It always feels to me that I am over due for a visit to my local wineshop, The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan, even if I am tripping over some cases of wine at the house.  Today was just a short and sweet visit with no wine tasting as they were busy with real customers.  Though while I was there, I also booked a dinner reservation at their restaurant Vertical for later in the month, since we are going to an exhibit downtown.  I also like to make reservations with a person and not a computer site as I feel that it is so impersonal, and dining is such a personal art. Yes, I am from another century, but it is fine with me.  I also enjoy the wine club as I get a couple of wines that for any number of reasons I may overlook, just wondering around.

The wine club selection representing the European side of the Atlantic Ocean, but going further south to the Republic of South Africa and Mulderbosch Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé Stellenbosch 2019.  Larry Jacobs founded Mulderbosch Vineyards in 1989 and the farm property was referred to locally as “vuilplasie,” which is Afrikaner for “dirty little farm.”  He soon partnered with Mike Dobrovic and they cleared and planted the first vineyards of twenty-five hectares.  They soon built a small winery and cellar and the first wines produced were a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay.  Mulderbosch Vineyards was acquired by the California-based Terroir Capital in 2011.  In 1999, they created the Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, the very first in South Africa.  The vineyard for this wine is specifically farmed to produce a Rosé, with early picking and then to vinify the wine as if they were making an aromatic white wine. By picking early the grapes have a naturally high level of acidity, once pressed the wine is handled the same as if they were making a Sauvignon Blanc with a short period in Stainless Steel and early bottling to preserve the wine’s freshness.  This blush pink wine with a touch of copper shimmer offers notes of fresh strawberries and floral notes and spices of a Cabernet Sauvignon.  On the palate the bright acidity and vibrancy offer tones of black cherry, pomegranate and watermelon with a medium length finish offering aromatics and terroir, along with the desire to have another taste.

Airfield Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley 2019 represents the New World.  Airfield Estates goes back to 1907 when H. Lloyd Miller was pioneering this area as he was into the buying and selling of farm properties, and this area did not have access to irrigation water.  He was instrumental in getting water from the Roza Canal Project and he also leased part of the property to the Olympia Air Transport Corporation, which constructed a flight school for hundreds of Army Air Corps pilots needed for World War II.  Eventually they got their property back and it was the basis for Airfield Ranch and a portion became Airfield Estates originally selling grapes to other wineries, until 2005 when they began producing their own wines.  This is an Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon.  The grapes go through a cold soak for twenty-four hours and inoculated with several different strains of yeast. Fermentation on the skins was for fourteen days and then the skins were gently pressed and then all the juices were sent to a variety of French Oak barrels still with the lees for Malolactic fermentation for four months and then aged for eighteen months in French Oak, of which forty percent was new.  The deep red wine offers notes of black fruits and sandalwood, while on the palate slightly sweet notes of blackberry and black cherry with tones of coffee grounds with a medium bodied wine with a medium finish of fruit and toasted oak.