There is so much to see and enjoy on Mackinac Island, especially if it is your first time there.  We have been there many times and I think that we have stopped at every shop and tourist attraction on the island.  We have been to the Butterfly House, the museums and even the churches that line the main street.  We have been up to the fort to observe the tattoo.  We have had carriage rides out in the middle of the island and have seen the airport and the golf course.  We have stayed at both ends of the island and at several spots in between.  I have even seen the motor vehicles on the island, that are used by the local municipality.  We have even seen the summer home of the governor, as it is a perk of the office, paid for and maintained by the taxpayers.

All this leads me to our latest walk, as we were parched and needed some of the nectars of the Gods.  There used to be a wine bar in the center of the town, but it and the restaurant that it was affiliated with has changed hands; nothing on the island has the endurance of the fudge emporiums.  We walked by the marina, but none of the cruise ships that ply the Great Lakes were moored at the moment, but definitely a great spot for a boat load of tourists.  It was Sunday, so there was no barge out in the marina holding a UPS truck, the truck is towed on the barge and then the driver has to unload the truck onto a horse-drawn lorry and then he can deliver his good.  When one is walking around away from the commercial part of the island, once can appreciate the beautiful homes and bed and breakfasts establishments as well.   Our walk ended up at the grounds of the miniature golf course looking out on the lake, at night the golf course changes to a night course.  We didn’t golf, but by then our thirst was excellent.

My Bride given a choice for a thirst quencher will always go to a Pinot Grigio, and she had Castello Sternati Pinot Grigio Friuli (-).  Well, it finally happened that I have encountered a current wine offering that even the search engines cannot find.  Friuli is a part of the large area known as Friuli-Venezia Giulia located between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea.  It is known as Friuli Grave gets its name, just like the Commune of Graves in Bordeaux, because of the gravely, alluvial soil and has been a wine production site going back to the days of the Romans. The region has a strong reputation for producing quality wines make of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Friuli.  The wine had a nice pale straw color with a floral nose.  It was very crisp and I will venture to say with no hesitation thaCot it was produced in Stainless Steel, and it had a very short finish, but on a sunny day, it was fine.   I had a glass of Famille Quiot Domaine Houchart Rosé Cotes de Provence 2020.   Famille Quiot has numerous estates in southern France, originally with their Domaine du Vieux Lazaret at Chateauneuf-du-Pape in 1748.  Domaine Houchart was acquired in 1890, a sixty-hectare estate.   The soil is clay and limestone that has decomposed from the mountain side. The wine is made of a blend of Cinsault, Grenache Noir, Syrah and Tibouren.  The grapes are harvested in September, with cold fermentation of twelve to twenty-four days after destemming and direct pressing. The winery bottles the wine by December and the winery is known for using concrete vats and large oak foudres. The wine had a pretty coppery-salmon pink color.  The wine offers notes of red fruit and Herbs de Provence. This was a nice crisp-dry wine with tones of strawberry and cherry, herbs and a nice finish of terroir.  The perfect way to prepare for dinner.