It is time to add more wines to the cellar, this time from northern Michigan.  Black Star Farms is rather unique in that it has vineyards and tasting room facilities on both peninsulas, so that they are kind of surrounding Traverse City which is kind of the focal point for all of the wineries in the area.  In 1998 Black Star Farms purchased Sport Valley Farm which was a one-hundred-twenty-acre equestrian facility, and the stylized black star was part of the architectural décor in the main house.  In their Twentieth year, they were honored to receive the 19’th Annual Canberra International Riesling Challenge (CIRC) -Best Wine of the 2018 Challenge and only the second time an American wine came out on top.  It has only been about four years or so, that we joined their club, which we had no intention of doing, but we went there to purchase some wines, after having them at a Michigan resort and we were dazzled by the enthusiastic and professional wine representative that was pouring some wines for us to taste. 

The first two wines that I grabbed out of the shipping carton was the Black Star Farms Vintners Select Red Table Wine Michigan NV.  The Vintners Select collection is a blend of different vintages of all small lots with unique characteristics.  The wine carries a Michigan appellation as eighty-three percent of the fruit is from the Leelanau Peninsula and seventeen percent is from Old Mission Peninsula.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Teroldego, Merlot and Petite Pearls.  The wine is aged in a blend of newer French, European and American Oak.  It is described as a full-bodied red with dark fruit flavors and hints of cocoa and spice.

The other two wines that I unpacked was Black Star Farms Pinot Noir Blanc Old Mission Peninsula 2020.  I am sure that this wine was completely done in Stainless Steel and eight-hundred cases were made.  They had mentioned that this white wine is made from red grapes, and the slight pink hue comes from the skins breaking during the crush.  The wine offers floral notes with bright fruit flavors of pomegranate, raspberry and watermelon.  Sounds like the perfect summer wine.