Sparkling and Rosé Tasting – Part Two

Posted on July 24, 2026 by thewineraconteur

I was in the midst of a wine tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan and it was even more fun, because unbeknownst to me The Wine Raconteur, Jr. was there with his wife.

We were still in the sparkling wine and enjoying Louis Roederer Collection 246 Brut Champagne NV.  The winery was established in 1776 and they are celebrating their 250th anniversary; and later a nephew Louis Roederer took over and renamed the house after himself; and it is still family owned.  In 1845, they were far-sighted enough to purchase several grand cru vineyards to add to the estate, instead of solely relying on the local growers for grapes.  Today they own six hundred acres of land in the Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne and the Cotes de Blancs.  Collection 243 is based on the year 2018 and the fruit is harvested from three of their estate vineyards, as well as from some of their contract grower estates.  It is a blend of fifty-four percent Chardonnay, thirty-five percent Pinot Noir and eleven percent Meunier.  This juice is also blended with their “Reserve Perpetuelle” created in 2012.  This collection is fifty-five percent of 2021 vintage, and thirty-five percent Perpetual Reserve of 2012,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 and ten percent Reserve wines aged in oak from 2012,13,14,15,16,17.  A light golden color with persistent fine bubbles offered notes of plums, nectarines and mango with lemon and lime zests, vanilla, and smoky minerals.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced sparkling wine displayed tones of tropical fruit, traces of yellow apple blending with fresh acidity, and a graceful mousse ending with a good medium-count finish of fruit, zest, smokiness and minerals.

We were treated to a tasting of Champagne Andre Clouet “Chalky” Brut NV.  Champagne Andre Clouet is a grower Champagne in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy, and its wines are made exclusively from Pinot Noir on their eight-hectare estate on the famous chalk soils of Champagne.  Jean-Francois Clouet, a Bouzy native with a family history in the region before the Seventeenth Century.  1741 is the year that the foundation of house was built by Andre.  I was a little surprised, because this wine was pure Chardonnay, from vineyard sources of one third of the southern slopes of Montagne de Reims and two thirds on the Cote de Blancs.  The fruit was handpicked, and immediately soft pressed and initial fermentation was done in small Stainless-Steel vats and then aged in the bottle for seventy-two months on the lees until ready for the secondary fermentation.  A soft golden-yellow colored sparkling wine with persistent fine bubbles that offered notes of citrus fruits with splashes of mangos and passion fruit and chalk minerals.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of tropical fruits, lemon and lime zests, blending with a fine lightly sweet mousse, and ending with a long-count finish of fruit, smokiness and chalky minerality.

The last of the sparkling wines that we had was Champagne Andre Clouet 1911 Grand Cru NV.  Champagne Andre Clouet is a grower Champagne in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy, and its wines are made exclusively from Pinot Noir on their eight-hectare estate on the famous chalk soils of Champagne.  Jean-Francois Clouet, a Bouzy native with a family history in the region before the Seventeenth Century.  1741 is the year that the foundation of house was built by Andre.  This wine is dedicated to the small cache of wines that had been hidden away for more than eighty years, and it is called “Un jour de 1911.” This special cuvee is made of Pinot Noir from three vintages: twenty-fiver percent 1995, fifty percent 1996 and twenty-five percent 1997.  It is aged from 120 to 150 months, because of the vintages, on the lees.  This golden colored sparkling wine with fine persistent bubbles offered notes of apricots and nougat, with rose petals and jasmine.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced sparkling wine displayed tones of dried and candied fruits, pineapple with good acidity and a fine mousse with a trace of salt and ending with a long-count finish of candied fruit, a touch of honey, and a chalky, mineral exit.    

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Sparkling and Rosé Tasting – Part One

Posted on July 21, 2026 by thewineraconteur

I recently did a tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan and I got there early, and I wandered into the tasting room, and I ran into The Wine Raconteur, Jr. and his Bride, a bonus for the day.

I will begin by discussing Thibaut Henrion Treille Crémant Cabernet Franc Rosé Loire Valley 2022.   Domaine de la Treille is in the village of Saint Macaire du Bois, not far from Saumur. The estate is forty-two hectares of clay, silt and sandy soil. Since January 2014, Thibaut Henrion has taken over the estate from Gabriel Taillée (who came from a family of millers and winegrowers).  The farming methods used have always been environmentally friendly and are now certified since 2019.  This wine is pure Cabernet Franc and made in the classic Methode Champenoise.  Outside of Champagne, the Loire Valley is the biggest producer of sparkling wine in France; and can only be produced in the sub-regions of Anjou, Saumur and Touraine.  Typically, the Crémant de Loire spend about nine months in the bottle during the second fermentation, and the Rosé style only accounts for about ten percent of the production.  Even though this wine is labeled Brut, I have always heard that the French make the wine a tad sweet, because they believe the American like to see the word Brut, but like a touch of sweet.  A pale pink colored wine with continuous fine bubbles offered notes of strawberries and raspberries and a trace of anise. On the palate this light-to-medium bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of strawberry, raspberry, citrus and licorice with a soft mousse ending with a medium-count finish of fruit, citrus, some spice and a soupcon of honey.

We then had Paula Kornell Wines 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.

Then we crossed the pond to have Champagne J M Gobillard et Fils Brut Tradition NV.  Gervais Gobillard decided to buy his own vineyard in 1933 in Hautvillers, the home of Dom Perignon.  He bought one hectare of vines, and his wife had a few plots as well, because he wanted to make his own Champagne.  The family business now has thirty-three hectares, devoted to sustainable vine growth and has a level 3 HVE certification (High Environmental Value).  The wine is thirty percent Chardonnay, thirty-five percent Pinot Noir and thirty-five percent Pinot Meunier.  Traditional blending of the three Champagne grape varieties. 35% to 40% of reserve wines are reincorporated during the blending process to obtain our own house style each year, with great consistency in taste and quality.  A minimum of two years of traditional aging technique in the cellar is required.  This pale gold colored wine with fine consistent bubbles offered notes of apple, pear and mango followed by biscuits and herbs.  This medium-bodied, well-balanced sparkling wine displayed tones of apple, pear, and a kiss of pineapple blending with subtle acidity and an interesting mousse and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit, spices and minerals.  

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Fine Wine Source Club – July 2026

Posted on July 18, 2026 by thewineraconteur

It is that time of the month to pick up the curated club selected wines from The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  I know that sometimes it seems like I live there, but I promise you that I don’t, but there are always wonderful wines to discover. 

The wine representing the Old World is Vite Colte Gavi “Aureliana” Piedmont, Italy 2024; and depending on the market the wine could be labeled as Terre da Vino brand.  The winery was founded in 1980 and is situated below the most prestigious Barolo cru vineyards, and the architectural design has been reviewed by many modern architecture periodicals.  The wine is pure Cortese grape and comes from vineyards with alluvial soils with silty clay sediments and interspersed with reddish brown grit.  The grapes are soft pressed, and the must ferments in temperature controlled Stainless-Steel vats, followed by a short aging period on the lees, also in Stainless-Steel vats to maintain the freshness and the fruit.  The soft straw-yellow wine offered notes of green apples, ripe pears, white florals, freshly cut hay and a touch of anise.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine displayed tones of the green apples and pears, well-balanced with crisp acidity and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and subtle minerality.

The wine representing the New World is Klinker Brick Albarino Lodi-Mokelumne River, California 2025.  Klinker Brick Winery is in its Sixth Generation, but they began as grape farmers and would sell their fruit originally to the home wine makers and Zinfandel was the main crop in this area. Eventually they began selling the crops in the latter part of the 1900’s to other wine makers and eventually they took the plunge themselves as there was a strong demand for their crops. They have about sixteen plots of land, mostly along what is known as the Lodi-Mokelumne River as well as some in the Clements Foothills. They produced their first bottle of Zinfandel in 2000, and their first Syrah in 2001.  The term “Klinker Brick” refers to the dense, dark-colored bricks once used in Lodi’s historic buildings; known for their strength, individuality, and durability.  While Albarino is thought of an Iberian wine, the sandy loam soil along with the hot and cold exchange that is found in Lodi works for this varietal, as well as the other grapes that they grow.  A very pale golden wine that offers notes of stone fruit, pear and honeydew followed by Meyer Lemon zest and then traces of minerals.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displays tones of green apple, peach and pears this crisp, dry wine opens with mouthwatering acidity and then ends with a medium-count finish of fresh fruit, zest and hints of terroir.

Another enjoyable addition to the rather low-key presentation of The Fine Wine Source is the on-line appearance of the current Wine of the Week.  This week is Chateau Ducasse Graves Blanc 2024.  The estate makes both dessert and dry white wines, and they have been considered great value for decades.  The soil is clay and limestone on fissured bedrock.  The wine is seventy percent Semillon and thirty percent Sauvignon Blanc and the vines average about thirty-five years of age and is thirteen hectares in size.  The Maceration, Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation was done in Stainless Steel and then aged for six months in Stainless Steel as well.  The pale straw-colored wine offers the classic notes of grass and some lime.  On the palate fresh citrus and a touch of apple, balanced and dry with a nice finish of terroir.   

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Lunch at Arta’s Italian

Posted on July 15, 2026 by thewineraconteur

We finally were able to meet up with The Caller and his charming wife.  Once again, we met up at Arta’s Italian Restaurant in Brighton, Michigan as it is about halfway between our two houses.  The surprising thing is that Arta’s is not located in the downtown section, but in an Industrial park, but at least they have better signage from the road since the last time we were there.

We got there early, as we never know what to expect with road construction, so we thought we would have a drink at the bar, and just as we were going to order, we were joined by them, as they had the same idea, so we ended up getting our table early.  The three of them started with a cocktail, while we placed our order for food.  We were all going to start with a Wild Mushroom Soup, but I guess the early lunch crowd, must have fallen in love with the dish, as there were only two servings left, so we allowed the ladies to have the soup, and the men thought we were getting a side salad, but it was a dinner salad.  We are in the midst of a heat wave, so I had a glass of AVA Grace Vineyards Rosé California 2024.  After plenty of research, because their web site was basically advertising fluff, I discovered that it is part of The Wine Group, which started after Prohibition with Franciscan Brothers, Mogen David and Tribuno.  Acquired by Coca-Cola and then a leveraged buy out by the executives made it privately held; eventually becoming the third largest wine company in America.  In the 2010’s they launched AVA Grace and other labels, and in 2025 they acquired new brands from Constellation Brands, Inc. The wine that I had is a bulk-production wine, with unlisted grapes from across the span of California.  A salmon-pink colored wine that offered notes of apricots and roses.  On the palate this light-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of apricots and honeysuckle and ending with a short-count finish of subtle fruit.

We then proceeded with our lunch choices, and my Bride had the Insalata Caesar with house-made dressing, parmesan croutons and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano; while The Caller’s wife had Gnocchi Gorgonzola, butter poached and Ricotta stuffed gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano.  The Caller and I had the Penne ala Vodka with Pancetta, Vodka Rosé and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano with Italian Sausage.  They pamper me and allow me to select the wine for our meal, and we had Travaglini Gattinara DOCG 2020 with its unique shaped bottle.  The bottle was created in 1958 by Giancarlo Travaglini, to allow the wine to be served without decanting, as the sediment is captured in the bottle, and the bottle is dark colored to prevent the wine from being damaged by excessive light.  The region was granted DOCG status in 1990.  The estate was founded in 1920 by Clemente Travaglini and has been in the family ever since.  The estate is forty-four hectares of volcanic subsoil with traces of carbonate, calcium and magnesium , and the only spot in the region where Nebbiolo is planted in this type of soil.  Locally the Nebbiolo grape is called Spanna. The alcohol level must reach 12.5 and the wine must be aged for thirty-six months, with at least twelve in oak barrels, followed by two years in the bottle before release.  A ruby red colored wine that offered notes of red fruits, violets and rose petals, and a touch of licorice and cocoa.  On the palate this medium-to-full bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of red fruit, especially pomegranates blending with crisp acidity and ripe tannins and ending with a long-count finish of fruit, balsam and minerals.

The three shared a house-made Tiramisu and I shared with them my glass of Blandy’s 5-Year-Old Medium Rich Bual Madeira, Portugal NV.  Blandy’s Madeira was founded by John Blandy in 1811. The family is one of the original founding families of the Madeira wine trade and the only family to still own and operate their original wine company on the island of Madeira.  In 1925, the export market demand was low, and all the houses formed the Madeira Wine Association, which the Blandy family headed.  In 1989, the Blandy’s offered the Symington family (Port producers) a partnership in the newly named Madeira Wine Company.  Bual or Boal is a category of fortified wine regulated by the DOC, and is typically sweeter than Sercial or Verdelho, but not as sweet as Malmsey.  The Bual grape and Madeira are almost used as synonyms, but the grape is also known as Malvasia Fina and many other variations.  The soil found for these wines is of volcanic nature with basalt, tufa and slag.  The grapes are destemmed and macerated with skins for twenty-four hours and naturally fermented in Stainless Steel tanks, and after about five days, the fermentation is arrested by the addition of local brandy until the desired sweetness is attained.  The wine is then aged in used American Oak barrels at room temperature and over the years the wine is blend and transferred to different heights in the warehouse, until it is stabilized in wooden vats for six months, before a final filtration and bottling.  A deep amber colored wine that offered notes of figs, peaches, and orange zest followed by cocoa, caramel, raisins and hazelnuts.   On the palate this medium-to-full bodied, well-balanced wine displayed rich tones of dried fruits, orange and lemon zest, and then blending with a touch of salinity before ending with long-count finish of dried fruits, creamy caramel, nuts and a soupcon of honey.      

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What Have We Found

Posted on July 12, 2026 by thewineraconteur

One of the joys(?) of retirement, is that you get to start rummaging through the stuff you have acquired.  I guess you can call us hoarders to a degree, but the older children of the Greatest Generation learned that our parents survived the “Great Depression” and items were just not casually thrown away.  The younger children born towards the end of “Age of Boomers” are much more cavalier. 

As we are going through boxes to eliminate and to keep other things for our kids to decide on, my Bride found a tourist generated photo keepsake from the “Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay” in 2006.  Mandalay Bay opened in 1999 and replaced the old Hacienda Hotel and Casino which was imploded 31 December 1996.  Shark Reef Aquarium opened on 20 June 2000 and in less than a year it had celebrated its one millionth attendee.  The aquarium was like visiting a sunken ship in the ocean.  We always tried to take our grandchildren somewhere interesting and intellectually stimulating, and most of the time, the parents were working and didn’t think of going to tourist attractions.  Every one of our grandchildren, I can claim, has had the opportunity to “pet” the velvety finish of a manta ray in another section of the aquarium.  And as I recall, we always went to a Mexican style restaurant on the grounds afterwards, so the parents could have a Margarita.

Another curiosity that was discovered has a wine related theme, also from Las Vegas, but also before I became The Wine Raconteur.  It always bothered me that I never wrote about our dinner at The Eiffel Tower Restaurant, especially when I look upon photos and films about the city, even though it has been years since we have stayed on The Strip, and it has been awhile since I have even had to go there for business.  The Eiffel Tower Restaurant in Las Vegas opened on 1 September 1999, and it is a half-scale replica of the original and is part of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and the lights were turned on by Catherine Deneuve.  When Bally Entertainment began the construction, unlike other casinos and hotels, it only removed the old Galaxy Motel and a strip mall that included Little Caesar’s casino and the Churchill Downs sportsbook.  At Paris Las Vegas one can also see replicas of the Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Paris Opera House and Musée d’Orsay.  Later the complex added the Versailles Tower from the old Bally’s Horseshoe Las Vegas Jubilee Tower property.

All of this is because of a keepsake from having dinner there as we were overlooking the Fountains at Bellagio which is across The Strip and it was an additional viewing bonus to add to our dinner.  Twenty plus years ago, when I had a larger appetite, as I perused the current menu, I can venture to guess that my Bride and I had an appetizer of Foie Gras, and an order of Escargot.  My Bride probably had the Dover Sole, while I enjoyed the Beef Wellington followed by something decadent like a Baked Alaska.  I am positive that we had from a gift card that we received before we left a label from the bottle of Bouchard Pere et Fils Gevry-Chambertin Cote de Nuits 1997.  Bouchard Pere et Fils was founded in 1731 and they are one of the old producers and negociants in Burgundy and they are based in Beaune.  They produce wines from the generic Bourgogne appellation to Premier Crus, including four monopole vineyards.  It was purchased by Joseph Henriot in 1995 and became part of Group La Vigie.  This Pinot Noir wine is planted on Triassic limestone, marls, stones, clay, potassium, phosphorus and iron.  Initial Fermentation lasts about eighteen days, and then it is aged for about a year in French Oak, of which at least a quarter is new.   Since I have no notes, I looked for a representative review; the deep red colored wine offered notes of black and red fruits, and Sous-bois.  On the palate this medium-to-full bodied, well-balanced wine of fruit blending with smooth tannins and ending with a medium-to-long count finish of fruit and terroir.     

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Lunch and Cars

Posted on July 9, 2026 by thewineraconteur

Lunch and cars are a perfect combination for Detroit, especially for those that remember Detroit as the Car Capital of the World.  We were going to see a private car and other collections that is only open to the public one day of the week.  He had cars that were driven by the Great Leslie and Professor Doom, as well as a car with a “flux capacitor” and it was going to be a Yabba Dabba Doo Time; I guess you must appreciate cars and films to follow my thought process.

We were traveling out to Chesterfield, Michigan so we thought that we would invite one of my Bride’s sisters and her husband to join us for lunch and the museum.  We went to Sugarbush Tavern, and we got there just in time, because they became packed right afterwards, which is always a great sign for a restaurant. My Bride had a Caesar Salad with Salmon, her sister had Sautéed Perch, my brother-in-law had a Cheeseburger, and I had an order of Barbecued Ribs, since I was assured that the meat would fall off the bone.  The restaurant had a very small selection of wines, so I ordered a bottle of Bonanza Lot 9 Cabernet Sauvignon California NV. Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 9 California NV. Bonanza is part of the Wagner Family of Wine which includes Caymus Vineyards, Caymus- Suisun, Mer Soleil, Conundrum, Emmolo, Red Schooner, Sea Sun and Bonanza.  This wine is bulk production and run overseen by the grandson of Charlie Wagner Sr. The collection began in 2019.  This is a non-vintage wine that is made to maintain wine consistency over time, using bulk wine techniques and blending procedures.  A ruby red colored wine that offered notes of dark fruit, currents, roses, toasted oak and some terroir.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of blueberries and blackberries, and vanilla blending with silky tannins to end with a medium-count finish of fruit and baker’s chocolate.

After lunch, we went to Stahls Motors & Music Experience created by the passion of the founders Mary and Ted Stahl. They are inspired and love both mechanical musical instruments, classic cars, neon signs and plenty of ephemera to round out the displays. They are open on Tuesdays from one to four, they accept voluntary contributions and are basically manned by enthusiastic volunteers, who can make offer to play some of the mechanical musical instruments that begin with player pianos and then other instruments like violins, drums, accordions also play along seamlessly.  I had some enjoyable talks with some of the docents who could speak of the history of the cars and even would assist us in taking photographs of us alongside and sometimes in the cars.

I tried my best to twirl my imaginary handlebar moustache, but that is something that I don’t have.  I just imagined doing it, while standing alongside Professor Doom’s Hannibal 8 and later a docent opened the mechanism to show the cannon that would pop-up in the car and shoot a cannon ball to eliminate other entrants in The Great Race.  A film by Blake Edwards that starred Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk among many other stars and features to this day the longest pie fight in the history of filmdom.  If I knew how to do AI, I would have stood next to the Great Leslie’s car, because periodically when the camera would focus on Tony Curtis, there would be glint either from his teeth or from his eye.  What a great memory from a kid that remembered seeing that movie on the big screen when it originally played at a Downtown Detroit theater. My dear Bride went begrudgingly at first, but now she wants to go back to spend more time and trying to get others to join us.     

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Dinner and then Overnight at the Hospital

Posted on July 6, 2026 by thewineraconteur

I don’t want anyone to think that the two subjects in the title were a cause and an effect.  Actually, I had an appointment at a Sleep Clinic at a huge hospital campus that I believe was in Ann Arbor but also had some property in Ypsilanti according to the people that did the scheduling.  I don’t know where you live, but here in Michigan you can’t get there, from here with all the road construction especially on Federal Roads, so I decided on finding a restaurant in Ypsilanti, rather than fight all the construction in Ann Arbor.

I chose a new restaurant, even though my Bride had her heart set on a restaurant that she liked, I know that I am such a mean guy.  I chose a restaurant at the edge of the historic Depot Town section, and we went to Thompson & Co.  A very historic building and located across the street from the old train depot, and in another direction the Hudson Motor Car Company Museum which is housed in an old showroom and dealership.   Constructed in 1861, the Thompson Block started as a hotel and storefront. Soon after completion, it became a barracks for Civil War enlistees, including the First Michigan Colored Volunteer Infantry. The building was purchased by the Thompson family in the 1880s and housed a variety of family businesses until 1950. Different businesses came and went, but it was eventually left to rot.  Its path back was long and tragic. A 2009 arson fire gutted the building, and only the exterior wall and two interior walls remain of the original brick structure.  Now 160 years after it opened, the Thomson Block is once again a vital part of Depot Town.

The restaurant leaned towards local New Orleans cuisine and that sounded great to me.   My Bride, naturally, had to try their take on a Caesar Salad on Romain, with flash fried Cajun anchovies, Parmesan Cheese, cornbread croutons and a Smoky Lemon Caesar Dressing topped with Sautéed Shrimp.  I had the Bayou Pasta on mini penne, with Sautéed Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, roasted red peppers, spinach with a White Wine Cream Sauce and a grilled baguette.  We then shared their version of Bananas Foster and coffee, but they don’t offer a chicory blended coffee.  I selected a wine that was new to me, the waitress said it was a bit sweet, and I said that would probably work with the spices of my dish.  The wine was Haut Roche & Vigne Cellars Summit Legacy Blanc El Dorado 2024.  “Haut Roche & Vigne Cellars was created as an artisan expression within the historic Sierra Vista Vineyards and Winery.  Specifically crafted for discerning wine lovers who seek both authenticity and exceptional value.  Our Summit Legacy Blanc combines crisp vibrancy, rich aromatic depth and a soft rounded elegant finish.  Bright citrus and green apple notes lead to a balanced creamy palate with a clean lingering finish.”  I did a Google search on the label which led to a local distributor, they do not have the wine listed, though I found this old “tech sheet.”  The restaurant doesn’t list the wine anymore either.  I have no idea what grapes were used or any production values.  The funny thing is that this was not a bad wine that I ordered and I would have had it again, but I guess that is not possible.

I was checking into a Sleep Apnea clinic and it was like checking into a hotel, and if the staff had told me, I could have had my Bride stay on another bed in the suite, but as Michaleen Oge Flynn would have said “no paddy-fingers” as the suite was wired for video, sound and computer calibrations.  I was told to bring pajamas to make my night more comfortable, and for the first hour, I was subjected to about eight different styles of CPAP therapy masks.  CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) that keeps the airways open during sleep, because Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a condition where the airway becomes blocked, leading to interruptions in breathing.  Needless to say, I felt like Alex in A Clockwork Orange for a lack of a better analogy.  When I settled on a comfortable mask, it was basically time for me to fall asleep around ten in the evening, because they were going to wake me up at five in the morning, so that I could shower and shave and get dressed; my poor Bride had to get up around 4:30 in the morning to come and get me.  As I was monitored all evening, the technician told me that I didn’t snore that evening, but that the pressure was adjusted at times to keep me sleeping without any incidents.  I am waiting for the CPAP Mask that I used to be calibrated and then we both will go for instructions on usage and care of the equipment that I can travel with.  I have to say that the next day I had plenty of energy, considering what time I was woken up at, and I really am waiting to get my mask.          

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Father’s Day and Again

Posted on July 3, 2026 by thewineraconteur

This year, because of scheduling dates, I actually got to celebrate Father’s Day, two days in a row.  The first day was at a restaurant that coincided with a joint Father’s Day and a birthday.  The second day, my Bride wanted to make a dinner at home with our other son.

The first day of celebration was at a restaurant that was a halfway point between their house and ours, and the dinner tab was going to be divided in half as well.  They don’t drink and my Bride didn’t feel like drinking, so I was the only ne’er-do-well.  My Bride had the Blackened Salmon Salad with mixed greens, shaved Brussels Sprouts and Fennel, strawberries, avocado, goat cheese, candied pecans and a homemade honey vinaigrette.  I went with their special for the day, as it sounded like a classic “Detroit” dish of Two Coney Dogs; and as a side note our son ordered Four Sliders and he opined that he thinks the dish was created from jumbo bun containing two patties, that was dissected into eight “sliders.”  I was very low key and from the limited wine list, I just ordered a split of Famiglia Zonin Prosecco DOC NV.  Famiglia Zonin Prosecco DOC NV. Casa Vinicola Zonin SPA is based in the Veneto region of Italy with wineries across Italy and the USA.  They were founded in 1821, and in the 1960’s began an expansion starting in Friuli and Chianti Classico and finally the Barboursville Vineyards in the State of Virginia.  There was not much to find about this wine, but it probably is marketed to food establishments.  It is Prosecco DOC, so it is Prosecco and not Glera and probably made in the Charmat Methode.  A straw-yellow sparkling wine with medium-size, continuous bubbles that offered notes of lemons and green apples and herbs and spices.  On the palate this light-to-medium bodied, well-balanced sparkling wine displayed tones of citrus, green apples with a prominent mousse with good acidity and ending with a short-count but pleasing finish of fruit, salinity and zest.  I usually only see this wine offered at restaurants, especially in splits and it is a crowd-pleaser for popular priced establishments.

The next day, my Bride was in the kitchen and ready to make a big dinner, which she doesn’t do that often, so she was eager.  We started with appetizers of Water Crackers and Smoked Whitefish Pate.  She also made her version of Coquilles St. Jacques al crème de Xeres, which is a fancy way of saying Sea Scallops sautéed with mushrooms and garlic, pan sauced with Sherry and cream and served with Armenian Rice Pilaf.  Before I get into the wine I may mention that so many people are intimidated by a bottle with a wax cork seal, I was tutored by Korbin Kameron to take my thumb and rub the entire top surface of the wax for about a minute and then use my corkscrew and the seal doesn’t crumble and comes out as the same size as the top of the cork.  I also selected Korbin Kameron Semillon Moon Mountain District 2018 which is an Estate Grown wine for the appetizers. Semillon is probably one of the least known major varietals in the wine industry.  It makes some of the greatest sweet wines and it also makes some of the greatest dry wines.  Its home is Bordeaux, though it is done extremely well in parts of Australia and among a few wineries in California.  A wine that begins fermentation in Stainless Steel and finishes in oak.  There was only one barrel made of this wine or twenty-five cases or three-hundred bottles, so I am glad that we got some, and I consider it a rare coup for us. This organically made wine uses native yeasts.  This golden colored wine offered notes of plush florals and citrus, with a hint of earthiness.  On the palate this medium-to-full bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones citrus and ripe pear with a touch of acidity that ended with a long-count finish of fruit and terroir.

The star of the meal were these ten-ounce filets that we picked up at the butcher shop.  She always complains that I don’t cook, but that I tell her how to cook, because I watch these seminars on social media sites, especially about basting with butter, rosemary and garlic.  She tells me the menu, but I like to surprise her with the wine, and I had to dust off a bottle and open it with my Durand, before our company arrived.  We were going to enjoy a bottle of Opus One Red Wine Napa Valley 1991 and the first wine from this partnership was the sublime 1986.  Much has been written about this great wine that was created by a partnership between Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley fame and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, proprietress of Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux.  Two fine firms with traditions of wine making and innovations for a singular goal to create an exceptional wine in Napa Valley and one of the original Napa Valley cult wines.  This wine is made from their estate vineyards in Oakville, including the famed To Kalen Vineyard. The wine is a blend of ninety-three percent Cabernet Sauvignon, six percent Cabernet Franc and one percent Merlot.  The fruit is hand harvested, with gravity flow to take the juice from the destemmer into Stainless Steel tanks for fermentation, while the juice has skin contact for thirty-three days.  Then the wine was aged for fifteen months in new French Oak and then spends an additional eighteen months resting in the bottle before release.  At thirty-five years of age the wine was still a deep garnet in color with no signs of aging and offered notes of black fruit, mellowing with distinct notes of sous-bois, tobacco, smoke, cedar, truffles and old leather.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed complex layers of fruit, terroir, truffles, with traces of iodine and eucalyptus blending so maturely with still present acidity that it ended with a deliciously long-count finish of black fruits, spices and terroir.  Even though my son and his wife don’t usually drink, I told them, they better have some for a truly unique wine experience.

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Fine Wine Source Club – June 2025

Posted on June 30, 2026 by thewineraconteur

I have had so much wine to write about that I barely got this article under the wire.  It is the last club that we belong to, and The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan does a great job in curating two wines each month; one Old World and one New World.   They also allow case discounts to the members on less than case purchases, and the ability to taste wines before purchasing. 

The wine representing the Old World is Casa Vinicola D’Angelo Aglianico del Vulture DOC Basilicata 2019.  Casa Vinicola D’Angelo has spanned four generations and almost a century in the history of Aglianico del Vulture.  While the winery was established in the thirties, in 1924 the wines were exhibited at the IV Commercial Fair in Bari.  In 1971 Aglianico earned the DOC designation.  Mount Vulture is an extinct volcano and is part of the landscape of norther Basilicata.  The wine must be made exclusively from Aglianico, on volcanic soil, and altitude is an important factor in that it must be planted between 200m and 700m.  The fruit is manually harvested, and basic Aglianico del Vulture wines must be aged in oak barrels for at least a year, before being released.  The D’Angelo wine undergoes ten days of maceration on the skin and is aged for eighteen months in large barrels.  Their first vintage was 1960, and the average age of the vines is from 30-35 years of age.  The wine was a deep garnet color and offered notes of black fruit, Sous-bois, sage and licorice.  On the palate this medium-to-full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of black cherry, earth and tar and a very chewy wine with firm tannins that ends with a medium-to-long count finish of fruit, spices and terroir.  This wine was also listed in the “Top 100 Wines” in the Wine Spectator magazine for September 2022.

The wine representing the New World is Klinker Brick “Bricks & Roses” Rosé Lodi-Mokelumne River AVA 2025.  Klinker Brick Winery is in its Sixth Generation, but they began as grape farmers and would sell their fruit originally to the home wine makers and Zinfandel was the main crop in this area. Eventually they began selling the crops in the latter part of the 1900’s to other wine makers and eventually they took the plunge themselves as there was a strong demand for their crops. They have about sixteen plots of land, mostly along what is known as the Lodi-Mokelumne River as well as some in the Clements Foothills. They produced their first bottle of Zinfandel in 2000, and their first Syrah in 2001.  The term “Klinker Brick” refers to the dense, dark-colored bricks once used in Lodi’s historic buildings; known for their strength, individuality, and durability.  The same trait that Klinker Brick Winery adheres to.  The wine is a blend of twenty-three percent Grenache, twenty-four percent Mourvèdre, twenty-nine percent Syrah and twenty-four percent Carignane.  The fruit is from their Farrah Vineyard established in 1989, and their Rauser Vineyard, which was established in 1906 and famed for ancient-vine Carignane.  The wine is made in the Provence-style with whole cluster pressing and no skin contact and a short aging period.  Three thousand cases were produced.  A pale pink colored wine that offers notes of strawberry, florals, licorice and pepper.  On the palate this light-bodied, well-balanced wine displays notes of strawberries, raspberries and traces of watermelon with minimal astringency and ending with a medium-count finish of fruits and spices.

Then I will discuss something new at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  If you have Facebook or Instagram, the owner Jim Lutfy has started a new feature called “Wine of the Week” and he starts it off with Famille Dupuy Chateau Beausejour Puisseguin-Saint Emilion 2022.  He imported this wine by himself and has already sold 450 cases and only has about a hundred bottles left.   The Dupuy family has roots in the village of Puisseguin since the Middle Ages.  The family acquired the winery in 1934, and it is still in the family.  The charterhouse was built in 1864 and houses the wines, and the estate is forty-nine acres of clay and limestone that is the soil of Saint-Emilion and all chemical free, and the vines are still grown in the traditional method.  The wine is seventy percent Merlot and thirty percent Cabernet Franc.  The fruit undergoes a forty-eight-hour cold soak, followed by almost three weeks of low-temperature natural yeast fermentation.  Then the wine is aged up to twenty-four months in oak barrels, with thirty percent being new.  The deep garnet color wine offered notes of strawberry and red cherry followed by some vanilla. On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of strawberries and cherries that have blended with tine tannins and baking spices and ending with a good medium-count finish of fruit, spices and terroir.

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A Different Wine Tasting – Part Seven

Posted on June 27, 2026 by thewineraconteur

We finally loaded up our plates of food and to sit at a table to relax and discuss the wines that we had tasted at Our Lady of Redemption Melchite Catholic Church sponsored by The Fine Wine Source of Livonia, Michigan.  All of a sudden my Bride got up and disappeared and then returned and said that we had one more table to visit, after we finished the food.

She told me that we missed the dessert wines on a table off the beaten track from the other wine tables.  There were five wines and I will discuss three of them.  The first wine that we had was Chateau Les Roques Loupiac 2016.  Loupiac is one of three dessert wine appellations on the other side of the Garonne River, from Barsac and Sauternes.  It is part of the much larger, dry white wine Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux appellation.  Loupiac has around three-hundred-forty-four-hectares of vineyards, and the best are from the slopes above the banks of the Garonne; which also has the benefit of night-time and morning mists, that encourage botrytis to develop.  The winery is owned by Vivianne Fertal from Chateau du Pavillon.  The vineyard began in the Thirteenth Century, when two noblemen, the brothers Jean and Guillaume de la Roque planted on the slopes.  The estate has three hectares of forty-year-old vines planted on a clay-limestone soil.  The wine is a blend of eighty percent Semillon, eighteen percent Sauvignon Blanc and two percent Muscadelle and fermentation and aging are done in Stainless Steel vats.  This amber colored wine offered notes of candied fruits, figs, honey and flowers.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed notes of tropical fruits, figs, prunes, and currants in a fine honey-texture with good acidity that ended with a nice long finish of fruit and some terroir.

We then had Chateau Doisey-Vedrines Sauternes 2004, a Second Growth (Deuxieme Cru Classe in 1855) done at the same time as the Medoc.  It was once part of the large Doisy holdings and estate which also had Chateau Doisy-Daene and Chateau Dubroca.  A curious side note is that the property is in Barsac, but the wines can use Sauternes; Chateau Doisy-Vedrines uses Sauternes, and the other two estates use Barsac.  The original property founded in 1704 was divided into three parts in 1851, and the Vedrines family was one of the early owners who sold the largest of the three estates, just prior to the 1855 Classification.  The estate has twenty-seven hectares of planted vines, and they are on the average of thirty-five years of age on clay and limestone soil.  The Casteja family has owned the property since the 19th Century, and they also have Chateau Batailly in Pauillac and Chateau Trotte Vielle in Saint-Emilion.  The vineyard is planted with eighty percent Semillon, fifteen percent Sauvignon Blanc and five percent Muscadelle.  The fruit is hand harvested in successive waves or tries to only select the most botrytis-affected bunches each time.  After fermentation, the wine spends about eighteen months in French Oak, of which sixty percent is new.   A deep amber colored wine that offered notes of orange and peach marmalade, dried apricots and raisins and a trace of orange rind and lemon zest.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of orange marmalade, dried apricots and raisins, candied pineapple followed by vanilla and citrus blending with some acidity ending with a medium-to-long-count finish of rich fruits, honey and fruit rinds.

The last of the dessert wines and the one that we placed an order for was Chateau Coutet Barsac 2020 and is a First (Premiere) Growth from the 1855 Classification of Sauternes and Barsac. Chateau Coutet is one of the oldest producers in Sauternes and they are known for having the longest cellar in the region.  The word “coutet” is a Gascon term for “knife” and suggests the wine’s crisp acidity.  The chateau is an English fortress that was built in the 13th Century.  In 1787, Thomas Jefferson proclaimed that it was the best Sauternes from Barsac.  During the French Revolution, the estate was seized by the state, and the owner was beheaded.  It has changed hands many times over the years and has now been owned by the Baly family since 1977.  The wine is a blend of ninety-five percent Semillon, four percent Sauvignon Blanc and one percent Muscadelle; planted on clay and limestone soils.  The fruit is hand-harvested over a forty-day period to ensure the grapes are at their maximum desirability.  The wine is aged for eighteen months in French Oak of which at least seventy percent is new.  A deep golden colored wine that offered notes of tropical fruits, white florals, spices and honey.  On the palate this full-bodied, bell balanced wine displayed tones of peach, mango and apricots and spices, that ended with a long-count finish of fruit, vanilla and honey.         

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