A Lunch with Mr. G.

Posted on June 11, 2024 by thewineraconteur

Believe it or not, there are times when I don’t have wine, even when we are out, usually because the selection is not what I think that it should be.  Now Mr. G., and not Dobie Gillis’ father was a Social Studies teacher to me at Woodrow Wilson Junior High School in Detroit.  And back then, Social Studies encompassed History, Civics, and Government; there could be more, but that was more than fifty years ago, so I can be a bit fuzzy.  Mr. G., went on to become a Vice Principal at Western High School, but he was the type of educator that every student should have.  He took an interest in teaching, and he remembered his students and he was also very civic-minded for the community.  On social media, I saw that a lunch was being planned for this teacher and I knew that I was going to go, and I asked my Bride if she wanted to go as well, and she accepted the offer.

We were all going to meet at Mexican-American restaurant in the old neighborhood, about a mile or so from the Junior High that created this bond for everyone.  Some of his relatives and family also attended the luncheon, and I am not sure, but I think they were originally going to have a surprise party, but it was decided against.  Now Mr. G., and his brother were even instrumental in getting a regulation ice rink built in the park, across the street from Western High School, and really was instrumental in introducing a large segment of Latino-Americans into the sport of hockey, which one doesn’t immediately associate with that group, and I am not showing a bias.  He and his brother were avid hockey fans, and once the rink was completed, the Detroit Red Wings even play a couple of exhibition games there, which is extremely popular with the locals and beyond.  I do tend to wander a bit, when I am writing a none wine memory article, but in over twelve years, I don’t do it that often.  My Bride had a Shrimp Fajitas dinner, and I was happy as they had Chicken Enchiladas with Molé Sauce.  The waitress did a magnificent job keeping all the individual tabs proper.  If they would have offered Mexican wines, that is what I would have had for this fun event, they didn’t we had Margaritas, my Bride has no salt, and mine is with.

To give you an idea, of how committed Mr. G., was as a teacher, when they had the first Wilson Junior High All-Year Reunion, and the first was at a large bar and our group was all seated in one section, he came with another teacher, the music instructor and he brought one of his saxophones and sat in with the band that was entertaining that night at the bar.  They also attended a couple of other reunions after that, and both teachers remembered their students, while the teachers really hadn’t changed, the students had, and yet for the most part, we were all remembered.  The last time, before this luncheon, I saw Mr. G., when all the students were allowed a walk-through at Wilson and talk about Kodak moments, tears and laughter abounded.  I got there a little late, as I was still part of the gainfully employed, as opposed to being gainfully retired that I am now.  After the luncheon as were driving home I pointed to the grassy field that used to be Woodrow Wilson Junior High and I am glad that I was part of the group that acquired a speaker’s podium from the school and the award plaque from the gifted flagpole from an earlier parent’s group that was on the front lawn.  I am just glad that over the years I have had the good fortune to encounter some of my teachers from elementary school on through college, but only a few can still celebrate and that is one of the pleasures of life.   

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Three More Italian Wines During the Tasting

Posted on June 8, 2024 by thewineraconteur

It is always a pleasure to go to any wine tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  The tasting was centered on the wines of Bibi Graetz, but I had a chance to try three other wines from Italy that were not from that winemaker, and everyone was very enthusiastic.

We had a Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis DOCG 2022.  Bruno Giacosa is a famous wine producer based in Piedmont and is known for his intensely perfumed, textured wines with the Barolo and Barbaresco appellations. He began, first by buying grapes for his father’s wines when he was fifteen.   By 1960, he was ready to begin his own business as a principal producer in Barbaresco.  In 1964, he was the first producer in Piedmont to bottle a single vineyard “cru” from the Santo Stefano Vineyard.  His own standards are such, that in 2006 and 2010 he sold his grapes in bulk, rather than bottle them.  Most of his fruit for years were from trusted growers, instead of estate vineyards.  In 1982, he purchased the Fallet Vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba and he built a winery, followed by plots in La Morra and some plots in Barbaresco.  He has twenty hectares and these wines are labeled “Azienda Agricola Falletto,” and the wines made from purchased grapes are “Casa Vinicola Bruno Giacosa.”  He passed away in 2018 at the age of 88, and the legacy has been continued by his daughter Bruna.  The Roero Arneis 2022 is pure Arneis from historical partner-growers and suppliers.  The approach of having intensely aromatic wines continues with this varietal, which is locally referred to as “the white Nebbiolo.”  The fruit is harvested from plots composed of mainly sandstone and marl and spontaneous fermentation and maturation take place in Stainless-Steel tanks for four months, to preserve the freshness of the grapes, and is one of the few white wines made by the house.  The wine is a deep straw color with intense notes of white fruits, tropical fruits, white florals, almonds, minerals, and medicinal herbs.  On the palate there are tones of pineapple, lemon, peach, and apricot in a full-bodied wine and ends with a big medium count finish of almonds and terroir.  An amazing wine.

Another white wine that we had was Donnafugata Sul Vulcano Etna Bianco DOC 2020.  Donnafugata is a wine company based in Sicily, by the Rallo family who have a history of winemaking going back to the 19th Century.  Donnafugata was established in 1983 by Giacomo and Gabriella Rallo and is now in the hand of their children.  They have five different wineries located in different sub-regions of Sicily, including on the neighboring island of Pantelleria.  The wineries use both indigenous varieties and international favorites and they produce both DOC and IGT wines, because of the grapes that they grow.  They have about three-hundred-thirty-eight hectares of vineyards between the islands of Sicily and Pantelleria.  This wine is pure Carricante, an ancient grape varietal really only found on eastern Sicily on the volcanic slopes of Mt. Etna for at least a thousand years; there is about two-hundred hectares planted with this grape.  The grape is known for its acidity and high yields, and grows best in volcanic soil and high altitude.  It is the key grape in Etna DOC and can be found in the other designations of Sicily.  It is also known as Catanese Bianco and Catarratto.  The fruit is manually harvesting into crates, and fully inspected in the vineyard.  The juice undergoes Initial fermentation in Stainless-Steel tanks, and then ages for ten months in Stainless-Steel tanks and partially in used French barriques, followed by twelve months in bottles, before release.  A straw-colored wine that offered notes of green apples, mandarin oranges, eucalyptus, flint, honey, and hay.  On the palate a delightful savory wine of fruit, citrus, blended with fresh acidity, refreshing salinity and a nice medium count finish of a salty quartz terroir.  A really enjoyable wine.

We then had Podere il Palazzino Argenina Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019.  Podere il Palazzino has been owned by the Sderci family since the middle of the 19th Century and famed for their Sangiovese grapes, and single vineyards.  Originally, because of the rules for Chianti Classico, their wines were sold as Vino da Tavola, and after the changes of the appellation rules of 1992 and 1995, they went from Toscana IGT to Chianti Classico.  They own about twenty hectares in the Gaiole Municipality basically planted with Sangiovese (between fifteen to thirty years of age) with small plots of Colorino, Malvasia Bianca and a small grove of olives.  They have built a new winery, underground cellars, replanted some of the plots, and are basically all natural, and artisanal, with chemicals being banned.  Argenina is one of the oldest hamlets in the town of Monti, where they have three hectares at 310-375 meters above sea level on volcanic tuffaceous soil.  The wine is pure Sangiovese, hand-harvested and Initial Fermentation is done in Stainless-Steel vats at a low temperature to preserve the primary aromas of the grapes with indigenous yeasts and the Malolactic Fermentation is also natural.  This wine was originally designated as “Annata” or regular Chianti Classico, but since the new appellation rules of 2013, the wine has been elevated to Gran Selezione status as it is from a single estate, committed to quality and aged for thirty months in used barriques.  A ruby-red colored wine that offers notes of black cherry, plums, violets, cocoa, vanilla, and sandalwood.  On the palate, a medium-bodied wine with intense tones of black cherry, plums, mixed with sweet tannins, some pepper, and cloves, with a nice finish of fruit and terroir.  

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Bibi Graetz: Colore Collezione Verticale

Posted on June 5, 2024 by thewineraconteur

A wonderful tasting of wines from Bibi Graetz was going on at my local wine shop The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  The final three wines offered were his Colore wine done as a vertical collection tasting.  This tasting was celebrating Bibi Graetz’s Twentieth Vintage.  “Colore is my passion, my dream and the pinnacle of what we produce each year at Bibi Graetz.  Colore truly embodies the essence of our wine making philosophy – working with native Tuscan varieties like Sangiovese, Colorino, and Canaiolo; harvesting grapes from our 80 – 135-year-old vine; and artisanal farming and winemaking – working with vineyards owned by generations of local families.”

We started with the Bibi Graetz Colore Rosso Toscana IGT 2015.  This wine has never been available in the USA and is now only available as a component of the boxed Collezione Verticale, so it was a pleasure tasting this wine, as well as all the wines this evening.  The wine is a blend of eighty percent Sangiovese, ten percent Canaiolo, and ten percent Colorino.  The fruit for this wine was all hand-harvested from eighty-year-old vines from the Lamole Vineyard (located in Chianti Classico), Vincigliata Vineyard (located in Firenze), and the Siena Vineyard (just south of Tuscany).  All three of the vineyards offered soil rich in Galestro (a friable rock that is silt and marl clay with intercalated layers of limestone) and clay, the famed soil of Tuscany.  Each parcel was kept separated with its own harvesting, destemming, gentle pressing, with Initial Fermentation using indigenous yeast with about eight manual punch-downs a day for about two weeks, with an additional week of maceration on the skins.  The wine was then transferred to barriques for Malolactic Fermentation and the assorted barriques were kept separate for almost three years, before the blending was decided on. A nice deep garnet red wine that offered notes of black fruit, spices, and sous bois.  I couldn’t get over how fresh this wine was for being 2015 and it offered tones of plums, cherries, spices, with a secondary flavor of leather and mocha.  This wine received plenty of approvals from the other tasters and it could probably be over the top in another ten years.

We then had the Bibi Graetz Colore Rossso Toscana IGT 2016 and this was a great vintage for the area.  This wine is a blend of eighty percent Sangiovese, ten percent Canaiolo, and ten percent Colorino and all from at least eighty-year-old vines.  The fruit was harvested from Lamole Vineyard (located in Chianti Classico), Vincigliata Vineyard (located in Firenze), and Siena Vineyard (just south of Tuscany); and all three vineyards offered soil rich in Galestro and clay, that is the prized soil of Tuscany.  Each parcel in the vineyards is individually hand-harvested, over multiple pass throughs, destemming, gentle pressing, with Initial Fermentation using indigenous yeast with about eight manual punch-downs for about three weeks, followed by another week of maceration, and then an additional three weeks of skin contact.  Once complete, seventy percent of the wine was moved to barriques of which half were new abend sourced from Burgundy.  The remaining thirty percent went into cement tanks.  All the wines were then aged for almost three years, before blending and bottling.  A beautiful deep ruby red wine that offered notes of black and red fruits, and then some notes of leather, cloves, and tobacco.  On the palate this was a big wine, full and robust, very chewy with black cherries, plums, some raspberries all blended with silky tannins and perfect acidity and a very long finish of balsamic and strong terroir.  I found this wine to be wonderful and captivating, but still needing about ten years of cellaring for strong and interesting secondary and tertiary notes and tones.

We finished the vertical run with Bibi Graetz Colore Rosso Toscana IGT 2020, and the Colore is his “dream” as the highest expression for Bibi Graetz.  From the very old vineyards, the poor soils, and the high altitudes all combine for the perfect terroir of Tuscany, and only a few barrels will become Colore.  There were three new elements for the 2020 vintage.  First the climate, was perfect for the region, creating a great season and vintage.  There was a new vineyard in Olmo di Fiesole, that brought a new depth of freshness with its terroir and at an altitude of 420 meters.  Third, was a new winery built in Fiesole to do the work in a comfortable manner.  With hand-harvesting, and an additional vineyard, the harvest lasted three weeks to pick all the grapes at the perfect time.  All the Sangiovese grapes were now from: Lamole Vineyard, Vincigliata Vineyard, Olmo di Fiesole Vineyard, and Siena Vineyard.  There were up to eight harvest per vineyard in selecting the grapes, with a secondary inspection before destemming, then a gentle press and the juice went to open-top barriques for each plot and parcel.  Initial Fermentation occurs using indigenous yeasts, with six to eight manual punch-downs a day for two weeks, followed by another week of maceration on the skins.  Then each of the juices are transferred to old barriques, where the Malolactic Fermentation occurs and the juice is aged separately for about twenty months, prior to the art of blending, and an additional six months of aging in the bottle, before distribution.  This wine was a bright ruby color which offered notes of dark and red fruits, rhubarb, florals, and spices.  On the palate a fresh and smooth (suave) wine that is full-bodied offering beautiful tones of cherries, raspberries, orange peel blended with polished tannins and a nice lingering finish of terroir.  This wine was four to five years younger and it was great to appreciate what it will mature to, in comparison.  This wine reminded me of the 2015 which got total rave reviews, so I would opine that in fifteen to twenty years this will be a stellar wine for the books.  A wonderful tasting experience for everyone involved.    

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Bibi Graetz Testamatta Bianco and Rosso

Posted on June 2, 2024 by thewineraconteur

I got an awesome message from my local wine shop The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan that the following day from three to seven, there was going to be a “Special Event.”  It was very special in that Daniele Sbordi was going to be representing Bibi Graetz with some pre-order specials and some Library offering both in regular and large formats (magnum, double-magnum, and imperial bottles).  Bibi Graetz is an artist who studied at the Accademie d’Arte in Florence (and his artwork can be seen on the labels of the wines) and a Tuscan wine producer in Fiesole, in the hills northeast of Florence.  Bibi Graetz is recognized as a very innovative winemaker, sometimes unconventional, especially in Tuscany and he is championing for indigenous and sometimes forgotten grape varieties.  He started taking an interest in the family’s estate in the mid 1990’s, which at the time was only producing wine for the family’s personal consumption. He formed the Bibi Graetz winery in 2000 with thirty hectares of vines.  In 2020 he found ninety hectares of additional vineyard parcels to rent.

We started with Bibi Graetz Testamatta Bianco Toscana IGT 2021 which was first produced in 2016, and this wine was being offered for pre-order.  Testamatta translates to “Crazy Head” as one would have to presume that is because he learned from winemakers, who were local farmers like him, with no formal training in viticulture as a way to describe his venture.  Bibi Graetz spent his childhood on Giglio Island and learned his unique winemaking techniques listening to the knowledge and stories from the old farmers; Giglio Island is about sixteen kilometers off the shore of Maremma.  It has been alluded that his white wines are becoming a benchmark for whites in Italy, and this wine is made purely from Ansonica grapes (in Sicily it is known as Inzolia).  The fruit is sourced from the Serrone Vineyard in the southeast part of the island overlook the sea from to 60 to 150 meters altitude; the vines are at least one-hundred-years in age and grown in granite sand and rocks.  Ansonica is grown both in Tuscany and Sicily, known for having higher levels of tannins, and for years was mostly known for being used to produce Marsala wine, and the history has been long forgotten and muddled through the centuries.  The hand-harvested fruit is destemmed, gently pressed with dry-ice, and a one-hour period of maceration.  The fruit undergoes Initial Fermentation using indigenous yeast within forty-eight hours of harvest in Stainless-Stee tanks at low temperatures the fermenting juice is then transferred to new 225-liter barriques to ferment.  The wine ages on the lees for twelve months without Malolactic Fermentation and manual punch-downs.  A deep golden-straw colored wine with a soft nose offering notes of white fruits, jasmine, lemon zest, spices, nuts, and a hint of hay.  On the palate, a beguiling big and well-rounded wine with rich tones of apples, peaches, blended beautifully with some pepper and spices and a good finish of mineral terroir and salinity.  This wine was also touted for additional cellar time.  

We then went to Bibi Graetz Testamatta Rosso “20th Anniversary” Toscana IGT 2019 and a great milestone for the “Crazy Head.”  This was the wine that got people to stand up and take notice.  A pure Sangiovese wine, a Super Tuscan displaying old vines from soils rich in stones and plenty of minerality.  According to Bibi Graetz the entire growing season was perfect and peak of quality since his first vintage.  It took almost three weeks of hand-harvesting, some parcels required eight times to pick the grapes at the perfect point of ripening.  The fruit was selected from the best five vineyards of the winery in different areas of Tuscany; Lamole Vineyard at 600 meters altitude, and Montefili Vineyard at 400 meters altitude and both in the heart of Chianti Classico, Vincigliata Vineyard at 280 meters altitude in Firenze, Londa Vineyard north of Firenze towards the Rufina valley, and Siena Vineyard pressed.  The Initial Fermentations are conducted using natural and indigenous yeasts, in open top barriques for the smaller parcels of vineyards, and the larger vineyards were in barrels or Stainless-Steel with six manual punch-downs and pump overs each day. After about ten days of maceration, the different parcels are moved into old barriques and barrels for twenty months.  A nice garnet-ruby red wine that offered notes of black cherries, red berries, anise, sous bois, and vanilla.  On the palate a medium-bodied wine featuring cherries and strawberries, and plums balanced with velvety tannins and great mineral terroir. Perfect for some time in the cellar.

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Cachet Cocktail & Wine Bar and Shores Inn

Posted on May 30, 2024 by thewineraconteur

During the Memorial Day weekend, some of the Louisville clan came up, for an intensive visit.  On the books a Detroit Tigers Baseball game was planned, an evening of Drones, think of fireworks without the pyrotechnics and noise, a Memorial Day Parade and whatever could be crammed into the schedule. My Bride was going to be in charge of securing a restaurant during a holiday weekend.  All eyes were kind of focused on Saint Clair Shores, Michigan.  A restaurant that was near where the Drone Show would be, was chosen, the Shores Inn; the owner told my Bride that they would not take reservations, but if she got there, about an hour early, they would (wink, wink) create an area for the crowd.  Well, originally there was going to be eleven, maybe two hours before when we were all getting together that number had swollen to twenty-two.  We got there an hour early, the manager said that he would make it happen, so my Bride decided that she wanted to take me to Cache Cocktail & Wine Bar, which was one block away and it would be a better place to drink some wine. 

We walked into Cache Cocktail & Wine Bar and I was all set to have a nice glass or two of wine, before the craziness of the evening was going to unfold.  It turns out that the Memorial Day weekend also coincided with the Downtown Social District weekend, so the wine bar was anticipating hordes of partyers and not hordes of wine tasters.  So, they had more help and less options; as the merry-makers could take their purchased drinks outside where the street area was blocked off and plastic was the only glass being offered.  There were no food options and only their own branded wines were being poured.  I was not a happy camper, but they tried to appease me, and let me look at the wine carte; I would have been a happy camper.  Some of the wines that they stocked, could also be found in my cellar, so that did impress me, but I couldn’t buy a bottle of anything, but what they were geared for.  I volunteered for the good of my blog to try two of the house wines.  There was a Cache Pinot Grigio California NV, Cache Chardonnay California NV, Cache Cabernet Sauvignon California NV and a Cache Merlot California NV.  The wines were “cellared and bottled” by Free Run Wine Company of St. Helena, California. I could not find anything about this company, but I can make kind of an educated guess that they are a custom-crusher and warehouse for independent winemakers that cater to both individual wineries that can’t afford their own equipment yet, and for jobbers that will affix “house labels” for restaurants and caterers.  I did feel better as I recognized Free Run Wine Company as the supplier of the house wines at The Butter Run Saloon that I have wrote about a couple of times.  So, I was sorry that I couldn’t have noshed on any of their food offerings, as the bar went up several notches for me.

We got to the Shores Inn at the appointed time, and they had cleared one table, which was enough when we got there, and as the rest of the twenty-two staggered in, the restaurant had cleared two other tables and we were all able to sit down and eat.  I didn’t know what to expect, though a couple of people did tell us the food was good.  I really was pleased that they could squeeze us in, especially with the craziness of the weekend holiday and being a Social District weekend as well, and the food was good, and I would go back.  My Bride and I shared an order of Southwest Egg Rolls which was chicken mixed with jalapenos, chilies, red peppers, and black beans wrapped in a flaky tortilla, a small Antipasto Salad of lettuce, salami, ham, mozzarella cheese, black olives, tomatoes and pepper rings tossed with Italian dressing, and a Shores Supreme Pizza with Pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and mozzarella cheese.  Most of the wines were what I would call catering company wines that were offered by the glass, because the wines came in magnum bottles.  I saw a wine that I knew came in a regular size bottle, and when I asked what the wine sold for by the bottle, our waitress had to go ask, because she had never sold it that way.  We had a bottle of William Hill Estate Winery Chardonnay North Coast 2022.  William Hill Estate Winery was founded in 1978 by William Hill and he made his first wine in 1976.  The winery is just off the Silverado Trail on the hills of the Silverado Bench and encompasses two-hundred acres at the foot of Atlas Peak.  The winery just recently made a business decision to close their wine club and their tasting room at the end of June 2024.  This particular wine is not from the estate, but is made from the North Coast AVA, which cover more than three-million acres of land north of San Francisco including: Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Carneros.  The wine is a pretty golden color and offered notes of white and yellow fruits, white florals, and mown grass.  On the palate a glycerol-texture offering tones apples, peaches, and beeswax with a short finish.  After dinner, my Bride was tired and we went home and some of the others stayed to watch the Drone show.       

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It Was a Big Day for Tasting

Posted on May 27, 2024 by thewineraconteur

My Bride and I had a daily double of wine tastings, first at the restaurant Vertical Detroit and then afterwards at my local wine shop The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  She gets more salutations compared to me, at either location, and I guess that is good; she is more pleasant than I am.  

We started off with some sparkling wine “a la Volée” Brut Nature Zero Dosage Cremant de Limoux 2018.  Cremant de Limoux is an appellation that was created in 1990 for “modern” style sparkling wines as opposed to the classic Blanquette de Limoux and Blanquette de Limoux Methode Ancestrale wines of the region that were historically reliant on Mauzac (Blanquette) grapes and also Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.  The Chardonnay vines here are some of the oldest in the Languedoc-Roussillon region and southern France.  “A la Volée” translates to “on the fly” and this wine is his only product made by winemaker-negociant Pierre (a former Champagne producer) who is considered an energetic and entrepreneurial young man who found some vines near his hometown.  He is an ecologically responsible farmer and tries to keep things simple, eschewing “designer” yeasts or new oak and uses a downtown cellar in the historic city of Carcassonne.  The wine is a blend of sixty-three percent Chardonnay, twenty-five percent Chenin Blanc and twelve percent Pinot Noir and is produced in the tradition Champagne method.  The fruit is hand harvested, destemmed, and gently pressed and then allowing the juice to settle.  Initial Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel vats for about six weeks.  The wine is then bottled awaiting Secondary Fermentation and aged for eighteen months, after that the bottles are disgorged and topped with wine, but no dosage liquor (sugar).  A nice golden colored wine with fine bubbles an offering notes of fresh baguettes, butter, and jam.  On the palate tones of apple compote, candied almonds, melon, and finishing with a kiss of butterscotch, lemon, vanilla, and orange zest on a biscuit. From my research, this wine has only a few outlets in both Europe and in America, so it was a pleasure to have it, and knowing The Fine Wine Source, he may have bought all that he could.                   

We followed with another sparkling wine Jean-Noel Gagnard and Caroline Lestime Cremant de Bourgogne “Grand Lys” Extra Brut 2018.  Domaine Jean-Noel Gagnard is a Burgundy wine producer based in the village of Chassagne-Montrachet in the Cote de Beaune, and produces over ten Premier Cru white wines.  The domaine began in 1960 and in 1989, his daughter took over, and did several significant changes, as in planting new Chardonnay clones and abandoning chemical fertilizers and herbicides.  Cremant de Bourgogne may be white or rosé, and from brut to sec.  There are almost four-hundred parishes in Burgundy, including some less-favored sites from famed communes, so terroirs are varied.  “Grand Lys” or Big Lily is pure Pinot Noir from the “Clos Bortier” site in the Haute Cotes de Beaune on soil that is limestone with marl slopes overlooking the village of Saint-Aubin.  The wine is aged for three years on its lees and is made in the traditional method with low dosage after maturity. A soft golden-yellow wine with fine bubble and offers notes of white fruits, pastries, toasted almonds, and touch of honey.  On the palate there are tones of green apples, almonds, with some bright acidity and finishing with delicate mousse.

We then enjoyed Domaine de Coste Chaude Cotes du Rhone Villages Visan Trilogy 2017.  The commune of Visan became a named Cotes du Rhone Villages designation in 1966 and is known predominately for its Grenache and Syrah based wines, but it also covers the rosé and white wines.  Visa is one of twenty-two favored locations that may append their name to Cotes du Rhone Villages; which would be two steps up from the generic Cotes du Rhone, but a step below “Cru” status.  The village of Visan forms part of the ancient Papal enclave formed in the 14th Century when Pope Clement V moved his seat to Avignon (Chateauneuf-du-Pape).  Domaine de Coste Chaude was founded in the 1960’s and encompasses twenty-three hectares of gravel and clay covered with rolled pebbles at an altitude of 360 meters.  The vineyard was taken over by Marc and Marianne Fues in 1994, and they converted it to organic agriculture certified by Ecocert. In 2018, the domaine was acquired by Vincent Tramier.  The wine is one-third Roussanne, one-third Viognier and one-third Grenache Blanc. The fruit is hand harvested in the evenings, and undergoes gentle and progressive pressing.  The juice then is clarified by natural sedimentation before cold Initial Fermentation.  Twenty percent of the wine is aged in double barrels, and eighty percent remains in Stainless Steel tanks probably for about nine months.  A shiny golden wine that offers notes of white fruits, white florals, wet stones, and dash of grapefruit zest.  On the palate, tones of grapefruit, off set with some sweet lemony acidity in a well rounded and fresh wine that has a medium-count finish of fruit and terroir.              

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An Eclectic Last Three for My Bride

Posted on May 24, 2024 by thewineraconteur

My Bride and I were finishing off with our tasting fun at “Sip & Shop” at Vertical Detroit, and then we were going to attend another wine tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan which also curates and selects the wines for the restaurant.

She started off with Castell d’Encus Ekam Pyrenees, Spain 2021.  Costers del Segre DO is a collection of subregions located in Catalonia, meaning ¨Banks of the Segre¨ a river which originates in the Pyrenees Mountain ranges and meets the Ebro River.  The designation was created in 1986 and has had a few evolutions since its inception.  There are seven fragmented subregions with a mix of soil and climatic conditions.  In the mid 1980´s Raul Bobet was searching in the Pyrenees to plant his vines.  Castell d´Encus began in 2001 near the historical remains of an ancient medieval village of the same name.  The ruins of a monastery belonging to the monks of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem dating from the 12th Century who began planting vines and producing wine using limestone vats cut by hand to ferment the original wines.  The winery is using the same type of vats, and indigenous wild yeasts.  Ekam means ¨divine unity¨ in Sanskrit.  This wine is a blend of eighty five percent Riesling and fifteen percent Albarino.  A soft straw-colored wine with notes of peaches, geraniums, and a bit of jasmine.  On the palate a crisp dry wine with good acidity that features tones of apricots and a medium count finish of terroir.

We tried Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021.  Frank Family Vineyards is located in the Calistoga region of Napa Valley.  On their grounds is an historic stone building listed as a Point of Historical Interest and was a former winery.  The building is from the original Larkmead Vineyards, and was built in 1884.  In the 1950’s it was used as the base for Kornell Champagne Cellars and in 1992 was bought by Rich Frank, the former President of Walt Disney Studios.   The fruit for this wine is from the estate’s S&J Vineyard in Napa’s Capell Valley, their Benjamin Vineyard in Rutherford along with neighboring estates Quarry Vineyard and Round Pond Estate, and also from Delouise and Shooting Star Vineyard in Napa Valley.  The wine is eighty-seven percent Cabernet Sauvignon, six percent Merlot, five percent Petite Verdot, and two percent Cabernet Franc.  The wine is aged for twenty months in French Oak, of which a third is new.  The deep garnet colored wine offers notes of blackberries, violets, vanilla, and cedar.  On the palate tones of baked blueberry pie, vanilla, nutmeg, all blended seamlessly with fresh acidity, silky tannins and a nice medium count of fruit and spices.

Then we finished the tasting with The Pledge 1000 Malbec Mendoza, Argentina 2017 and is part of the Stellenview umbrella, a South African wine producer and exporter internationally.  The Pledge 1000 is a small batch wine produced by winemaker Richard Bonvin and is sourced from five vineyards (Altamira, Gualtallary, Tupungato, La Consulta, and Agrelo) in the Uco Valley at the base of the Andes one-thousand meters above sea level.  The wine is aged for twenty-four months in a mix of barrels with some new French Oak.  A deep purple wine that offers notes of ripe plums, balsamic, baking spices.  On the palate there were tones of ripe plums and other red berries in a rich concentration, grilled bell peppers, thyme, blended with good acidity, fine tannins, coffee, dark chocolate, and a finish that evoked some smoke and oxidation.     

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Fine Wine Source Club – May 2024

Posted on May 21, 2024 by thewineraconteur

I was overdue going into my favorite place, The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  First my Bride for almost a month and myself, after her third week, I was down for two weeks and we both were taking Paxlovid, trust me wine is better. 

The first wine club selection representing the Old World is Moillard Beaujolais “Les Rosé” 2022.  Beaujolais with a red and a white wine appellation is just south of Burgundy and is considered the spiritual homeland of the Gamay grape.  It became known as an easy-drinking wine, personified by the “Beaujolais Nouveau” era that started in the Seventies.  The region is home to ten “Cru” vineyards and a couple of cult wine estates.  Moillard is an historic Burgundian negociant located in the Cote d’Or.  Half of their production is in the Premier Cru level in both the Cote de Nuits and the Cote de Beaune.  They are also recognized for a range of wine offerings using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Aligoté.  Symphorien Moillard found the business and Domaine in 1850 and remained family owned until 2008, when it was sold to Vincent Sauvestre who also owns the negociant Jean-Baptiste Bejot.  The Gamay fruit for this wine is handpicked from different vineyards of Beaujolais, the Liergues area and Saint-Jean -d’Ardieres.  During the post-fermentation period, the juice spends a few days in maceration for color.  A pale pink wine that offers notes of intense red fruits, lemon citrus and a dash of mint.  On the palate, fresh round tones of raspberry and strawberry with a splash of lemons.   An ideal summer wine to be enjoyed.

Representing the New World was Donati Family Vineyard Claret Paso Robles 2019.  The Donati family started arriving in the Paicines region of the Central Coast in 1998, when they purchased the land that would become the family estate and vineyard.  Since then, they have planted the vineyards and built a state-of-the-art winery.  Paicines is the southernmost AVA in the San Benito County and in the 1980’s and 1990’s the area was associated with the production of bulk wines, but a few wineries are attempting to correct that image.  To this day, much of the fruit is grown and then sent to wineries in other parts of California.  It is still home to the five-hundred-acre Vista Verde Vineyard that was previously owned by Almaden Vineyards, before the company was sold and split up in the 1980’s.  The sandy soils of gravel and limestone have forced the vines to develop deep root systems, because of the good drainage and has strengthened the vines. The wine is a blend of forty-nine percent Cabernet Sauvignon, thirty-nine percent Merlot, five percent Malbec, five percent Petit Verdot and two percent Cabernet Franc.  The wine began with Initial Fermentation in Stainless Steel tanks with twice daily punch-downs.  It was then aged for twenty months in oak, with four percent new French, eleven percent new American, and six percent new Eastern European.  A dark purple-red wine offering notes of cherry, raspberry, cherry cola, chocolate powder, cigar box, caramel, and vanilla.  On the palate bright acidity with tones of pomegranate, nutmeg, white pepper, and rhubarb with integrated firm tannins and a medium finish of cranberry, plum, and tobacco. 

I also had a chance to taste some of their newest arrivals, which will be written about in due time.  I was getting ready to go pick up my Bride for a casual dinner out, and God knows we needed a night out, when they wanted me to try a wine, that they just bought out the total inventory for the state, and it was one of my I can’t say no to wines.  I was tasting Henriques & Henriques Boal Single Harvest Madeira, Portugal 2000.  Henriques & Henriques was founded in 1850 by Joao Goncalves Henriques.  After his death in 1912, his sons created Henriques & Henriques.  The last of the Henriques died in 1968 and the company transited to the closest employees and friends, maintaining traditions, but also accepting new technological systems.  They are a producer, an exporter, and they also are the only company that has its own vineyards, as well as maintaining long-standing relationships with several winegrowers.  In 1992, they created a new aging cellar, and headquarters on their own property in Quinta Grande.  Madeira Bual (Boal) is a fortified wine.  Boal is the original name of the grape in Portuguese and is used for Portuguese wines, while the English name Boal is used for the grapes on Madeira.  It is also known as Malvasia Fina, but only for Malvasia Madeira (Malmsey).  With the changes of renamed European Union of 1993, requiring that at least eighty-five percent was of a state grape; rather than new plantings, there was a decrease of Boal wines.  Madeira Boal wines are one of the longest-lived wines, rivalling “vin jaune,” the finest Sauternes, and Vintage Port.  The Boal fruit is grown on a blend of volcanic soils; fermentation is done with some fruit left whole-cluster with gentle skin maceration in Stainless Steel with native yeasts, then fortified with natural grape spirits.  It is then aged in the classic canteiro system of barrel storage for fifteen years and bottled in 2016.  A beautiful deep amber wine offering notes of dried fruits, caramel, cloves, brown sugar, lemon zest, and spices.  On the palate supple and elegant tones of raisins, nuts, caramel, honey, and vanilla with complex layering of flavors, old wood, and a very long finish of caramel and nuts with out being treacly sweet. I was still telling my Bride about the finish when I got home, and we drove off for dinner.     

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Three From the “French Selections”

Posted on May 18, 2024 by thewineraconteur

Three From the “French Selections”

It is always fun to watch my Bride do wine tastings, especially at an event like “Sip & Shop” at Vertical Detroit, the fine wine-centric restaurant in Downtown Detroit which is also owned by The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  I say that it is fun, because at this event, she is wandering the room, not only talking about wines, but generally talking to everyone and having a wonderful time.  When we stopped by the “French Sellections” we enjoyed a few wines.  

We started with Domaine Gilles Noblet “La Collonge” Pouilly-Fuisse 2022.  Pouilly-Fuissé is known for the famous white wines of the Maconnais and the appellation was awarded in 1936, but had actually been structured back in 1922.  It is exclusively Chardonnay and grown on limestone-rich clay over a granite base.  Since the 2020 vintage, a Premier Cru appellation level was approved and there are twenty-two Premier Crus.  Domaine Gilles Noblet was founded in the village of Fuissé since 1927 with a current vineyard of twelve hectares.  It was during the fourth generation led by Gilles Noblet, who began bottling their own wines and moved the estate and new cellar to “En Collonge.” They are now in the fifth generation and in 2019 were certified as a high environmental value operation.  At harvest the bunches undergo pneumatic pressing and settled for twenty-four hours at low temperature, then the juice is placed in casks and oak barrels for both Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation; with aging on fine lees for twelve months.  A soft-golden-yellow wine that offers notes of lemon and citrus, hazelnuts, and spices.  On the palate beautiful tones of fruit, and spices, big and fresh, balanced, and ending with a splash of salinity, perfect for dinner.  

We then enjoyed a tasting of Arnaud Lambert “Breze” Clos Mazurique – Monopole Saumur Rouge 2022 and the wine used to go by the name of Chateau de Breze.  Arnaud Lambert calls himself a “winegrower in Breze” and a “Loire craftsman.”  Yves Lambert created the domaine in 1996, with the desire to exploit the terroir of Saumur-Champigny for both Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. Arnaud joined his father in 2005 and in 2009 began their goal of working organically and they also acquired eight plots in the Monopole of the commune of Breze.  Saumur Rouge is the appellation for the area around Saumur in the central Loire Valley and Cabernet Franc, must be at least eighty-five percent of the wine, but in practice the wine is usually unblended.  The age of the vines in Breze are about forty years of age.  The Maceration, Initial and Malolactic Fermentation are done in Stainless Steel, followed by some aging in Concrete vats.  The wine had a deep-red color and offered notes of red and black fruits, bell pepper, violets, smoke, and spices.  On the palate very subtle notes of fresh plums and currants, with a smoky presence, and dry tannins with a softer interpretation of a Cabernet Franc, higher acidity, and a nice finish of limestone terroir.

Then we tried Esprit de Pavie Bordeaux 2017; produced by Gerard Perse, the owner of Chateau Pavie, Pavie-Decesse, Monbousquet and Bellevue-Mondotte.  Already the owner of the renowned Pavie, Pavie-Decesse, Monbousquet and Bellevue-Mondotte estates.  Chateau Pavie was originally planted during the Roman times and the estate has changed many times both in size and ownership and in 2012 was promoted to Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé (A). Gerard Perse, a French supermarket “mogul” who has hired Michel Rolland as his consultant winemaker; Vignobles Perse is the name of the portfolio of his wine estates, including Esprit de Pavie which is his generic Bordeaux wine of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon in similar proportions to Pavie.  The fruit is sourced from across the region and aged in previously used oak from Pavie and Monbousquet.  The wine is a blend of sixty-five percent Merlot, twenty percent Cabernet Franc and fifteen percent Cabernet Sauvignon.  Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation is accomplished during several weeks in temperature-controlled tanks, after which the juice is aged for fifteen months in previously used barrels.  A nice ruby-red wine and offers notes of black and red fruits, oak, and caramel.  On the palate this wine offered tones of rich fruit, tight tannins, and a medium finish of fruit.  This was a fine medium-bodied, well-structured entry level Bordeaux that I thought was above its classification, not complex, but very satisfying and a great wine to drink for the next several years.            

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My Bride at the “Italian Table”

Posted on May 15, 2024 by thewineraconteur

It is always a pleasure to watch my Bride at a wine tasting, when we were at Sip & Shop at Vertical Detroit, a restaurant in Downtown Detroit, and also owned by The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  She doesn’t always get a chance to accompany me to several of the wine tastings, so when she can attend, it is a joy to watch her.  At the “Italian Table” I got to watch her enjoy some Azienda Agricol Benito Ferrara Terra D’Uva Greco di Tufo DOCG 2022.  Benito Ferrara began in the early 1900’s and they now have eight hectares of vineyards.  Terra D’Uva translates to Land of the grapes.  Greco di Tufo DOCG was granted in 2003 and is the most famed white wine of the Campania region.  Tufo not only refers to the village, but also describes the limestone tufa. The grape varietal is also known as Greco, very predominate in Campania, as is believed to have been introduced to the region by one of the ancient tribal groups of Greece from Thessaly.  This particular wine is pure Greco di Tufo, but the classification only requires eighty-five percent. After harvest the grapes are soft pressed, the wine matures in Stainless Steel for about six months on the lees.  The soft golden hued wine offered notes of lemons, pears, and almonds.  A very crisp wine with tones of pears and a nice lingering finish of terroir.  

Then we followed with another wine that reminded me that I once missed having a chance to meet the proprietor and winemaker Riccardo Campinotti, of Le Ragnaie who was stuck in some airport, God only knows; but I remember his wines fondly.  Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2017 and this is considered his entry level Brunello.  Le Ragnaie is based in Montalcino, Tuscany and the estate is dedicated solely to growing Sangiovese grapes, which is the most planted grape in Italy and has a major home in Montalcino.  The estate is now twenty-eight hectares and has four distinct vineyards and the winery is one of the leaders of the region for creating cuvee-style wines taking advantage of the distinct vineyard qualities, very Burgundian in concept.  It is also enjoying some of the highest altitudes in Montalcino, in fact some are higher than the allowed height of six-hundred-meters, but he is working on that.  The original winery was started in 1991 in a much smaller estate with one of the original agritourism farmhouses and Riccardo took over and started expanding in 2002.  He was considered more daring and innovative and he has slowly mixed tradition with modernism.  The fruit for this bottle of wine comes from the Ragnaie, Petroso, Loreto, Fornace and Cava vineyards.  The initial fermentation and maceration using native yeast is done in concrete vats and may take up to forty days.  Then the wine is aged for thirty-six months in Slavonian Oak vats and then aged in bottle before release.  A beautiful Sangiovese with notes of red fruits and florals.  On the palate the striking tones of cherries, strawberries, cedar with a nice structured tannins that I am sure will even be more graceful in another ten years.  This was a nice chewy wine, that ends with terroir and spices.  An excellent chewy wine that belies the fact that it is the entry level offering, especially with my Bride continually telling me that she likes this wine.

The last wine we had at the “Italian Table” was Dosio Barolo del Communde di la Mora Piedmont 2019.  Dosio was established in 1974 on the site of an old farmhouse from the 18th Century, and they have about eleven hectares of vineyards mainly between La Morra and Barolo. The property is five-hundred-meters above sea level with a scenic setting.  The winery was sold to new owners in 2010 who restructured and transformed the estate.  Among the communes of La Morra and Barolo there is a high concentration of limestone-rich marl soil, which is respected for the aromatic and fruit-forward style wines; La Morra is considered to be more perfumed and Barolo is considered to be more complex. This wine is pure Nebbiolo and planted on the blue marl soil of La Morra and the average age of the vines are twenty-five-years.  The fruit is hand-harvested, de-stemmed and crushed, maceration, Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled tanks for about the first thirty days; then the wine is aged for a minimum of eighteen months in large casks.  The wine is a garnet red and offers notes of black cherry, roses and violets, tea, and leather.  On the palate a nice balance of acidity and velvety tannins, a nice big chewy wine considering that it is still young offering great tones of black cherries, nutmeg and spices, terroir and ending with a nice finish of fruit and chalk.  A good wine to put away for at least ten to fifteen years and would probably offer some special nuances in the following couple of years.   

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