Since we were on Old Mission Peninsula and we had a crowd, and we struck out once at a winery, I thought that Black Star Farms was a crowd pleaser. 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.  There were 567 Rieslings from six countries (Australian, New Zealand, USA, Germany, France and the Czech Republic).  The Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling 2017 scored 98 points, in addition to taking home Best Dry Riesling and Best American Riesling.  In fact, all six of the Riesling wines that Black Star Farms submitted took home medals, showing a consistency across vintages and styles.  The fruit is sourced from both of the proprietor’s vineyards and from local grower partners in both the Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau Peninsula.  The winery has three series; the premium Arcturos, A Capella and the Leorie Vineyard labels for sparkling and fruit wines.

Some of the sisters were asking about a white wine they might enjoy, other than a Chardonnay, so I suggested a Gewurztraminer.  That was not one of the wines being offered that day, but after talking with them, they opened a bottle for the sisters to try; the wine was technically sold out and they only had a couple of bottles left.  They all tried a Black Star Farms Arcturos Gewurztraminer Leelanau Peninsula 2020.  I have always had a soft spot for this varietal, as I enjoy its natural spiciness.  The fruit was cloned from the winery’s initial planting of this varietal from their Manigold Vineyard on Old Mission Peninsula and then the new plantings were done on the vineyards in the Leelanau Peninsula.  It is very safe to say that this wine had Initial Fermentation and a short aging period all in Stainless Steel, as the flavors are crisp and bright.  A very soft straw-yellow colored wine that offered notes of citrus and white florals.  On the palate tones of apple and tangerines and the inherent spices of the grape with a short finish offering more fruit to enjoy.

While we were there, my Bride and I shared a tasting of four of the twenty-four wines offered.  We selected the Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling Michigan 2021, the Nouveau Marquette Michigan 2022, the Arcturos Cabernet Franc Michigan 2019, and the Sirius Red Dessert Wine NV. The Dry Riesling which is one of their most popular varietals that they produce under several different labels and harvests.  The wine carries a Michigan AVA as the fruit comes from the two different peninsulas.  Another wine that is entirely done with Stainless Steel.  The soft golden-yellow wine offered notes of pears and honeysuckle.  On the palate one could discern tones of peach, honey dew melons and apple with good acidity and a short finish that also featured some terroir.   The Nouveau Marquette is wine that features an inherent spiciness.  The Marquette grape was created in 1989 and introduced in 2006, by the University of Minnesota, a cold-hardy hybrid.  The grape is a cousin of Frontenac and a grandson of Pinot Noir.  While this grape can be mellowed by barrel aging, or the modern oak-chipping, this wine is another Stainless-Steel aged wine as the wine showed fresh fruit and vibrancy.  A nice ruby red colored wine that offered notes of cherries, currants, blackberries, a touch of leather, and black pepper.  On the palate the tones of black fruits, and the distinctive black pepper, made this youthful wine very easy to drink, but I think it would have been great tasting it with a Brie.  The Arcturos Cabernet Franc is an example of a red varietal that has become quite a cult grape in Michigan, and the fruit for this wine was fifty-nine percent Leelanau Peninsula and forty-one percent Old Mission Point Peninsula.  The wine is ninety-five percent Cabernet Franc and five percent Merlot.  It was aged for about two years in a mix of American and French Oak barrels, with fifteen percent new.  A dark garnet colored wine offering notes of black fruit and herbs.  On the palate tones of blackberry and plums.  I thought that this wine was a bit soft, but perhaps some more time in the bottle and cellar, may allow it to mellow and mature a bit more. The Sirius Red Dessert Wine is their latest dessert wine offering and is made using the Regent grape.  The Regent was developed in Germany in 1967 and is a hybrid with lineage of Chambourcin, Silvaner and Muller-Thurgau.  It is highly resistant to mildew diseases, has an abundance of tannins and is another cold-hardy hybrid.  The wine is made akin to a Ruby Port, and was fortified by an in-house distilled grape brandy and then aged for one year in neutral French Oak barrels.  A dark intense red wine with that offers notes of black fruit and berries and spices.  On the palate there is nice tones of dark fruit and a tinge of mocha and a sweet warm alcohol finish.