It is wonderful getting new club selections, as it is always fun and getting something that I might not try, because we are all creatures of habit.  Originally, we tried a couple of their wines at a business conference and they were stellar, but not their famous Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling Michigan 2017; but their Cabernet Franc 2013 was out of this world.  After the conference, we went directly to the winery and had such a great experience at the tasting, that we had to join, not to mention some wines on the spot.

The first wine out of the box, was an interesting wine for them.  It is a Black Star Farms Sparkling Riesling Michigan NV.  The Riesling is a major varietal for the entire region and especially for Black Star Farms.  The fruit for this wine comes from both the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas, hence the Michigan AVA.  This is the third issue of this wine for them, and I have to believe that they use the Charmat Method to produce this sparkling wine, and it appears to have a bottle cap sealant under the capsule.  The wine is described as having pear and green apple on the palate with marked minerality on the finish.  The notes also mentioned that sparkling wines when consumed young will show fresh, crisp qualities; while when cellared properly the wine will soften and display a creaminess on the palate and the wine is suggested to last for about five years.

The second wine was produced in limited quantities and it was the Black Star Farms Arcturos Merlot Leelanau Peninsula 2020. A trickier wine to grow in Michigan, because of the potentially cooler temperatures, but when it clicks, it can be awesome.  There is little information to be culled from their newsletter or from their website about wine production.  Their notes are “on the palate there are rich dark fruit flavors that complimented by hints of cocoa and spice.” I am very partial to Merlot, so it shall be fun to try it, after it has settled.