Rocky’s of Northville

Posted on June 6, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Leave it to me, an ardent fan of the Rat Pack, to not keep up with modern music, and is “Rap” considered music. We were going to try a recently opened restaurant the other night, but they were closed. Since we were out, my Bride suggested Rocky’s of Northville, a time honored place, off of the beaten path. The restaurant has that rustic charm from the outside of somewhere in Northern Michigan, and certainly not in a suburb of Detroit. When we were dating, we used to go there quite often, as it was near one of the satellite offices of the company that she worked for, when we met. It still has its charm and yes, the stuffed and mounted Kodiak bear is still front and center when one enters the establishment. In fact there were a couple of young girls posing in front of the bear, and their Mother informed me, that she has to take a picture of the three of them every time they have dinner there.

Luc Belaire Rare Rose NV

Our hostess led us to our table for dinner, actually a huge booth for the two of us, so we sat in the middle of the booth, like a couple of teenagers. We started off our dinner with a couple of bowls of hot and spicy Black Bean soup with some house made bread. My Bride had the Fruit de Mer, a big bowl of Sea Scallops, Atlantic salmon, Gulf Shrimp and Mussels on Fettuccini with a white wine, garlic and tomato sauce. I had the Roast Long Island Duckling with braised red cabbage, baked Spatzle and a Cranberry-Orange relish. Afterwards, even though we really didn’t have room, we shared a Trio of Desserts, which was Bread Pudding, a miniature hot fudge cream puff and a cup of Coconut Crème Brulee. I felt like we were waddling out after dinner.

MI Rockys of Northville BC

Most of you will probably be saying to yourself, “oh, he had duck, so that means he ordered Pinot Noir.” The truth be told that it was an unseasonably warm day, and when I looked at the wine carte, even before I looked at the menu, I saw a wine that caught my eye that sounded interesting. They had a sparkling rose wine and that just sounded refreshing from the heat of the day. I had not heard of the wine, or maybe I just did not pay that much attention, but we enjoyed a bottle of Luc Belaire Rare Rose Sparkling NV. When the bottle arrived, I looked at it, and there was no indication of where it was from, other then being a product of France, and then we got a chance to watch our waiter, who must have been new, trying to uncork a bottle of sparkling wine. It turns out that the wine is from the South of France, and is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. The wine was delightful on that summer evening. In case you were wondering why I would open my article discussing music of the Rat Pack, it turns out that Luc Belaire Rare Rose Sparkling wine is very trendy, as it is being endorsed by a rapper named Rick Ross. I guess it is a good business decision on their part, as I only remember Frank Sinatra shilling for Jack Daniels and Budweiser back in the day.

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Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Posted on June 4, 2016 by thewineraconteur

I guess that I have been lucky that I tried many wines, when I first started my self-studies. Since I was just talking about a Rhone style wine in California, I guess I should mention the real thing as well. As I look back, I really have not mentioned that many wines from Chateauneuf-du-Pape and I should have. Chateauneuf-du-Pape actually means “new castle of the Pope” and goes back to the Fourteenth Century during the time of Pope Clement V, the same Pope that is honored on the wine from Graves Chateau Pape Clement. Pope Clement chose Avignone as his new seat and the town has been historical ever since.

Ch de la Gardine 1971

Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines were listed originally as being from Avignone, in the 1920’s one of the Barons came up with the paper listing quality conditions about the area, and it actually became the precursor to the appellation system that is now in France, and copied around the world. The area is one of the most arid of the Rhone Valley and there are very stringent rules even about watering of the vines. They make both red and white Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines, but the red wine is the most famous and honored. There are about eighteen grape varietals that are allowed by law to be used, but the main three are: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.

Domaine de Nalys 1973

As I stated earlier, in my youth I wanted to learn about different wine styles and I attempted to buy wines from many different areas to see what I would like and for future selections. I have to say that three of them, which I looked up, are still being produced. The first was a generic regional wine by the negociant Barton & Guestier. Another wine that I tried was under the umbrella of Alexis Lichine & Co. and that was Domaine de Nalys 1973 and it was an estate bottled wine. The third bottle of wine was Chateau de la Gardine 1971 and it was also an estate bottled wine. Chateau de la Gardine is made in the classic tradition of equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre and they will probably continue this method as it works perfectly for them

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Flying Saucers Welcome

Posted on June 2, 2016 by thewineraconteur

I wish that I was more organized, but I am not. I found another box of wine labels that I had soaked off of the bottles and all of a sudden I remembered that I had been to a winery that I had forgotten about. On our first trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea we had made many day trips to assorted wineries. The problem, if one could call it a problem, is that the area is much more spread out and hence going from one winery to another was more of an adventure. I had a list of wineries that I had wanted to visit, and if per chance we encountered other wineries along some of the back roads that was considered a bonus.

Le Cigar Volant 2000

Bonny Doon Vineyard was one such winery that we visited by happenstance and not by design. I searched for notes from that trip and I could not find any for the winery and I know that we were quite far, from our dinner plans that evening, which would involve quite a cross country drive back. I looked at the web site for the winery, but the buildings were not bringing my recollections in focus. The more that I think about it, I feel that we may have stopped at either a winery that was featuring a fellow winemaker or perhaps a tasting room that featured a couple of wineries. Even your Raconteur can be stumped, and I say this, because the only wines that I bought from Bonny Doon Vineyard were Le Cigare Volant Red Wine 2000. I know it was the end of a long day of driving and tasting, but this wine really pleased me, because there were three bottles of the wine purchased.

Message

Bonny Doon Vineyard was founded in 1983 by Randall Grahm and he was one of the first to embrace Rhone varietals for this area. He even was featured on the cover of The Wine Spectator as “The Rhone Ranger,” which has become a charming nickname for those wineries that have gone down this path. I can understand why I enjoyed this wine so much, when I look back and see that it is the classic Rhone blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and just a dollop of Viognier. I think that I had in my haste of tasting and purchasing thought that the wine was being made for the trend that was popular at the time of cigar smoking, hence the name. In hind-sight I realized that I must have been rushed as I missed the charming little note explaining the name of the wine and Mr. Grahm’s wry sense of humor. The note said “In 1954 the village council of Chateauneuf-du-Pape was quite perturbed and apprehensive that flying saucers of “flying cigars” might do damage to their vineyards were they to land therein. So, right-thinking men all, they passed an ordinance prohibiting the landing of flying saucers or flying cigars in their vineyards. (This ordinance has worked well in discouraging such landings.) Further, any flying saucers or flying cigars that did land were to be taken immediately to the pound.” So by accident I had found some charming bottles of Rhone style wines from one of the far-sighted winemakers of his day.

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Another Fiftieth Anniversary

Posted on May 31, 2016 by thewineraconteur

I have had the good fortune to attend two Fiftieth Wedding Anniversaries and the funny thing is that both were celebrated at the exact same church, fifty years later. Fifty years is quite an accomplishment in today’s society and I was glad to be a part of both of these celebrations, and they were both part of my Bride’s family. The first was celebrated by her parents, and recently her first cousin had the same honor. There is just something awe inspiring about entering some of the grand cathedral type churches that are no longer being built, and this church was no exception. In fact it was such an awe inspiring structure that it was featured in a Clint Eastwood film that was shot in the Detroit area. When I was growing up, most of the churches that I had ever been in were of this style and grandeur and I still think of church in this manner, and remember the lessons of wearing one’s Sunday best clothing to attend church.

Sierra Mar Pelerin Chardonnay SLH 2012

After the mass, there was a special service for the two love-birds to renew their vows and it was a Kodak moment for all that attended the mass. I was impressed that the priest delivered his sermon while walking around the nave and not encumbered by having to read his lesson. Afterwards we all drove to a hall for the reception and since my Bride is part of such a large family, the invitation list was whittled down to only first cousins and spouses and there was still a crowd, which speaks volumes for the honored couple. They had a caterer who set up a buffet line with all delicious food, and trust me, I am very finicky and I usually do not eat at most wedding receptions that I attend. The beef, chicken and the stuffed pork were all well prepared and the service was very attentive. There was also a disc jockey that played music from their times, and plenty of people were eager to get up and dance for the rest of the evening. The happy couple also could still cut the rug as they did several polkas without appearing winded at all.

High Flyer Doctor's Pinot Noir 2010

The happy couple had called my Bride to find out what kind of wine they should buy, since they could bring all the beverages to the hall. When my Bride heard that, she insisted that we would bring our own wine from the cellar, and that we were honored to be part of the celebration. Since my Bride’s sister flew in for the weekend and stayed with us for the event, I grabbed a couple of bottles that I knew that the three of us could enjoy. I looked forward to trying a couple of bottles that had been in the cellar from my wine club “A Taste of Monterey” and both of the wines were from the Santa Lucia Highlands. The first bottle that we enjoyed was Pelerin Sierra Mar Vineyard Chardonnay 2012. I have had the good fortune to enjoyed several different bottles from this winery and have enjoyed them all. This was a small production of 333 cases and I must say that it was much more Continental in taste, as opposed to the big California Chardonnays that one usually has. The second bottle that I opened was from High Flyer Doctor’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010. There were 200 cases of this wine produced and the wine had spent twelve months in assorted oak barrels. One of the points of interest about the vines cultivated at Doctor’s Vineyard is that there are three distinct Pinot Noir clones that are grown there. While the wine was good, and I was looking forward to trying it, I did not find it to be as big and full flavored as some of the other Pinot Noir wines that I have had from the Santa Lucia Highlands. I must say it was just a wonderful evening and a grand time to see everyone at a festive occasion.

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Celani Family Wines

Posted on May 29, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Some days talking about wines makes everything fall in place. I met the new owners of the old Pier 500 in Wyandotte, Michigan the other day and naturally wine became a topic of discussion. When we were introduced I immediately recognized their name and realized that they had just opened up The Waterfront Restaurant & Lounge where the Pier 500 used to be. Back in the day I had been to the old place even before I could legally go there, oh the joys of being young and daring. When I got to The Waterfront, I could barely recognize it from the many times that I had been there, as they did a fine job of making it brand new and so appealing.

Celani Tenacious 2012

The reason for my stopping by at The Waterfront was because they were having a charity fund raiser and tied in with a wine tasting. The party was on the backside of the restaurant on the river side where all the wharfs and boat docking would be, and even that area looked so fresh and new. As I wandered around I noticed that even the rooftop on top of the restaurant was new and open for the guests to mingle and just look out onto the river. The party was all first class as they had a live band performing on one of the far wharfs and they even had hot food set up for buffet dining for everyone, just a great way to introduce some of the new dishes from the new restaurant, and even a bar was set up for those misguided souls that were not into wine.

Celani Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

The wine that was being offered for the charity tasting was from the Celani Family Wines of Napa Valley. I had heard of the winery, but had not had a chance to try some of the wines, as they have a direct tie-in to the Detroit area. Tom Celani first learned about wines helping his grandfather make wine at home, and he eventually working for his family in the beverage distribution business, they became one of the largest Miller Beer distributors in the United States. Eventually he started collecting wines and eventually bought an estate. Unfortunately for me, his two most famous wines “Ardore” and “Siglo” were not part of the tasting event, but the three wines that were offered were fine and were great to be enjoyed out on the water. I also got a chance to talk to the beverage manager of the restaurant as well as the representative handling the wines from Celani.

Celani LaPrima Sauvignon Blanc 2014

The first wine that I tried was Celani La Prima Sauvignon Blanc 2014 and it was a fine example of a California Sauvignon Blanc with a most pleasant color and a soft nose. The wine was aged in barrels for four months and was a nice pleasant wine to enjoy on a summer evening. The second wine that I tasted was Tenacious Napa Valley Red Wine Unfiltered 2012. This was a proprietary red wine and I presumed that it was a classic Claret blend, but the representative told me that it was a Pomerol blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc; he said more in the tradition of Le Pin and Petrus. I informed the representative that I had never had the good fortune of having either of those two wines, though I have enjoyed other wines from Pomerol, and he said that if he hadn’t been in the company of Tom Celani at some events, that he would never have had the chance either. Tenacious is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc and was aged in new French Oak barrels for twenty-two months with a production of 2,161 cases made. I tell you that this wine was divine and I kind of broke the rules and went back and had a second round of this wine before the evening was over. The last wine that I tasted for the evening was the Celani Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 which was also unfiltered. This wine spent twenty months in 90% new French Oak and had a production of 4,000 cases. It was very impressive with the color and nose; and it was the hit of the evening from most of the people that I discussed the wine with, but it may have been because everyone knows Cabernet Sauvignon. I will say that for my money the Tenacious was the break-out wine of the evening and I would enjoy it again and I am sure that it will even be more wonderful after five or ten years of additional cellar time. The evening was so enjoyable and the restaurant so inviting that I am sure that I will be there for an evening of dining with my Bride soon enough and it was a shame that she could not attend the party that evening.

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Volunteering

Posted on May 27, 2016 by thewineraconteur

I am seeing more and more wineries stepping up to the plate to volunteer some of their proceeds for charitable acts and I applaud that. It makes me think of the volunteer that I live with, namely my Bride who despite that entire professional vocation she has going on still finds time to volunteer her time and effort. Through her church and assorted organizations, she is a mentor for children looking to better their condition, she visits shut-ins with and helps with counseling in a proscribed method. She lectors and is also an Eucharistic Minister, and just recently she has become part of her parish council; and at times I get worn out just keeping track of all that she does.

10 Span Pinot Noir 2014

What made me think about this is, she was attending a birthday celebration for one of the priests at her church, and no surprise she was also working the party as well. This article could almost have been “guest” written by her, as she relayed all the information of the party. She had also tasted the wines and of course brought one of the empty bottles home to tell me about the wines, even though her priest had suggested that she take a full bottle home for me to try, as I had a prior commitment that evening.

Ventana Wildlife Society

The wines that she was telling me about that she had tasted were a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir; knowing that I tend to drink both of those type wines often. The wines were produced by 10 Span Vineyards of Livermore, California, and both of the wines were from their 2014 vintage. 10 Span Vineyards offers two collections, one is the Conservancy collection featuring a Chardonnay, a Pinot Gris and a Pinot Noir; while the other collection was their Central Coast Collection that she had that evening, and they offer a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir. The fruits that are harvested for the wines come from both the Santa Barbara County and the Monterey County, hence the Central Coast designation. The winemaker John Clark worked prior at Corbett Canyon and at Concannon, as well as a boutique winery that he co-founded with his wife called Brophy-Clark. My Bride enjoyed the wines and 10 Span Vineyards offers a portion of the proceeds to the Ventana Wildlife Society, it their effort to reintroduce the California condor into the wild. I am sure that her volunteering kept her from even realizing that the wine that she was enjoying from that evening also volunteers.

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MWWC#25: Travel

Posted on May 25, 2016 by thewineraconteur

“Wherever we go what ever we do.
We’re gonna go through it together.
We may not go far, but sure as a star
Wherever we are its together.”

A little classic traveling lyrics to herald in the next installment of the Monthly Wine Writing Challenge and we are now up to the twenty-fifth challenge. The last winner of the Challenge was Loie of Cheap Wine Curious and her dubious honor was to select the next theme and it is “travel.” One of the most enjoyable parts of the Challenges is that it tends to get us out of our usual writing styles and to make us try our hand at something different. Of course raconteurs are always up to the challenge of being long-winded and rambling.

wine-stain Monthly Wine Challenge

My Bride and I are basically parochial in our travels, and that is really my fault, as she has been to the continent and I have not, and I am sure that will change. We do our fair share of traveling and of course drinking wine, and I could have gone on and on about some of the great restaurants and wines that we have enjoyed over the years from destinations like Manhattan, New Orleans, Chicago, Las Vegas and other communities know for having great cuisine. Thankfully I am not over three hundred pounds and suffering from gout.

Maui Blanc

While we may not have visited any of the great wineries on the continent, we have visited some states and had the chance to visit some wineries, even sometimes where one does not anticipate finding wineries. On another Challenge I even wrote about my concerns about returning with a cache of wines that were stored overhead in the bin, way back when one could transport wine as a carry-on. As I look back, I realize that we have missed chances to visit wineries from states that are not traditionally thought of as wine producing states; and we shall have to make a more concerted effort to change that in future travels. I think that one of the most unique places where we did visit that had a winery was on the island of Maui in Hawaii. We drove up the mountain to visit this location and to see Tedeschi Vineyards and to try their sparkling wine,  their red and of course their pineapple wine. I have also realized that there are some stories that I have neglected to discuss about that trip, but that is for another time.

WyandotteVintage Harbor

I will omit writing about local traveling in the state of Michigan, but we have enjoyed many wines and wineries in the state and there are plenty more to visit and discover. Then we have visited some wineries in the various exotic wine producing state of Ohio and have even tempted fate, since Michigan license plates are not welcome signs for some sport’s fanatics and the assorted law enforcement agencies in the state. We did get the chance to visit Rockside Vineyards and Wyandotte Winery while on a trip. We also got the chance to enjoy some wines at some great restaurants that I would recommend for the wine traveler such as “M,” Mancy’s and The Refectory.

Trius Showcase Red Shale Cabernet Franc 2012

Since I am being really parochial and discussing travel close to home, we have enjoyed many wineries from the Province of Ontario in Canada. A country that is not thought of in general for wine production, but they are really worth the effort to visit, and I am amazed at how they are growing exponentially as I go back to the homeland of my Father. Some of the wineries that I would tout and it is a short list of the many that we have visited are: Jackson-Trigg, Trius Winery, Hillebrand Winery, Reif Estate Winery and Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery. Then there is an abundance of fine restaurants that cater to the wine lovers and not just around the wine production areas of the province. If one is looking for quality wine and cuisine, one could visit Escabeche, Benmiller Inn, Church Restaurant & Belfry, Trius and Barbarian’s Steak and Lobster House. Ontario is well worth traveling to for some serious wine tasting.

Cain Five 1997

Of course no article about wine traveling would be complete with out mentioning California. We spent one week in Napa Valley and we could hardly even attempt to try all of the famed wineries that are so closely found together in easy distance from each other. We stayed in a home up on the mountain overlooking the entire valley and we ventured into some of the famous and not so famous locations, and a wide variety of wine making and varietals. It was truly an eye opening experience. Some of the wineries that we had a chance to visit were: Niebaum-Coppola, Hess Family Estates, St. Supery, Mumm Napa Valley, Duckhorn Vineyards, Opus One, Cain Vineyard and Winery and Prager Winery and Port Works. All unique, some grand and some very low key. The restaurants that one could also wine and dine there can also be legendary and some were just fun. I mean the chance to try Thomas Keller twice in one week at The French Laundry and then at Bouchon. There was also a picnic lunch at Sattui, dinner aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train and Chanterelle were all memorable. I am sure that if we stayed a month there, we would still not see and discover all of the wineries.

Talbott Chardonnay Diamond T Estate 2000

While Napa Valley gets most of the attention when one thinks of wine in California, another area that we have traveled to several times is the Monterey District and of course, we enjoy staying at Carmel-by-the-Sea. This wine producing area is much more spread out and only allowed wine tastings at a couple of wineries on each day, because of the driving from destination to destination. Some of the wineries that we have visited and some more than once were: Heller Estates, Robert Talbott Winery, Bernardus Winery, Bargetto Winery and Chateau Julien. One would not have to worry about starving in this area of California as there were many restaurants with some great wines that we have tried over the years as well such as: Pacific’s Edge, Casanova, Marinus, Ventana Inn and The Sardine Factory. So many places to try both for wine and for food, just make sure that you have a good car with an ample trunk.

JAT JATT at JT

Even though my Bride and I have not traveled the world in search of wineries, though we have vicariously through the years from enjoying wines from around the globe, we have enjoyed our travels and our meals. We also plan on continuing our pursuits and to discover other wineries and of course other restaurants.

“Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away.
If you can use some exotic booze,
There’s a bar in far Bombay.
Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away.”

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Union Street

Posted on May 23, 2016 by thewineraconteur

The good news about Detroit is how it is becoming more of a trendy city with all of the new restaurants, taverns and bars. When I was going to high school in Downtown Detroit there was considered more of a “no-man’s” district between the downtown and the campus of the college a few miles up. This slowly has changed for the better and one sees vast improvements from my youth. It just keeps getting better and better, and one of the reasons this has come to mind, is that I found another box of assorted matchbooks and they are a great stimulus for my memory and it also reminds me that I have to try going back to some of the pioneers of the changing of this “no-man’s” district.

Sterling Chardonnay 2002

Union Street is the name of a restaurant that was in the center of this district and was one of the safe havens in the area. The restaurant had been an assortment of different destinations over the years and was probably built around the turn of the last century. At one time it was an Italian Social Club and is now what is called Art Deco in its appearance and is known for its fancy long bar. I remember having some classic “bar food” at the time, because you know that when matchbooks were still passed out and smoking was allowed is some time back. From all indications and discussions I find that I need to go back and try their food again as it is now competing with plenty of new taverns that have opened up in the area.

MI Union Street MB

The wine carte at the Union Street is now much improved from back in the day, and I understand that the beer selection has also improved and that is what I call progress. When I am at a location where the selection is limited, I will look for more popular brands of wine in hopes of faster turn-over of the inventory, which I understand is not as much of a problem as it was then. I had selected Sterling Vintner’s Collection Chardonnay 2002 from the Central Coast region of California. In actuality this wine has become one of my go-to wines often, depending on the selections offered and we even try to keep some of their wine at the house for every day use. So don’t be surprised if one sees another article about this restaurant in a future article as an update to the changing appearance and attitude of the new Detroit.

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A Friend is coming to Visit

Posted on May 21, 2016 by thewineraconteur

A dear friend of ours will be in town soon and asked if we could put her up for a couple of days. In my usual hospitable way I told her that we do not take credit cards, but we also slide the bill under the door on her last day. Of course my Bride does not find that funny at all, but thankfully our friend does. As a hotel, we do not offer many amenities, but the wine is wonderful and so are the home cooked meals, but we normally eat out when she is here. I met her the same evening as I met my Bride, as they were great friends even before me. In fact, she was the one that got me started on Marilyn Merlot wines and she bought the bottle strictly for the label, but the wines have always been enjoyable.

Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

For years she would like to meet at The Capital Grille, a fine steak house, but also because it is located in the finest Mecca of shopping in the Greater Detroit Area. So the wallet gets damaged twice in one day, but that is fine, as my Bride does not get too extravagant. My only complaint about The Capital Grille is that I find it loud, but I surmise that it is in a shopping mall. I have never been to any of their other locations, basically because we have one at home, and when we are away, I like to try local places, which is getting harder and harder to find; everyone is a chain operation anymore. Putting that aside, the Dry Aged Steaks there are wonderful, and for a non-salad eater, I really enjoy their Hearts of Palm salad. One could feed a small village with the size of their sides, so sharing is the way to go.

MI The Capital Grille MB

One time we had a charming bottle of wine from Chile that we shared; the Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 from the Concha y Toro group. Concha y Toro is one of the oldest wineries in Chile from the 1800’s and they are situated in Maipo Valley which is called by some as the “Bordeaux of South America.” One of the first districts to be recognized in the Maipo Valley for their distinctive terroir is Alto Maipo and within this area is the Puente Alto where some of the most expensive and finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines in Chile come from. Everything about this wine is done properly, including eighteen months of aging in French Oak barrels. So I am looking forward to another visit by our friend and see what we may discover.

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A Student Memory

Posted on May 19, 2016 by thewineraconteur

Back when I was in college, I had a friend that attended another school, namely Michigan State University up in Lansing. Over the years the State of Michigan has witnessed plenty of school rivalries both within the state and beyond. The rivalries had no bearing on me, as my school was out of that realm. Any ways, my friend was enrolled in Hotel Management and he invited up for a conference that was being arranged by the students and that it would be catered and have drinks flowing. Not a bad invitation.

Bord 1

Michigan State University began as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan in 1855 and became the first Land-Grant Institution under the Morrill Act of 1862. The school slowly but surely grew in dominance, and one of the applied studies was Hospitality Services. Actually they were one of the pioneers in the study of Hospitality Business. One of the dormitories was actually converted into a hotel with a conference center and the students learned how to manage the different aspects of that industry. The Kellogg Center became a laboratory in Hotel Management under the blessings of the Michigan Hotel Association. The hotel is now a Four-Star Hotel in most listings and I believe still benefits the students as well as being an entity to itself.

MI MSU MB

I can’t remember what exactly the conference was for, since I entered it from the back door and met some of the students and enjoyed the benefits of their labors. I know that I was not the only person there that came in through the back door. There was plenty of food, as it was showcasing what the hotel, and of course the students could offer. I remember enjoying one bottle of wine very much, and somehow, I ended up acquiring one of the bottles to go; it was simpler times back then and so much fun. The bottle was Chateau Lafitte Gaujac 1971 and it carried the basic Appellation Bordeaux Controlee. I am sure that it was just the classic Medoc blend that is still in vogue to this day, and one has to realize that during that time, any French wine was considered the proper wine to serve. It was still prior to 1976 and California was known about, just like they knew that there were wineries in Michigan, but for most people they were not what wine was all about. I have to say that I never had an invite or an experience like that when visiting friends at that other school in Ann Arbor.

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