish, so she loves to serve fish for dinners.  One night, and even the next night we enjoyed Isxir Grande Reserve White 2015 from Batroun, Lebanon.  Isxir derives from the Arabic word “Iksir” which is the original Arabic word for “elixir.” The first time I had this wine it blew me away, and we have had it a few times, though I think this is the last one now.  The wine is a blend of sixty percent Viognier, twenty-five percent Sauvignon Blanc and fifteen percent Chardonnay.  The wine was aged for five months in French Oak, of which half was new.  A deep golden-yellow wine that offered notes of assorted white fruits, white florals, eucalyptus and a whisp of smoke.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of peaches, pears and citrus, blending with striking minerality and ending with a long finish of fruit, terroir and pepper.

Another wine that we enjoyed when we could have dinner together was Chateau La Castillonne Bordeaux Blanc 2022.  Chateau La Castillonne is in the commune of Saint-Ferme, and is affiliated with Maison Bouey, the owner of one of the largest wine cellars in Bordeaux.  The wine is a blend of Semillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc.  The wine undergoes fermentation, blending and aging in Stainless Steel tanks.  The pale-straw-yellow colored wine offered notes of peaches, pears, kiwis and white florals.  On the palate this light to medium bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of peaches and flowers with bright acidity, ending with a medium-count finish of fruit.

The last wine that I will discuss at the moment is Bos Wine Wishflower Michigan 2021. I have had the pleasure of meeting and tasting the wines David Bos is making up in Elk Rapids, Michigan as well as a couple of California wines that he produces as well.  Wishflower is a blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling; co-fermented with fruits harvested from Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula (on each side of Traverse City).  The Pinot Gris is from Brigadoon Vineyard on Leelanau Peninsula, while the Pinot Blanc and Riesling are from Ten Hands Vineyard on Old Mission Peninsula.  A soft-yellow wine that offered notes of white fruit and white florals.  On the palate this light-to-medium bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of green apples, lemon, and ginger with a splash of high acidity that ends with a medium-count finish of fruit, spice and a refreshing tartness.

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Just Wines We Have Been Drinking

Posted on April 1, 2026 by thewineraconteur

Writing a wine blog may appear to be glamorous, and perhaps some may use the concept to ask for wine.  That doesn’t happen here.  Since we have retired, the first four months, each year, I seem to entertain myself quite a bit, as my Bride has been helping her sister.  She keeps the house full of food that I may fend for myself.  Usually, we she gets home in the evening, she looks to see what I have opened up for my dinner and she will have some, as she unwinds in front of the television in the family room.

Thankfully I keep the refrigerator in the garage filled with assorted wines to handle whatever I may be having for dinner.  The other night I opened Chateau La Gabarre Bordeaux Rosé 2021 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 is 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 raspberries and strawberries.  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.

I am not going to mention the entrées that I have had with these different wines, as sometimes there are several different choices waiting for me and when one has a cellar, it is easy to find something to try.  Sometimes I even surprised myself as I discover a wine that I had forgotten about like this bottle of Tenuta Ronci di Nepi Rosso di Ne’ Lazio IGT 2019. The winery was founded by Arturo Improta in the Eighties looking for an uncontaminated nature that was near volcanic lakes, a few kilometers north of Rome.  He planted both native and international varieties on soil made of disintegrated “peperino” stone, a volcanic rock, rich in minerals that would create a distinct terroir to the wines made.  The estate is about thirty hectares on the gentle hills of the Ronci Valley.  The wine is a blend of sixty percent Merlot and forty percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and the vineyards are about twenty-five years in age.  The wine is fermented and aged in Stainless-Steel tanks to maintain the freshness of the fruit.  This ruby red wine offered notes of cherry and raspberry and a mix of spices and herbs.  On the palate the red fruits and spices blended with velvety tannins in a well-balanced wine and a smooth finish featuring fruit and terroir.

It has been quite fun, since I am just pulling something out for myself, there really is no stress and I can check out how a wine is aging.  Sometimes I just want something light, as when I grabbed this bottle of Joseph Mellot Destinea Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire IGP 2021.  Joseph Mellot is a wine producer in the central Loire region of Sancerre with a portfolio of labels and Domaines covering a huge swath of real estate in the region.  The estate was established in 1969, but the Mellot family name goes back to the 16th Century.  Since 1513 Pierre -Etienne Mellot established his Domaine and began his winemaking dynasty.  Cesar Mellot acted as a wine advisor to King Louis XIV.  In the 1920’s they were the first Sancerre winemakers to showcase their wines at the Foire de Paris.  Unfortunately, there was an inheritance split, and one brother began Joseph Mellot. By far, Sauvignon Blanc is the grape of choice for the estate from one hundred-hectares of vineyards in the Loire; and each plot is harvested and vinified separately.  Val de Loire IGP basically covers the entire Loire Valley, encompassing fourteen departments and in terms of area, is one of the largest in France.  It basically follows the Loire River for about 350 miles.   The designation was established in 2009 from its prior Vin de Pays, or its proper and more floral Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France.  The grapes are destemmed, then pressed.  A short maceration period and a short fermentation period of ten to fifteen days and then aged for a short period on the lees before bottling to maintain the fresh fruit finish.  The wine is a pale gold in color with notes of florals and orange and passion fruit.  On the palate the fruit is fresh with tones of lime and lemon, and well balanced with bright acidity and ends with an aromatic finish.  The Sauvignon Blancs of France are usually classified as Green and flinty, to differentiate the wine as it can be found especially in New Zealand and Australia.

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ZFG Winery – “Zen From Grapes”

Posted on March 29, 2026 by thewineraconteur

As a bonus, at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan, after the tasting of Paul Kornell Wines, Mike and Jenny Farmer were pouring their ZFG wine, and the only time that this wine will be offered in Michigan.   

As the Farmers explained, it was serendipity that they had been Paula Kornell’s first customers when she launched her inaugural vintage of her Napa Valley Blanc de Noir 2017.  They ended up bonding over their passion for wine, dogs and commitment to charitable work.  Paula Kornell was the president of the board of directors for Napa Valley Vintners and served on the boards of Napa Humane and Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa.  Mike Farmer was formerly president of commercial operation at Builders FirstSource and now serves on the board of directors for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  His wife Jenny, who as a labor and delivery nurse for twenty years, now serves on the board of Hope Scarves, which raises funds for metastatic breast cancer research and patient support.

The Farmers and Paula Kornell began a friendship immediately at Paula’s “Chateau Drool” which is fitting as she has three dogs, and the Farmers were perfect as they have bulldogs.  The Farmers are also originally Michiganders and wine was in their blood, as they were from the wine region near Traverse City.  They claim that they started off drinking the assorted cherry wines made in Michigan and part of the National Cherry Festival which attracts over 500,000 visitors each year    In fact, after leaving the tasting sessions they were meeting up with family for an outing that evening.  Wine people tend to be so festive.  I try to do some research, ahead of time for tastings, if possible and they were surprised that I knew that ZFG officially stands for “Zen From Grapes” as well as the more casual colorful “Zero ‘F’ Given.”

The last wine of the tasting was ZFG Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Reserve Production Napa Valley 2023.  This wine began for the Mike and Jenny Farmer, just for fun, but through their association with Paula Kornell Wines, this is now a labor of love and they are now producing one hundred cases of this wine, which they sell in allotments of six-packs or twelve-packs and the first time available in Michigan.  The fruit is harvested from the Oakville Benchlands and exemplifies the famed gravel and loamy soils of the Oakville AVA.  The deep garnet wine offered notes of black cherry, blackberry and cassis, followed by violets and lavender, along with cigar box and toasted vanilla.  On the palate the this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of black and red fruits, mocha, leather and baking spices blending with silky tannins ending with a good medium-to-long count finish of fruit, crushed stones and graphite and the ethereal tones of Sous-bois blending with terroir.

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Three Vintages from Paula Kornell Wines

Posted on March 26, 2026 by thewineraconteur

After we enjoyed the two non-vintage California sparkling wines from Paula Kornelll Winery of Napa Valley at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan, we were ready for their following three vintage sparklers.

We started with Paula Kornell Wines Blanc de Blanc Napa Valley 2020.  While all the wines from Paula Kornell are Methode Champenoise, this was the start of a vintage year and not a blend of years.  This bottle of wine is pure Chardonnay and after the harvest the grapes are pressed, and the juice is first in Stainless-Steel tanks.  The “tirage” was done on January 22, 2021, and this is a crucial step in the process known as Methode Champenoise.  A mixture of sugar and yeast (Liqueur de Tirage) is added to the still wine, which is then bottled; this mixture creates a second fermentation in the bottle and is essential for creating the effervescence qualities of this type of wine and explains the need for heavier and sturdier bottles.  Disgorgement is the next step and is the removal of dead yeast cells that have accumulated in the neck of the bottle.  The small amount of liquid is replaced with additional wine, and perhaps some sugar, and allows some fresh oxygen to let the wine “breathe and evolve.” The wine was a pale straw-color leaning towards a soft-golden shade with fine, persistent bubbles that offered notes of pear and lemon zest, along with white florals and baguettes and croissants.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of citrus and golden apples blending into a creamy-textured wine with a medium-count finish of fruit, brioche, chalk and almonds.

We then went with Paula Kornell Wines Blancs De Noir Napa Valley 2020.  This Methode Champenoise wine is a blend of seventy percent Pinot Noir and thirty percent Chardonnay.  The grapes were harvested in August 2020 and underwent Initial Fermentation in Stainless-Steel tanks, then Tirage occurred on February 1, 2021, to start the Second Fermentation.  The Disgorgement occurred in October 2024 after three years of “riddling” which is process to finally get the bottles upside down very gradually, to allow the art of disgorgement to proceed.  This golden-colored wine with tiny, persistent bubbles offered notes of lemons, strawberries and currents followed by freshly cut hay.  On the palate, this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of lemons, peaches and white cherries, followed by croissants and brioche ending with a medium-to-long finish of citrus, fruit, brioche and a whisper of ginger.

The final bubbly that we had and created a bit of a stir was the Paula Kornell Wines Rosé de la Vallée Napa Valley 2022.  It had created quite a stir as it had just arrived, moments before Mike and Jenny Farmer came to the shop to discuss the wines during the tastings.  It was also an exclusive, as it was only available at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan as there were only one hundred cases produced and the would only be sold at the winery.  I also should mention that the fruit for the vintage wines came from Mitsuko’s Vineyard in the Los Carneros appellation. The vineyard is named after the late wife of Jan Shrem, the owner of Clos Pegase, who gave her this property proclaiming his love for her.  This coppery-salmon colored wine with tiny, persistent bubbles offered notes of strawberries and white cherries, along with rose petals and cherry blossoms.  This medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of strawberry, white cherry and pears, blending seamlessly rosewater with bright acidity to create a subtle mousse, and ending with a medium-to-long count finish of fruit, oystershell minerality and a subtle salinity beckoning for another taste.  

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Paula Kornell Wines at The Fine Wine Source

Posted on March 23, 2026 by thewineraconteur

Club membership at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan pays off finely with another perk.  This time with a wine tasting presented by Mike and Jenny Farmer, owners of Paula Kornell Wines and ZFG Wine. 

Hans Kornell arrived in America in 1939 with only a couple of dollars and hitchhiked to California and in 1951 began making sparkling wines in Sonoma County.  By 1951, he had saved enough money to buy the old Larkmead Winery, which was started in 1906.  Paula Kornell is a fourth-generation sparkling wine producer with over thirty years of experience, including time at Eleven Eleven Wines, Vichon and Robert Mondavi.  Last year, after Vintage Wine Estates filed for bankruptcy, Paula Kornell and some thirty-odd wineries were left unprepared and facing the auction block.  Then in November, Paula had new partners with Mike and Jenny Farmer of Calistoga. 

The first wine of the session was Paula Kornell Brut California Sparkling Wine NV.  This sparkling wine was the perfect way to begin the tasting, as it is a California wine and comes from certified sustainable vineyards in the some of the coolest growing regions and are managed by fifth-generation grape growers.  The wine is entirely done using Stainless-Steel and then glass, without the use of any oak.  The wine is made in the classic Methode Champenoise and not by the bulk method.  A blend of eighty percent Chardonnay and twenty percent Pinot Noir.  After the Initial Fermentation the wine was aged for twenty-four months, before disgorgement and then a few more months before being released for retail.  A beautiful golden color with consistent small bubbles offered notes of peaches, apricots and lemon zest along with white florals.  This medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of green wines, fresh fruit, racy acidity, a mild toasty mousse and ending with medium-count finish of fruit and florals.  And way too nice for Mimosas.  

We then had their second non-vintage sparkling wine, Paula Kornell Brut Rosé California Sparkling Wine NV.  This is a multi-vintage blend of seventy percent Pinot Noir and thirty percent Chardonnay using the classic Methode Champenoise.  The wine was aged for thirty-eight months on fine lees in the bottle and then an additional several months after the disgorgement.  A pretty salmon-pink colored wine with persistent small bubbles offered notes of strawberry, raspberry and watermelon along with wet stones.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of currants, cranberries, pomegranate seeds and tart cherries followed by lively acidity, a creamy mousse and ending with medium-count finish of fruit, terroir and some toasted hazelnuts.        

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Bahama Breeze

Posted on March 20, 2026 by thewineraconteur

My Bride and some of her girlfriends get together, along with their spouses for a dinner periodically, and I am not sure how the restaurants are selected, but we were going to Bahama Breeze. 

My Bride and I tried the restaurant when they first opened, went back several years later, and then this time; they began in 1996 in Orlando, Florida by the Darden Restaurant chain.  Between the time the venue was selected and the appointed date, the Darden Restaurant chain announced that they were closing all the Bahama Breeze locations as they were “no longer a strategic priority” due to declining sales and increased competition.  My thinking is that they will probably retrofit the building into either one of their Olive Garden or LongHorn restaurants.  I always thought that the restaurant was cute, I have never been to Bahama, but the design of the buildings evoked a structure on Kiawah Island or parts of the Lowlands in South Carolina.  My Bride and I shared a spicy shrimp appetizer, then she went with a “themed” salad with salmon, and since I had discovered from previous times, that I am not partial to their cuisine, I opted for a burger and fries.

The wine list was a “no-brainer” of common popular brands.  Her first choice was no longer available, as they were probably selling the available inventory down; this also happened to some of the dishes that others had ordered.  My Bride had Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay California 2024. We have enjoyed a lot of Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay wines through the years.   We used to keep some in the house for our friends that enjoy this wine and has been our “go-to” wine in restaurants that have a limited selection of wines on their list.   The late Jess Jackson started the winery in 1974, and his first vintage was in 1982.  I once heard a statement that I will paraphrase that “people tend to talk about dry wines, but that they prefer some sweetness.”  From what I have read his first vintage under his own label was not a true dry Chardonnay, so he labeled it a “vintner’s reserve” and it took off from there.  He was an attorney, but he was a marketing genius.  This is an extremely popular bulk-wine and a classic example of a California Chardonnay.  The golden colored wine offered notes of tropical fruits, citrus, a trace of honey and vanilla.  On the palate this light-to-medium bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of pineapple, mango and papaya, along with citrus peels blending with some good acidity and ending with a short-to-medium count finish of fruit, oak and butter.

As for me, I selected from the wine list of “common popular” wines a Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon California 2023.  There is nothing wrong with going with the big brands, especially as you won’t have to keep printing menus, especially if you conveniently omit the vintage year.  Robert Mondavi began his career with his family and was known for his technical and marketing skills and was one of the original promoters of Napa Valley.  He was originally a proponent of labelling wines varietally, which became the norm for the New World wines. Though in the 1990s he created a joint venture with Baron Philippe de Rothschild to create Opus One Winery.  In 2004, Constellation Brands acquired the Mondavi winery.  He then partnered with his younger son and daughter to make a single wine from a single estate.  The Robert Mondavi Private Selection was founded in 1994 by Robert Mondavi to capture the flavors of California’s best Central Coast vineyards.  This is a bulk wine created in tanks, with some time in barrels, to maintain a popular price point.  The wine is predominately Cabernet Sauvignon with some Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Sangiovese.  A deep ruby colored wine that offered notes of blackberry and black cherry along with spices and graphite.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine display tones of cherry, plum, with some coffee and mocha blending with velvety tannins and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit, spices and graphite.  A decent chewy wine to accompany my burger.     

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