While we were at Sandhill Crane Vineyards, Ms. Yoga got very excited about a wine label, which reminded her of another wine that she had brought to Casa Raconteur for us to try, and she was trying to figure out, if she would have problems with TSA, trying to carry two empty wine bottles in her carry-on luggage.  She had tried one wine during her tasting selections, because of the label.  We asked one of the young men that were clearing the tables if he could find us an empty bottle for a label, and he first went to the bar, and then he went to a side room and dug through two different cases of used wines and returned with a bottle; that was worthy of a tip and he was very impressed.  My Bride told her that I have the touch in removing most wine labels quickly and rather easily, so when we got home, we immediately decanted the wine that she brought, plus the wine from the winery.  My technique for removing at least most modern North American labels that use an “Avery” type of gum label is;  preheat an oven to 255°and while the oven is heating rinse the wine bottles thoroughly, then place the bottles on a rack to bake for fifteen minutes, after that time, I use a razor knife for scrapping windows and with an oven mitt holding the bottle, I slowly peel the label up from the bottle until there is enough to gently pull the label off at an angle, then the most important final step is to lay the label, gum side down on wax paper (if you plan on removing it later to put elsewhere like a scrapbook and then place a weight on the label to keep it flat.

The first wine label that caught her attention was Sandhill Crane Vineyards Night of the Living Red Michigan NV.  From what I can gather is that the wine is their version of a “Gluhwein.”  A semi-sweet red wine that is seasoned with cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, orange peel and “essence of fresh-squeezed zombie.”  To be enjoyed either chilled or warmed up.  Ms. Yoga enjoyed the wine chilled, plus she enjoyed the label.

The second label was on a bottle that she wanted to share with us, before she went back home.  It was Ms. Yoga that introduced us to Marilyn Merlot from when I was creating a wine label door to my first wine cellar in our old house, which was originally a coal room.  The wine was Cooper’s Hawk Winery Camille Fierce Central Coast 2019.  Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants were founded in 2005.  They offer their own proprietary wines from Chile, France, California or Washington State.  The wine is a blend of thirty-five percent Pinot Noir, twenty-five percent Zinfandel, nineteen percent Valdiguie, sixteen percent Syrah and six percent Grenache; a very unique blend.  The garnet-colored wine offered notes of red fruits, vanilla and butterscotch.  On the palate raspberry, tart cherries, vanilla and cedar.  I feel that the wine was probably done in Stainless Steel with oak chips, I could be wrong, but the vanilla was a dominate flavor. I wish wineries would offer more information.  It was a nice evening of wine, and then Ms. Yoga left for home the next day, and until the next visit.