Three Wines from Santa Lucia Highlands

Posted on March 9, 2014 by thewineraconteur

I just received another shipment from my wine club “A Taste of Monterey.”  This shipment from the “Private Reserve Club” had three bottles of wine all from the Santa Lucia Highlands which is an AVA in the Monterey area.  This is a great club to belong to, especially the membership that we have, as they send us the best featured wines, and wines that I would probably not see here because of the limited production and the vagaries of the wine industry.  The brochure that was packed with the wines had an article about terroir, which seems to be a popular topic these days.  There was also a recipe for Dungeness Crab Cakes, which always make me smile when a restaurant has them on their menu.

 Pelerin Pelio Pinot Noir 2009

The first wine is Pelerin Pelio Pinot Noir 2009.  I have had a Pelerin Chardonnay that I have written about in the past, so I am looking forward to trying this wine as well.  The grapes are from the Pelio Vineyard and they only produced 122 cases of this wine.  That is what I mean about not seeing this wine available where I live, and I get a chance to try it.  I have found that the Monterey area is a fine producer of not only Chardonnay, but of Pinot Noir as well.  The notes on this wine suggest short to medium term cellaring to bring out all the best of the wine.  I hope I can be strong and hold out on this wine.

 Cima Collina Tondre Chardonnay 2012

The second bottle of wine is Cima Collina Tondre Chardonnay 2012.  This is a new winery to me, though I have had wine from other wineries that avail themselves of the harvest from the Tondre Grapefield.  I was surprised to read that they suggest an aging potential of 5-7 years for this wine, and there was 191 cases produced.  What I find interesting is that all of the wine that I have had from the Tondre Reserve has been Pinot Noir, so it is just the opposite of what I have had from the Pelerin Winery.

 Travieso Amaranta Syrah 2008

The third bottle in the shipment is Travieso Amaranta Syrah 2008.  This is also a new winery for me, but I have had one other bottle of Syrah from the Santa Lucia Highlands, but normally I have found this varietal as part of a blend in other wines from the area.  According to the notes, all the attention was in the initial growing of the plants and that there was minimal of “UC-Davisized” techniques at the final end of production.  There were 300 cases of this wine produced and the aging potential is for 6-10 years.

If you have a desire to check out the wines offered by this club go to www.tastemonterey.com.  If you do join, you may mention my name John, as that is how the wines arrive to me, as they do not know me as The Wine Raconteur.  I do believe that you will find the club to be as good as I have written about in several prior articles.

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El Barzon and The Detroit Institute of Arts

Posted on March 7, 2014 by thewineraconteur

Detroit has a world class museum known as the Detroit Institute of Arts, and I am well aware of it.  There were times when I used to skip school (did I just say that?) to spend the day there.  It unfortunately is in the midst of a possible earthshaking decision in the courts due to the financial ineptitude of the past regimes of the City of Detroit, and I do hope that the museum survives in its whole, but that is not a discussion for this topic.  If you are a regular reader, you are aware that I have a great friend that has been given the sobriquet of “the caller” by another Blogger and I do like that name for him.  He and his wife were planning a day trip to the DIA and they called our house to see if we could meet them for dinner afterwards.  They were not planning on spending the day all dressed up and were asking for a venue that would accommodate their casual attire, but had fine food and wine.  I had a prior commitment for the day, but my Bride arranged to have them pick her up and go with them for the day trip and then I would meet them later for dinner, over dressed for the occasion, as is my norm.

 Corte alla Flora Riserva VNDM 2008

I pondered several locations that would be suitable and then decided on El Barzon which is just North of my old neighborhood in Detroit, but some of the locals have ceded that area to be part of it as well.  El Barzon is a unique restaurant that has won over many diners of the tri-county area of Michigan for their culinary arts.  The owner/chef is from Mexico, but he used to be one of the chefs at a fine Italian restaurant called Il Posto, which is no longer in business.  He decided to open up his own restaurant a little off the beaten path, but it was not long for diners to find him, and they have continued to go there.  In fact, we had to laugh, because on Monday my Bride found out that her boss had dinner reservations for the restaurant that same night, but after we had already left.  The restaurant serves both Mexican and Italian cuisine, showcasing the culinary ability of the chef and the two types of food that he favors and excels in.  In fact “the caller’s” eyes lit up when he saw that they served a couple of entrée dishes that had Mole Sauce, a spicy sauce that utilizes Mexican Chocolate.  He is a big fan of it, and asked if he could sample some of the sauce ahead of time to decide on his selection.  The sauce was brought out, and we were informed that it is made from scratch at the restaurant and requires two days of preparation just for the sauce.  I had already had enjoyed their sauce in a prior trip, so I knew that he would appreciate it.

We started off the evening with cocktails.  “The caller” had some of the house Sangria, while I had a classic Margarita, while our two Brides had a Cucumber and Cilantro Margarita, which had a very unique and dry flavor to it.  We also had plates of the homemade chips and salsa, while we were pondering the menu and the wine list.  We decided to order a couple of different appetizers, one being battered and fried soft shell crabs and the other being Fristo Misto (battered and fried shrimp and calamari).  We all shared the dishes and marveled at how delicate the calamari and the crab were.  “The caller” and my Bride ordered the Enchiladas de Mole Poblano, while his Bride ordered Cavatelli alla Bosciala (an Italian dish of Cavatelli pasta with a cream sauce and Porcini mushrooms) while I also enjoyed an Italian dish of Scaloppine al Barola e Porcini (Veal Scaloppine in a Barolo sauce with Porcini mushrooms).  We all sampled each other’s plates and had a wonderful dinner.  We finished off with some coffee and watched a slide show presented on an I-pad of the desserts for the day.  We ordered a plate of Limoncello Cake and a Chocolate Mousse cake, which we all shared.

 MI El Barzon BC2

El Barzon has a very well thought out wine list to accommodate the varied dishes that they offer.  After studying the list I decided to order an Italian wine, though some of the Spanish wines were also sounded that they would work.  We enjoyed Corte alla Flora Riserva 2008 which is a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from the Tuscan region.  This is one of the wines that gets people confused, because there is a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo which sounds similar from the village that is made from the Montepulciano varietal, where as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made from the classic Italian varietal Sangiovese, and this wine also had some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blended in (ten percent each of the last two).  We had a wonderful dinner and it was a shame when it ended, but all good things have a conclusion and we look forward to our next dinner date with our good friends.

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Two Different Cabs

Posted on March 5, 2014 by thewineraconteur

After enjoying the impromptu wine tasting, I discovered that my friend had bought some wines for his shop to share with his customers.  Not only did he buy a group of all of the wines that we had tasted, but he also bought two more Cabernet Sauvignon wines that were not part of the original tasting.  These were two more wines from the Don Sebestiani & Sons group of wines, and I wish to state that other then tasting and discussing these wines, I have not gained any financial interest or even any free wines from this distributor, so all of my discussions are the same as if I had encountered these wines in a different venue.  I am still a Blogger with no advertising revenue or complimentary wines coming my way.

 Aquinas Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

The first wine that I tasted as I was pouring some for customers of my friend’s shop is Aquinas Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 from Napa Valley, California.  I was surprised at the name as I immediately thought of St. Thomas Aquinas and his studies.  This is the very inspiration for this wine.  The idea of combining the idea of taking something fine and making it available for the masses is the idea.  What they are attempting is making a more affordable Cab wine from Napa, that is one with out a hefty price tag and I do think this is a noble concept.  I found this wine to be enjoyable, not stellar, but very drinkable without being in the “heady” group of Cabs that I can think of when I can discuss these wines from the valley.

 Pepperwoodgrove Cabernet Sauvignon NV

The other wine is an import from the Valle Central of Chile, where a lot of delightful and very affordable wine is coming from these days.  I was pouring some of this wine to some customers that like wine, but tend to ‘quaff” as I like to term it.  I was pouring them some Pepperwoodgrove Cabernet Sauvignon NV.  The wine is a Cab that also blended with 15% Merlot that is fruit forward and made for immediate consumption and with this in mind, they have achieved the goal.  The wine has won 17 “Best Buy” designations from Wine Enthusiast and 21 “Best Value” from Wine Spectator.   It was a fun wine and some wines should be just that, with just being good value.  I remember that it was the first wine I had encountered that had a plastic self peeling wine foil that coiled off the bottle once you started the procedure and it was sealed with a “zork,” a plastic cap with a small cork on the bottom of the cap, similar to some bottles of fortified wines that I have opened in the past.  It is funny that I would be so impressed with this simple but fun way to open a bottle with out the aid of a cork screw and that it also was not a screw cap closure.  I also understand that this wine is sold in bulk boxes of wine as well, so they should become a popular wine and a good introduction to new wine drinkers as well.   Two different Cabs with two distinct tastes and philosophies from the same parent company and it was fun to try them side by side with different people.

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More Wines from Don Sebastiani and Sons

Posted on March 3, 2014 by thewineraconteur

As surprised as I was to be part of an impromptu wine tasting event, it was even more fun to do it.  Our guest of honor, the young man that I had helped with a simple bit of customer relations was returning the gesture in spades.  What a delight for my friend that I was helping, some of his customers and myself as well.  The wine representative was well versed in his products and it was a pleasure to listen to his abridged sales pitch, that I am sure he uses whenever he gets a chance to show his products.  I mentioned four of the wines in my first essay, and now I will mention the other four that he brought in for us to taste and to discuss.

 Sebastiani & Sons 2

There were two wines from a group of the Sebastiani umbrella called “BSide” and if you are old like me, the B Side was the flip side of a 45 record from the Fifties and the Sixties of a song that may become a hit from being with the A side hit song.  The “flip” side of this group of wines is from some of the unheralded areas of Napa Valley where the grapes for these wines are made from.  After all not every plot in Napa is famous and has it owns winery.  The first wine was BSide Red Wine Blend Napa Valley 2010.  This wine is made from grapes harvested from seven different sub-appellations of the valley, and is a Bordeaux style blend, without the Meritage designation of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.  I always enjoy trying these blends as Bordeaux wines were some of the original wines that I learned to love back in the day.  The other wine from this group was BSide Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, which is a wine that is harvested in part from grapes in the Rutherford district and blended with just a touch of Malbec and Petit Verdot, hence it can be labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wine displayed some nuances that just a straight Cab may not have offered.

The third wine of this grouping was from “The Crusher” series and was The Crusher Red Wine Blend Sugar Beet Ranch 2011 from Clarksburg, California.  This was an interesting blend, not a classic Bordeaux style but a wine all its own of Tempranillo, Petite Sirah and Pinot Noir.  I could see this wine paired with an assortment of dishes and even some spicier dishes.

The last bottle of this group brings me back to Paso Robles, California and an area that I am getting more enjoyment from.  This wine was Project Paso Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, and this wine was tempered with seven percent Merlot.  I have to admit that I think of this area more for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, but I enjoyed this wine, though it was a lighter Cab and there are times when this would be good.  All in all it was a great way to end an afternoon and the chance to taste some wines all at one time and all overseen by one wine maker.

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Pay It Forward, As They Say

Posted on March 1, 2014 by thewineraconteur

Not too long ago I was helping a friend, and a man came in, and I asked if I could help him.  He had what I perceived to be a small problem, and I went and had the problem corrected as quickly as possible.  While the problem was being dealt with, I started to chat with him as is my nature, and most people can attest to that.  One thing led to another and I found out the gentleman was a wine representative for the Don Sebestiani & Sons.  When his problem had been corrected, I was happy to have him go on his way, and I had told my friend that I was not going to charge him and perhaps he would come back again as a customer.  My friend agreed, so all was good.

 Sebastiani & Sons 1

A few hours later, the young man returned with a rolling piece of luggage and it held eight bottles of wine, some samples of what he sold.  We had an impromptu wine tasting and there were other customers as well.  It was a grand old time.  I will mention four of the wines, and then follow up with the other four in the next article.

The first two wines were a set of wines from Clarksburg, California called “The Crusher” and there is a strong affinity between the Sebastiani family and the Wilson Vineyard in Clarksburg.  Since the Sebastiani family has been in business for four generations, I am sure that they have strong old strong ties with certain growers over the years.  We tried The Crusher Chardonnay Wilson Vineyard 2011 and The Crusher Petite Sirah 2011.  I enjoyed the Chardonnay better, as I found that the Petite Sirah was very fruit forward, which is not my favorite in wines, but it may be better if it has some time to mellow out.

The third wine was Don & Sons Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2011.  The Sonoma Coast is an area that I have just recently started to notice and try some wines of this designation.  I enjoy the Pinot Noir varietal, and I thought that this wine was a little light, but then since I had only tasted it without the pleasure of food to pair it with I will have to have another attempt with it, and to let the wine open up properly.

The fourth wine I will mention today is Project Paso Lonely Oak Red 2011 from Paso Robles, California.  This was also a new wine for me, but I have been to Paso Robles during trips when we stayed in Carmel and I have an affinity for this designation as I have not had a bad wine from there yet.  This particular proprietary red wine is a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Malbec and Tempranillo and I really enjoyed this wine, and I am not a big fan of Zinfandel, but tempered as it was with the other wines it was a most pleasant drink.  I could see it pairing with pizza, steaks and other red meats in a simple preparation.

It was a wonderful way to end the day, and it was all because I did someone a favor.  The young man, who is very passionate about the wines he was offering, has become a customer of my friend and I hope that they have a long history between the two of them.  It is great how in a simple conversation, you can find out about how wine can be a great catalyst and moment in serendipity.

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Are Wine Drinkers Eccentric?

Posted on February 27, 2014 by thewineraconteur

Are wine drinkers eccentric, this has been a questioned that has bandied towards me on occasion by others curious about our ilk; I do not think of myself as eccentric, only because this word denotes wealth and I am certainly not wealthy by any stretch of the imagine.  I cannot speak for all of the other wine drinkers or the other wine Bloggers, but I can say that I have quirks.   I do think that I have tried to cultivate some appreciation for a diverse group of interests.

Chateau Cheval Blanc 1986

I enjoy clothes and dressing up, and in today’s society that is looked at rather askance.  I have always felt that it is better to be over dressed, rather then under dressed for an event.  I was raised that one should wear a suit to church, and that one should wear a black suit to a funeral, because it shows respect for the institutions.  Now I may carry it to extremes, because I learned how to dress from my Father and other male members of my family, and by osmosis I guess from the Rat Pack, that was so emulated as the doyens of good taste in the Fifties and the Sixties.  When I am dressed I always wear French cuffed shirts and I have a fine collection of cuff links, because of this.  I have a pair that is a cork screw with a cork, and my children have on different occasions bought me other sets that represent some of my other interests and hobbies.  Then there is the thing that I have about hats, which I always wear and I must admit that I have a shoe collection that is also extreme, actually I tend to be extreme about most items that I favor, my to my Bride’s chagrin at times.  The house also has a nice collection of art that we have collected, as well as a fine library.  There is nothing as fine as picking up a nice hard bound book with a raised spine and fine end papers to enhance the read, not to mention that I have a large dictionary on a stand in the library that I still go and consult, rather then using the internet all of the time.

 Cuff Links

Maybe wine drinkers have a peculiar gene that causes us to collect and to do research.  We enjoy reading about wines, the varietals and the different geographical areas and how they affect the wines.  We also tend to collect and amass wines.  We start small, but then somehow it kind of blossoms to the point that we do have a collection stored.  We take pride in the fact, that certain wines that we have purchased require cellaring time for additional aging and somehow we start recognizing that and we allow it to happen, because we taste some wines in restaurants and realize that the wine is too young and feisty and we start thinking “what would it taste like in five or ten years?”  I think also that wine drinkers are more eclectic in their drink preferences.   Think of all of the different wines we try, always looking for something new and interesting; rather than always having that same cocktail or that single malt Scotch.  We even tend to go against trends like how I wrote about the mystery of why Merlot has lost favor, but I promise you that I will not be seen like Miles opening up a bottle of Chateau Cheval Blanc from my cellar and drink it from a Styrofoam cup.

JAT at St Clair Inn DPS 1993

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Another Outing to The Courthouse Grille

Posted on February 25, 2014 by thewineraconteur

My dinner club had another meeting the other night and we found ourselves venturing to a venue for the third time, The Courthouse Grille in Plymouth, Michigan.  I have given a short history of the changes that I recall on this location from when it was originally The Hillside, and then it became Ernesto’s/Ernie’s.  Our hosts for the evening try to mix it up a bit, and we found ourselves in yet another private room compared to past meetings.  The room would have given us a beautiful vista, but that night all we saw was more snow piled high and deep, so all of the attention was on our meeting and it was a fine meeting at that.

 Concannon Conservancy CS 2011

Normally for our meetings, our designated hosts give us an option of three different entrees, but this evening we were given eight different choices, so it felt like we were in a restaurant as opposed to a private room.  There was a nice mix of dishes; Baby Back Ribs, Veal Marsala, Shrimp Scampi, Salmon, Perch, Chicken Piccata, Lasagna and a New York Strip steak.  The dinner also included a salad and a Sundae afterwards.  The service for the evening by our two waiters was smooth without any problems, which for a group of thirty plus men is very commendable.

 MI The Courthouse Grille Menu 2014

There is always an open bar as part of the dinner, and The Courthouse Grille offers a very fine wine list and a very impressive collection of assorted wines by the glass as well.  Since I was not one of the hosts, I chose a glass of wine during the cocktail hour that precedes our actual meeting, and the wine was so good, that I continued with it during my meal as I was having Veal Marsala.  Most people would have selected a more earthy Italian wine to pair with the entrée, but there was a wine that I wanted to try, namely a Cabernet Sauvignon.  My choice was Concannon Conservancy Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 from the AVA Livermore Valley.  The Concannon family has been tending these vineyards for about 125 years and the Livermore Valley is part of a larger area known as the Central Valley which is east of the San Francisco Bay.  The “Conservancy” part of the label is that the acres of vineyards are in a Conservation Trust to maintain the land from the encroachment of the urban environment.  I have heard people say that the Central Valley can compete with Napa Valley, and while I may not go that far, I was very happy with the selection, as I said earlier that I did order a second glass for dinner.  I thought the wine was a little too young to be served, but that is a way of life in most restaurants, so there was a bit more fruit, that may have mellowed out with a little storage time.  I do look forward to the next meeting that we will have at this location as the quality of the food and the wines are very good, not to mention that it is a short drive home for me, which can be a blessing especially in the Winter.

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Terry’s of Charlevoix

Posted on February 23, 2014 by thewineraconteur

One of the great charms of living in Michigan is the ability of visiting some of the great resort areas in the state.  In the Northern part of the Lower Peninsula is the wonderful city of Charlevoix.  It is a great area for walking around looking at the boats and yachts, shopping and dining.  We have been there many times, sometimes I have been there as a spouse accompanying my Bride on a trip for business and other times we just go there for fun.  I have to admit that either way it is always a grand time.

 Chateau Chantal Gewurztramine 2003

One of the times that we were there we were with a number of couples and we were going out to dine.  There are many locations in the city as well as the surrounding area.  We were touted to go to Terry’s which is adjacent to the more casual Villager Pub, but as I understand owned by the same person.  We decided to go to Terry’s, not because we wanted to spend more money for dinner, but we were informed that it was an experience in finer dining.  The group we were with all agreed that sounded more enjoyable for the evening.  To start things off properly my Bride and I shared an order of Escargot in a classic presentation.  This was followed by a house salad, and as some of you may know, I do not get overly excited about a salad course.  My Bride had one of her favorite dishes Whitefish Almandine, and I ordered “Long Island Duckling with Cherry Sauce” which is not that surprising as I tend to order a duck dish whenever I can.  The sauce was a little out of my realm as I am not a big fan of sweet with an entrée, but it was not cloying and since that part of the state is just as famous for their cherry harvest as for their wine harvests.  Of course after dinner, I did share a wonderful sweet dessert, is there any other type to enjoy, of a well made Chocolate Soufflé.

 MI Terry's BC

We ended up ordering a white wine for dinner, even though I am more prone to order a Pinot Noir selection with duck; several of the others were ordering fish or seafood and I thought that I would try to introduce them to a white wine that they had not tried.  The restaurant had several Michigan wines being offered and some were from one of the wineries in the Traverse City area that we always try to visit, not only for the wines, but it is so picturesque as well.  I had ordered a bottle of Chateau Chantal “semi-dry” Gewurztraminer 2003.   The Gewurztraminer varietal I have found does very well in Michigan and I just love the natural spiciness of the wine.  I find it to be very pleasant with a variety of foods, and it paired very well with my duck and it was an easy choice for the whitefish as well.  In fact, the table ended up going through a couple more bottles of this wine, as the other diners enjoyed the spiciness of the wine with their individual plates for dinner as well.  After dinner, we all took a leisurely stroll out on the boardwalk nearby to watch the boats and get some exercise after a most pleasant dinner.

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Trattoria Andiamo in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan

Posted on February 21, 2014 by thewineraconteur

Trattoria Andiamo is one of the more casual dining spots of this noted Detroit area chain of Italian restaurants.  The original location gets the most attention, and recently they did an experiment and tried some of the locations as an Italian steak house, but they are now being converted back to the original concept.  The entire chain offers good Italian cuisine without being fussy and offers a large meal for the price.  One does not leave hungry from any of the locations, at least we haven’t in all of our travels. 

 Torre Di Luna Merlot 1993

Trattoria Andiamo is located on the East side of the Detroit area, near where my Bride is from, and we have stopped there on many occasions.  A typical dinner there would start with an appetizer of Sausage and Peppers followed by an Antipasto Salad.  I tend to order a veal dish, as this is a meat that we have never tried preparing at the house, so I consider any veal dish as a treat.  My Bride will order something like Chicken Spiedini or a pasta dinner like Lasagna.  There is never any surprises,  when we go there, just good food and good service and what more can you ask for?

 MI Trattoria Andiamo MB

One of the wines that we have enjoyed over the years at the Trattoria, as we try to mix it up and not repeat a wine if possible, was Torre Di Luna Merlot 1993.  This wine comes from the Trentino area which is the Southern half of the Trentino-Alto Adige wine district in Northern Italy.  As I noted this particular bottle was a Merlot, while the traditional Trentino Rosso is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  With Italian wines, it is sometimes necessary to know the geography of the country, plus the main varietals of a district, but this particular wine was very easy and listed plainly on the label; I am sure that it was done with the American wine market in mind. 

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Garage Grill & Fuel Bar in Northville, Michigan

Posted on February 19, 2014 by thewineraconteur

Holidays and special event days, can create havoc on restaurants.  There have been times when the regular menu has been usurped and a “special menu” to commemorate the day has been introduced.  Since we tend to dine out frequently, we decided to bypass dinner on St. Valentine’s Day and have a late, leisurely lunch instead and then go off to the cinema, during the dinner time.  We went to Garage Grill & Fuel Bar, which is usually just referred to as “the Garage” in Northville, Michigan.  It is a theme restaurant that has made the most of rehabbing a former gasoline station, though the building had been a retail store in between the two businesses cited.

 Cain Cuvee NV9

My Bride had one of the house specialties, the Studebaker Salmon which was plated with Cannellini beans, wild mushrooms, acorn squash, baby kale, quinoa, and maple horseradish sauce.  While I enjoyed another house specialty, the Garage Burger, which was chopped Black Angus, with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and cheddar cheese on a brioche.  I also have to mention that the French fries were great, and I hardly ever eat them, as I usually find them to be so bland.

 Garage Wine Bag

As I was looking over the wine list, my Bride was getting ready to order a split of Prosecco with our waitress, and I took the chance to over-ride her request with a bottle request of my own.  I requested the wine by the bin number, and I had to smile as I watched her race through the numbers on the wine list until she found the wine that I had ordered.  She smiled and accepted the fact that I had abruptly cancelled her order without a discussion.  I had ordered a bottle of Cain Cuvee NV9, from a winery that we had visited in our trip to Napa.  The first years of Cain Cuvee had an actual vintage year, and some time back, they decided to go with the NV (envy) designation because they like to say “two harvests, four varietals.”  The notation NV9 denotes “Non-Vintage” and the 9 stands for ’09, as the second harvest was ’08.  While this wine would be considered a “Meritage” it does not use that term on the label, as I believe Cain was doing the “Bordeaux” blend, before the society was formed, so the only designation on the label is Napa Valley.  This particular wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot and every NV seems to have a different percentage of each varietal to achieve the taste that they are looking for.  Since they have changed the laws about wine consumption in a restaurant in Michigan, we were not in a hurry to finish the bottle and asked for a bag to take the unfinished bottle back with us.  I was very impressed with the fancy clear plastic wine bag that they put the recorked wine into; not only was the wine sealed, but the handled bag was also sealed, and I had to use scissors to take the wine out of the bag.

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