A Day in Michigan

Posted on August 26, 2019 by thewineraconteur

A day in Michigan with two of our grandsons from Las Vegas and we already knew that Michigan humidity doesn’t agree with them, of course when the humidity and temperature is high in Michigan, it doesn’t agree with Michiganders either.  The last time that they were here we took them to see the Detroit Institute of Arts and Greenfield Village, two of the premier tourist attractions in the area.  We have taken them to museums and similar venues in Las Vegas that they had never seen, and I think it is good for them to keep learning even by osmosis.  We decided that they should see the Henry Ford Museum, which is part of the recently named The Henry, which also has Greenfield Village.  Unless one actually visits the Museum, it is hard to believe all of the Americana and inventions that have been amassed under one roof, and not to mention the collections.  One does not usually see collections of trains, not miniature toy setup, but there was one set up that day, airplanes, trucks, automobiles, busses, campers, stoves, telephones and in fact, if you name it, it is probably there.  Some sad memories of our history as well, like the chair that Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated at Ford’s theater and also the Ford Motor Car 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible that John Kennedy was assassinated in.  The good news was that both of my grandsons knew those two presidents from school.  We also stopped and had a quick bite at Lamy’s Diner, an actual diner that emulates a dining car that was moved into the museum and originally only had prop food, but not offers some diner options.  I had to laugh at the kids, because they had never seen a menu with so few choices, three sandwiches, a soup and some desserts.  True to the concept of The Henry, the period restaurants offer period food and there were no foodies per se back in the days of the original diners, so no imagination, but edible.  We washed it down with Faygo pop, which is a great idea, since Faygo pop was a Detroit company and I went to high school with one of the granddaughters of the founders.  We also took them to see the Star Trek exhibit and made a film of them being teleported to another galaxy, though Star Trek was lost on them, just like a pair of high-buttoned shoes.

We then took them to Downtown Detroit, so that they could see Detroit with people on the streets, not as crowded as when I was there age, or as crowded as The Strip in Vegas, but people and activities and commerce.  We drove through some of the areas that are still blighted and then they also got to see how gentrification is working to save the city from the decay of just a few years ago.  They also saw what was left of the old Tiger Stadium where the field is still being used and it was that day and the businesses and condos that are now surrounding the field.  They also got a chance to see and feel the old brick road surface that is still in parts of Michigan Avenue that goes from Downtown Detroit to Downtown Chicago.  After walking around the downtown, seeing the stores, the two new stadiums and then down to Hart Plaza along the Detroit River we pointed out that across the river was Canada and the only point where Canada is south of the border.  We also took them out for dinner, in what can be the most argumentative subject in Detroit.  We were going to have Coney Islands.  If you are not aware of it, Detroit is famous for Coney Island meals, which is either a hot dog in a bun covered with a meat laden chili, onions and mustard or a Loose Burger, which substitutes fried ground round for the hot dog with the same toppings.  The kids have had second rate versions of this Detroit delicacy that they tried with their Mother in Dearborn, and I took them to try one at the D Hotel in Vegas, but it was a very poor imitation.  Side by side in Downtown Detroit with entrances on both Michigan Avenue and Lafayette Street are American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island and here is where the battle will begin.  When I was a kid, the two restaurants were owned by brothers and the employees between orders would step out on the sidewalk and twirl their towels in the air and try to persuade customers to enter one eatery rather than the other (and I may add that it was all in good fun).  American Coney Island is a beautiful emporium that has expanded into the old United Shirt Factory store and has updated and remodeled a couple of times and they have expanded the menu a couple of times; whereas Lafayette Coney Island is the same dingey diner with the same counter, some long community tables and a few smaller tables and the only addition to the menu was when they added French fries.  You guessed it, we ate at Lafayette, I mean give me a break, American has salads that they introduced to entice the Yuppies, the only thing I think Lafayette did was get a better refrigerator, because the beers seem colder.  The boys even were amazed at the quality of the hot dogs, they couldn’t put it into words, but a Detroiter will tell you that real Coney Island hot dogs snap when you bite into them.  I may get chastised for my selection, but I stand by it, as I have been going to Lafayette, even before I was going to school.

We finally reunited the boys with their Mother as they had someplace to go that evening and my Bride and I returned home, well fed, but tired.  I went into the refrigerator to get something to drink, since we were good guardians and I didn’t even have a beer with my Coneys at Lafayette   We had a bottle chilling of Good Harbor Vineyards “Tribute” Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2013 from the Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan that we had received as a gift.  The Simpson family were originally in the cherry industry in the 1950’s in the Leelanau Peninsula.  In the 1970’s John Simpson sent his son Bruce to the University of California – Davis to learn about viticulture and oenology.  In 1980 Bruce and his wife Debbie opened Good Harbor Vineyards and they were the fourth winery established on the Leelanau Peninsula.  They now have one-hundred-twenty-five acres devoted to Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Zweigelt, Lemberger and Cabernet Franc.  The winery is now owned and operated by the second generation of Simpsons.  This wine was created as a “Tribute” to their father Bruce and the wine was aged in new French Oak.  This is a special wine from them, as the majority of their wines use Stainless Steel, and a couple of wines get very quick aging in French Oak.  I was surprised to find some Lemon Rind on the nose and on the finish and it was a very easy drinking wine that made the evening a bit easier without the kids. 

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She Returns

Posted on August 24, 2019 by thewineraconteur

My Favorite Daughter returned for another visit back to her ancestral home in the Detroit area.  She was coming in a couple of days early before two of her three boys would join her.  My oldest grandson had to stay home, because the football training season had already begun and believe it or not Las Vegas takes their sports quite seriously, even when there is not betting involved.  I mean every student athlete and his family hopes that one will get a collegiate scholarship for athletics, but what ever happens, happens.   I am just amazed that all the sports are played in a dessert setting, and I discount what everyone says about it being a dry heat.  I would never want to be standing in my oven, and that is a dry heat too, and I have been in Vegas when it is 120° and it is hot.  My Favorite Daughter had a place to stay and had rented a car for this trip, so that she didn’t have to mooch off of her “old man.”

We had settled on a restaurant that she had never been to, and we gave her the address and we were going to meet there.  We actually arrived there before her, though we had a much longer drive (go figure) and due to storms a day earlier, the restaurant and the traffic signals were all out, so we had to call her, find another restaurant and we had to promise to be out by a certain time, which was fine for all of us.  We had gone to Mint 29 before with her, and just recently when her brother was in town, we took him there as well.  Somehow, even though I don’t fit into a “millennial locale” I was there again and survived.  I guess my mustache gets me an entre into these locations, because most of the men either look like they are foresters in the Yukon, or they have not discovered that one can own their own personal razor.  Mint 29 is an eclectic restaurant that has the modern feel and vibe to it, even though the structure was originally a bank and for as long as I could remember it was a music store where one bought vinyl albums to play first on phonographs and later on “sound systems.”  I call it eclectic, because it is a restaurant where one can get organic Kobe beef, fresh seafood and sushi, and for me two out of three is safe.  We just ordered a bunch of plates and shared.  They offered a French Potato Pancake Blini topped with Smoke Salmon, Crème Fraiche and Black Caviar.  A Seafood Ceviche of Salmon, Black Cod, Onion, Jalapeno and Avocado cooked in a Cilantro Citrus Marinade with house-made Tortilla Chips.  Tuxedo Seared Yellow-Fin Tuna that is Black and White Sesame Crusted then chilled and cut into thin slices served with a Green Seaweed Salad, Pickled Ginger, Cusabi and Eel Sauce.  Pan Seared Bronzini (Mediterranean Sea Bass) with shaved Fennel and fresh Grapefruit in a Lemon Beurre Blanc.  A Filet Mignon that my Favorite Daughter ordered which some point in time, she may lose that status, because she orders the meat butterflied and well-done, something she acquired from her Grandfather as he was from the Great Depression and I think that all meat was cooked well done to make sure that it was fully cooked, and it was also an option if one wore a hole in the sole of their shoes. 

We started off with Beckon Chardonnay Central Coast 2016.  Beckon at the moment makes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines and is using fruit from the Central Coast and they are owned by Fetzer Vineyards of Mendocino County, California.  This wine is pure Chardonnay with ninety-six percent coming from Monterey and four percent coming from San Luis Obispo.  The fruit was pressed whole cluster and then aged for seven months in a mix of French and American Oak.   The wine offered green apples, lemon and a trace of chalk terroir with a creamy moderate finish.  The second wine was Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clark & Telephone Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Santa Barbara County 2017.  Belle Glos is known for their single-vineyard Pinot Noir wines and named after Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, the co-founder of Caymus Vineyards and the Grandmother of Joe Wagner.  The Clark & Telephone Vineyard is named after the intersecting roads in the Santa Maria Valley which is in the larger Santa Barbara County and is all planted with the Martini clone.  I have found this wine to always deliver a safe and dependable Pinot Noir from a well-respected wine-growing family.  We were looking forward to seeing two of the grandchildren when they arrived and more to come. 

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Le Siepi di San Giovanni

Posted on August 22, 2019 by thewineraconteur

One of the pleasures of shopping and belonging to a wine club of a small independent merchant is that you are not going to see the offerings from the chains and the corner markets.  The independent merchant has to work harder, just by the very definition.   When I was a clothier, I would lament about how the department stores could sell stuff by accident, since they tend to avoid educated sales people for low-priced help that they can either mold into the corporate persona or dismiss rather quickly.  The independent slowly nurtures his staff and his clientele slowly, but surely.  At the Fine Wine Source in Livonia, I won’t find the wines that are produced in bulk, and in the case of the monthly wine club selections I will find wines that I may never had heard about, but that is OK, because if you are like me, you can be a creature of habit and reach for something that you know will be wonderful.

Societa Agricola Le Siepi di San Giovanni Sangiovese Superiore di Romagna DOC 2012 was the second offering for the month of August.  If you are like me, you may have never heard of this wine, but the estate of Le Siepi di San Giovanni is located in the Northern Apennines in the Santerno River Valley near Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.  The Emilia-Romagna region is big and it is the only region in Italy that has an East and West Coast.  The Estate is owned by the Zuffa family and was started in 1960.  The Estate is forty hectares, but only eleven hectares are devoted to vineyards.  The wine is pure Sangiovese and was manually harvested.  I could not find out how long the wine aged for, but I was surprised to see that it is a 2012 and I have to surmise that it has to do with the fact that it is Sangiovese Superiore (even though I cannot find any rules pertaining to it).

The wine is touted as being intensely ruby red in color with fresh notes of mulberry and floral notes on the nose.  Slightly tannic with a peppery aftertaste on the palate, so all of you that know me, know that is not my way of describing wines.  Since the wine has some aging already, it should be ready to drink, and I find that Sangiovese pairs with plenty of dishes, at least all of the food I normally eat, like pastas and red meats.  So, I will give my notes later, after it has been uncorked. 

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“And Why am I Mr. Pink”

Posted on August 20, 2019 by thewineraconteur

I have to think of Steve Buscemi as soon as I see the name of this wine, and if you have seen Reservoir Dogs, you will understand the correlation.  I recently picked up my August selections of wines from my wine club at the Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  Besides going in to pick up my wines, I usually get a chance to try some wines, but when I got there, the shop was busy, not with tastings, but with buyers and I as a former retailer would never interfere in commerce, even if it was for my writings.  The world does not revolve around a Raconteur.

The first wine for the monthly selection was The Underground Wine Project “And Why am I Mr. Pink” Rosé Columbia Valley 2018 from Washington State.  The Underground Wine Project is a collaboration between two Washington State winemakers; Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery and Trey Busch of Sleight of Hand Cellars.  The two men besides having successful wineries have been good friends for the last fourteen years and in 2009 launched their first joint collaboration “Idle Hands” with a hundred cases of wine, and it became a cult favorite almost immediately.  “And Why am I Mr. Pink” made its debut in 2015, first capturing the interest of Washington State and then going national.   The 2017 vintage took its place at Number 70 for the Top 100 Best Buys by the Wine Enthusiast magazine.  The wine is a proprietary blend of Sangiovese and Syrah.  The demand must be good from the marketer’s viewpoint as they produced thirty-thousand cases of this wine.

I have not tasted the wine yet, but from what I have read it promises to have lip smacking acidity and perfect for the summer month.  The wine is said to promise cherries, watermelon and pomegranates.  The wine has been touted by others to pair well with white meat, white fish, turkey and chicken as well as charcuterie and cheeses and other plates of antipasti.  Perfect with lighter foods and picnic dishes.  I mean isn’t there always a time for another bottle of Rosé, and Mr. Pink was quirkier and an interesting character compared to Messrs. White, Orange, Blonde, Brown and Blue.  Not only that, but I am sure that the language won’t have to be as colorful as the film, and as a purist, I think that Joe Pesci’s colorful language for Martin Scorsese has always sounded more realistic. 

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The Wall Came to Livonia

Posted on August 18, 2019 by thewineraconteur

Even though Vietnam started affecting the United States in 1955, it wasn’t until years later that it really took its toll.   I remember when they brought back the lottery for the draft and it was my birthday that was the first date pulled, except that is was two years too early.  I also remember how we all had to go to the Selective Service Administration and fill out the paperwork, so that on our eighteenth birthday we would be ready, if called.  I remember that I started college prior to my age of majority and I was assigned a Classification of 1H, for holding, and as long as I kept my grades up, the odds were that I would maintain that classification.  I know that card is somewhere, but I think that I should no longer be worrying about being called now.

I am sure that some people see the world “wall” and in today’s heightened environment of political tension, the wall I am referring to is the travelling version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.  I read that this version has motorcyclists that accompany the display from location to location.  The whole park had a solemn air to it, and there was a tacit aura of patriotism as one looked at the layout of the area.  There were displays, a labyrinth for prayers and solitude and plenty of volunteers.  There were plenty of Veterans present helping out, and just like at the original wall, there are people that will make a tracing of a family member or friend that was lost during the war.  I think I heard that they had volunteers to read each and every name on the wall, and the memorial would be open for three days, around the clock, so that all schedules of people could be accommodated.  It was strange to see, but I guess nowadays, signs discussing the etiquette of proper mourning behavior, and while we were there, there were no protests, and the grounds were beautiful, not the typical messes left by crowds of people.  My Bride and I had a nice leisurely five or six mile walk to see the Wall and we were just in awe of the solemnity that we were a part of. 

As we were walking home, my Bride had informed me, that she had not pulled anything out from the freezer, so nothing would be ready for cooking and she asked if we should go out.  I suggested that we have something easy and American for dinner, so we had Kosher hot dogs and pork and beans, usually food that we have ready for the odd time that we have fussy children at the house, as they always seem eager to have that, no matter what tempting dish we may be serving.  To top off the dinner, I grabbed a bottle of bubbly from the refrigerator.  The sparkling wine was one of our favorites from Michigan, M.Lawrence Sandpiper NV. L. Mawby Vineyards is a serious winemaker, and one of the wineries that my Bride would never forgive me, if we didn’t go there on the trip to Suttons Bay. This winery only makes sparkling wine and notice that I did not say Champagne or even American Champagne, since there is almost a universal trade agreement that only allows Champagne from the Champagne district in France to be called it, though there are a few wineries that are “grandfathered” in that can still label their wine as “American Champagne.” Even though the winemaker is very serious, the winery is a fun place, and we had just visited them again during our last trip up north. They produce quite a bit of bubbly and the winery has two labels to differentiate the winemaking process that they use. The M. Lawrence line is division is made using the bulk process, also referred to a “cuvee close” or the “Charmat Process.”. Sandpiper is a Semi-Dry wine that is a proprietary blend and that is all I was told. These wines are made in small batches and fermented in the “cuvee close method” as indicated on the label. I prefer a little more sweetness myself in this type of wine, as I am always afraid that extra dry can have little nuance. I am happy to say that I could taste some fruit which made it more appealing.  All I can say is if you are a Veteran, “thank you for your service.”

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A Whirlwind Visit

Posted on August 16, 2019 by thewineraconteur

When I was growing up, every family basically lived near each other.  My Grandmother moved to Detroit, after my Grandfather passed away and her three children all lived within a block of each other, and even when my Grandfather was alive, they lived the next city over, yes, technically it was in another country, but back then Ontario kind of felt like the unofficial fifty-first state of the United States of America.  When my Grandparents got married, they lived in one Armenian ‘ghetto” to another and even in Detroit, our neighborhood was kind of an Armenian “ghetto” as well, just more of the American “Melting Pot” of immigrants that came here to become Americans.  I think the old people were embarrassed by their accents, but they all tried to be Americans and speak English.  They may have been impoverished from circumstances beyond their control, but they all strove to correct that.  They wanted the American Dream.  For the most part, it was my generation that started moving away from home, most of my family, including cousins never left the state, let alone Southeast Michigan where only Windsor was south of the border.

Two of our children are in another state, another time zone and sometimes it feels like another world.  I was never a telephone talker, so to this day, it is hard for me.  In person, it is a different story.  Our son came in town to attend the funeral of one of his friends that he grew up with, and he was going to share a hotel room with one of his cousins that was also flying in for the funeral on the red eye, and we didn’t see the cousin, but we did see our son.  We picked him up at his hotel and we took him to Mint 29, where we had taken his sister before, and so that he could see how dramatically the city had changed since even the last time he was here.  It is quite unique for Dearborn, which in the old days was all charming steak and seafood restaurants, and has now morphed into mostly Halal influenced eateries, and Mint 29 is a fusion style bistro that is over-run with Grizzly-Adams bearded millennials and even though our son is too old to be a millennial, he looked the part.  Only my Bride and I looked out of place, in this former bank building, which was Dearborn Music for as long as I can remember.  We had salmon, tuna, scallops, and beef tenderloin tips.  The conversation was the important part, but we did eat very well.  When I think back when the kids were younger, Kiernan’s Steak House with their Beef Wellington was kiddy-corner from where we were, and a couple doors down was The Topper with the greatest Braised Short Ribs around and both places made their reputation during the Three Martini lunch era and wonderful long dinners. 

Our son was being a teetotaler at the moment, but I knew that he was just saving himself for the evening and the next day, so he was having a cola.  My Bride and I were feeling festive on the occasion and we had a bottle of Joseph Verdier Tresors de Loire Cremant de Loire Brut Rosé NV.  Cremant de Loire is the appellation for the region of sparkling wines encompassing Anjou, Saumur and Touraine. The heart of the Loire Valley.  In 1975 the appellations were issued for Cremant de Loire and Cremant de Bourgogne and followed by Cremant d’Alsace.  While one thinks of Sauvignon Blanc for the Loire, it is a noticeable omission for the Cremant wines, the star of the sparkling wine is Chenin Blanc and then they also rely on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Pineau d’Aunis, Grolleau Noir and even Cabernet Sauvignon.  Typically, the Cremant de Loire spend about nine months in the bottle during the second fermentation, and the Rosé style only accounts for about ten percent of the production.  Even though this wine is labeled Brut, I have always heard that the French make the wine a tad sweet, because they believe the American like to see the word Brut, but like a touch of sweet; now maybe it is that I am mellowing, but I do find the floral nose, and a touch of honey in the finish works extremely well for me, and I think my Bride enjoyed equally as well.  One night with our son was definitely better than no night with our son.

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Louis XIII

Posted on August 14, 2019 by thewineraconteur

I am not going to speak of cabbages and kings, but of a wonderful drink that I once enjoyed during my halcyon days of college.  I was working almost full time and carrying eighteen credits a semester, so my days were quite packed.  At work, I had the chance to meet many beer, wine and liquor distributors and I used to hear with very hushed and reverent tones of Louis XIII and this was from a group of individuals that were very boisterous normally.  I remember one of my drinking mentors years ago telling me that “all cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac,” and more sage advice was ever uttered at the rail of a bar.  Now Louis XIII is a fabled bottle of Cognac and even the crystal decanter is gorgeous and a work of art, and the crystal work gets grander I presume as one gets higher up in to the heavens of the assorted versions of Louis as it was referred to, and tradition at least in the Detroit area was that if you had the last shot of Louis, you could take the bottle home with you, just for the price of the shot, which may be one of the best investments one can make.

Louis XIII is made by Remy Martin, one of the leading brands of Cognac, founded in 1724.  There are six fabled districts that the finest Cognacs come from and Remy Martin is known as a specialist in Fine Champagne Cognac and produces only Cognac from two areas; Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, and these areas have nothing to do with the products from Epernay and Reims.  Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne have long been recognized for the ability to produce an end product that ages potentially for decades and perhaps centuries.  They are also proud that they age for a minimum of ten years, instead of the usual six years.  Cognac and Brandy are distilled wines, that is a wine is placed in a still and heated up and the finished product is called brouillis, which is then distilled again to create raw Cognac or bonne chauffe.  This colorless product which is made from a wine that considered thin and unattractive after years of aging becomes the thing that dreams are made of.  The raw Cognac is laid to rest in Limousine Oak barrels and that is where the color and the flavor evolve and the craftmanship of the Cellar Master as he blends the liquids from the different barrels that are stored for decades, just for the ability to blend.  One of the other considerations of the reason that Cognac is so expensive, is that while it is aging in the barrels there is a natural evaporation that occurs and this “Angel’s Breath” is considered to be the equivalent of the Cognac consumed in France each year. 

I mention all of this, because this is one of my favorite stories, and I do have plenty of them.  While in college I eventually chummed around with another student who was not into being a student and this was his fourth university to attend, and he was about four years older than I.  One of our “jobs” in the summer was to make sure that his parent’s monthly food tab was used at their two country clubs, one was just for the family and the other was for business, so twice a week we went golfing with a schedule of breakfast, nine holes, lunch, nine holes, dinner and then time at pub afterwards.  It was grueling work, but somehow, we managed to get through the day.  One day, after dinner, there was something special going on at the bar, so we left early and went back to his house, so that I could pick up my car and go home.  He lived in a separate wing on his parent’s home and the maid had quarters on the back end of his wing with a private hall that connected her suite to the main part of the house, so I never saw her.  My friend was thirsty and he left me in his parlor as he went off and returned with a beautiful crystal decanter that had maybe a couple of shots left in the bottle, and he also had grabbed a couple of snifters for the occasion.  It was Louie, and we proceeded to finish the bottle, at which time I professed to admiring the bottle and this was before I had learned of the traditional lore of claiming rights of ownership if one finished the bottle…he gave me the bottle.  Two days later when I saw him for our usual routine of the summer, he looked at me rather sheepishly, and asked if I could return the decanter.  His parents couldn’t have cared less that we finished the Cognac, but they sure wanted the bottle, so the following week, I returned the decanter.  So, for a week I had in my possession a legendary crystal bottle, and though I do eyeball the liquid level of every bottle of Louis that I see in a bar, I have never seen the levels low enough to pop for a shot. 

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The Party Continued

Posted on August 12, 2019 by thewineraconteur

One would almost think that my Bride and I are still teenagers from my recounting a day that started with a brunch and Mimosas that ended up a pool party and appetizers, but there is more to the day.  Actually, we can’t take too many of these days in a row, which is fine and anymore, I think two days in a row may be our limit, of course, we haven’t been tested or stretched out for a while.  My Sister-in-Law’s home was filling up with guests as the day progressed.  There were tables in set up in the garage, in the back yard off the pool and in the house proper.  The pool and hot tub were also getting a good workout on that hot summer day.  I being a pure hedonist stayed in the air-conditioned home and stayed in the dining room and away from all the high scenes of activity.  If I had availed my self of the pool, all of the guests would have left in horror, as I do not look like Victor Mature.

It was a day of grilling, which actually kept the main house quite comfortable, since the ovens and the ranges were not being utilized as much.  Some men, may not know their way around a kitchen, but they do take pride in the art of the barbecue.  If and when I did was years ago and another life before, it seems.  I defer to those that can and are able, though we did offer to bring some of the dishes that were going to be barbecued.  Actually, I think we looked rather strange, lugging this big cooler into the hall during the brunch party, but we kind of hid it under some tables that were used for displays.  We have this one cooler that can utilize the cigar/cigarette lighter in a car (which some people may not even know what I am talking about) and then we can make a modification to the electric cord and then plug the unit into a conventional wall socket.  The cooler is big enough to handle a couple of full beef tenderloins, a Caesar salad and the dressing, separately waiting to be combined and the most important category several bottles of wine that should be chilled.  So, there were plenty of choices from hot dogs and Brats, to filet medallions, so nobody had to suffer or starve.  

Even though there was so much red meat in abundance, the day was an extremely hot summer day with the classic humidity that Michigan is known for (all of those Great Lakes) so we were still drinking white wines late into the afternoon.  One of the white wines that we opened was a little older, but it was fair game that day and it was Chateau Souverain Chardonnay 2014.  Chateau Souverain is based in Alexander Valley and they specialize in single variety wines from Alexander Valley and Russian River Valley, both in Sonoma County and they also source from assorted North Coast appellations.   Chateau Souverain began in 1943 with the purchase of a winery and thirty acres on the slopes of Howell Mountain in Napa Valley.  The winery got its name from the French word for “sovereign.”  In 1973 the estate moved to Alexander Valley and in 2006 they relocated to the Asti winery, which was one of the oldest and largest wineries in Sonoma County.  E. & J. Gallo Winery purchased both the Asti winery and the Chateau Souverain brand in 2015, so this Chardonnay may be one of the last wines before the corporate change over.  There was some ripe fruit poking through, but I think the aging of this wine made it a bit more dry and mellow, but no signs of oxidation for foxing.   I will only mention one of the red wines of the day, but it was one that I had been chomping at the bit, to try, since I got it, and it was all through the friendship of Social Media, but it was not a gift.  I really wanted to try this wine with my Bride, as well as the Louisville clan, so I opened the bottle a couple of hours before we were going to have it, and yes it was worth the wait for the Chateau Anthonic Moulis-en-Medoc 2015.  Moulis-en-Medoc is a Commune that is next to Listrac and both of these are between Margaux and Saint Julien.  Chateau Anthonic is one of the oldest estates in Moulis and was first mentioned in 1850 and then it was known as Puy de Minjon and in 1932 it received the classification of “Cru Bourgeois Supereiur.”  The estate is about thirty hectares in size and encompasses two distinct types of soil, one is clay-limestone and the other is gravel.   The estate has had a few owners and name changes and eventually became Chateau Antonic, but then it was Anglicized to Anthonic to appeal to the British wine trade.  The estate grows Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and this particular wine is a blend of seventy-one percent Merlot, twenty-seven percent Cabernet Sauvignon and two percent Cabernet Franc.  Even with the hectic pace of the day, I am very happy to say that this wine delivered the classic experience of a well-made Claret to me, and that is high praise that I learned from my wine teachers back in the Sixties and Seventies.  A delicious wine that is affordable and one cannot ask for more than that.

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A Reason to Continue

Posted on August 10, 2019 by thewineraconteur

Sometimes there is really no reason to have a party, except for “because.”  Since everyone got together for a graduation party brunch, the entire afternoon and evening had a gaping hole in the calendar.  Not to mention that the entire family was together, and there was a reason to continue with the revelry.  I mean if you think about it, it really would have been a shame to let the festivities of the day drizzle away so early.  So almost in the vein of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland saying “let’s have a play” we ended up saying “let’s have a party.

One of my Bride’s sister took off with the idea, she had just had her whole house painted and she was having a party.  She also has an in-ground pool and a big hot tub, not to mention that she still had tables and chairs in the garage from an earlier graduation party.  I am always amazed at the amount of noshes appear even before the grills are fired up.  Cheese, fruits, nuts, vegetables and assorted humous dishes appear early on, and even though we were all sated from the brunch, I guess there is always room for munchies, especially when there in Euchre and other card games being played.  I am always entranced watching how people just end up filling in for someone else at the card table and the rounds never slow down, even with the musical chairs.

We had brought some wines to accompany the different phases of this ad-hoc party and so did some of the others.  We brought a bottle of the Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling 2017 to get a response to the sweet wine drinkers and this wine was still too dry, but we tried.  In their Twentieth year of production Black Star Farms on Old Mission Peninsula in Michigan, 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.  I don’t think we bought enough of this really pretty wine.  We then went to a bit crisper white wine and opened up some Chateau Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley 2016.  Chateau Ste. Michelle is the oldest and one of the most highly regarded wineries in Washington State.  They are best known for their Riesling.  It was originally founded as the American Wine Growers in 1954 with the merging of two companies that were formed after the repeal of the Prohibition Act in the 1930’s; the National Wine Company and the Pomerelle Wine Company.  In 1967 they introduced vinifera wines after working with Andre Tchelistcheff and they were released under the label of Ste. Michelle Vintners.  The Sauvignon Blanc was just an easy to drink wine that was produced using Stainless Steel to make the wine fruit forward and crisp.  

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Brunch at Mac & Rays

Posted on August 8, 2019 by thewineraconteur

Another Graduation Party is in the books and this one was at Mac & Rays.  The clan from Louisville came up to celebrate their twins graduating from High School, and they thought it was more beneficial for them to come up and have a party, rather than having the families all come down en masse.   My Sister-in-Law is my Bride’s Sister and that side of the family is huge and I sometimes have to think twice about who someone is and their actual relation.  My Brother-in-Law by marriage comes from a decent size family, but not of the magnitude of my Bride’s family.  I think it was a good call on their part, and there was a great turnout.  Mac & Rays is a bustling boating center, marina, condos, restaurants, bars and catering facility and halls in Harrison Township at MacRay Harbor on Anchor Bay.  I would have to say that this is probably one of the safest locations in Michigan if not in the country, because when you are driving to the facility, you drive along a high wire fence topped with barbed wire.  MacRay Harbor is along side one part of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and unless Canada declares war and invades Michigan, I would say this area is in great shape. 

Mac & Rays has a beautiful facility overlooking the marina and all of the boats moored there.  There were plenty of tables set up for all of the guests.  The arrangement was very conducive for having a brunch as there were plenty of options to choose from, and there was also an omelet station as well, to make everyone happy.  There was also a great sweet table arrangement set up, as I should know, because I couldn’t resist walking by and sampling the goods constantly and I am not even a pastry lover.  While my Bride was being the event photographer, a self-assumed position that she has volunteered for every occasion, there was also in competition with her, a photo booth; which seems to be all the rage for the last ten years at least, as it is a form of instant gratification, kind of like the old Polaroid cameras in my youth.  I really think that everyone was very happy with the entire party.

Not only were the people well fed, they were quite happy with the beverage counter, or should I say bar.  I mean Mac & Ray caters to the boating community and I may not know how that community is in other parts of the country, but in the Detroit area, it is a fun-loving crowd.  There was a full bar, but I may be slowing down but liquor and beer are both too heavy for me in the morning, but I am happy with Mimosas.  While some may denigrate Mimosas because the adulterate Orange Juice, I am very happy with them in the morning, even over a Bloody Mary.  The sparkling wine that was being used was Veuve du Vernay Brut NV.  Veuve du Vernay is a range of sparkling wines owned by Patriarche, a Beaune based company that is owned by the conglomerate Groupe Castel.  The wines are actually produced in Bordeaux.  They produce six different sparkling wines and all but one of the wines are produced using the Charmat Method.  The flagship wine of the group, the Brut is made with Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.  For the sake of this article, I tried some of the wine prior to the addition of the Orange Juice and it was an easy drinking bubbly with nothing to complain about; albeit that it is not at the top of the heap, but most people like to be festive without breaking the bank.  It was a delightful party. 

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