Birthday for a 71-Year-Old Curmudgeon

Posted on October 18, 2025 by thewineraconteur

It is hard to believe that my Bride has let me be pampered for over a month of my self-appointed celebrations, and actually there are still more stories to come, but I digress, which is quite often for me.  For my celebration I had posted a cryptic “story” post on social media, that most people did not catch.  

We had a quiet dinner for the two of us at home.  She made some of my favorite dishes and indulged me.  We started off with my new favorite salad (which should be her award winning from scratch Caesar), but we did find a new salad that was just called a Spring Mix Salad and it consisted of a Heart of Romaine Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Strawberries served with a Champagne Vinaigrette.  She then made Braised Short Ribs with root vegetables.  For part of the braising process, she used a bottle of Sterling Vintner’s Collection Meritage Central Coast 2010 from a stash that I found half forgotten, as I have been reorganizing the cellar.  The wine was still very hardy, and I had to decant it, to eliminate the acquired sediment; we had originally bought about three cases of this wine, after tasting a bottle, as it was being sold by a local grocer for less than ten dollars a bottle plus case discount.  I do ramble when I get going.  She also made Roasted Shishito Peppers and of course Armenian Pilaf.  Then we had a Grand Marnier Soufflé as she wanted to make one, before she had to make it for a dinner party.

I had gone into the cellar to select my birthday wine and of course she was very curious as to what I would select.  I think that she figured that I was going to select another Meritage wine to keep in the theme of the dinner, and in a way I did.  I went and washed out one of our decanters, polished a couple of Riedel Crystal glasses and my Durand Corkscrew, which is one of the best wine tools we have ever bought.  My Bride looking at the bottle that I had brought up earlier to stand erect, before I decanted it, asked what the price of the bottle would be.  I said does it matter, that is why I started the collection when I was in high school, and it was one of my prized wines that I moved from two other basements in my life.  When I removed the capsule seal, the cork was still pristine, with no evidence of ullage seepage, and the fill line was just under the capsule edge.   

I did open my Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 1964 with a label of distribution by Dourthe Freres, Negociants a Moulis-Medoc (Gironde).  For those old enough, you may notice that there is no indication that Chateau Mouton Rothschild was even part of The Classification of 1855 for the Medoc.  They were listed as the First of the Second Growths, and they felt that because of politics, they weren’t listed as a First Growth, this was later corrected in 1973.  The chateau was originally Brane-Mouton and was among the best of the 18th and 19th Centuries, and then the quality fell in the 1840s.  The property was then bought and renamed in 1853, and the quality was restored, but not in time for The Classification.  Baron Philippe de Rothschild took the reins in 1922 and introduced chateau bottling in 1924.  At the end of World War II, they began commissioning a different artist for each vintage and the 1964 label is by the English artist Henry Moore.  The estate is eighty-four hectares on gravelly soil.  The estate is planted at eighty percent Cabernet Sauvignon, sixteen percent Merlot and small plots of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot; the average age of the vines are about forty years of age.  The fruit is hand-harvested, undergoes fermentation in oak vats and then is aged for eighteen months.  I decanted the wine for about two hours prior to dinner, and the wine was still a rich garnet-ruby to dark brick color with no visible foxing and offered notes of dark cherries and blackberries, mushrooms, old leather, earth and spices; though initially hesitant, the nose became much more striking after the first hour and even better at the second hour.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine still displayed tones of tart cherries, dried fruit, spices that blended with fully integrated tannins with still some refreshing acidity that ended with a long-count finish of fruit and rich minerally terroir.  I am glad that I had it now, though I am sure that it would have been strong for another five years.   

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Mabel Gray

Posted on October 15, 2025 by thewineraconteur

A couple that we tend to go out for dinner with suggested the restaurant Mabel Gray for an evening out.  My Bride and I first discovered Chef James Rigato when he had a charming restaurant in a strip center years ago called Root in White Lake Township.  He also was in a documentary film with another chef that we have followed Luciano Del Signore called a “Dinner in Abruzzo: A Journey Home with My Culinary Godfather.” I had been hesitant to try the restaurant, not because of the quality, but because there was this veil of mystery involving the menu and the tasting menu.  I have been a fan of tasting menus since my first with Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, followed by the likes of Jean Georges and Daniel Boulud.  The difference being that they published their tasting menu ahead of time, so that one could be concerned if they have food allergies or dislikes.  I sent an email for some clarification and was told that if I had a problem, it could be corrected that evening.    

The other couple and my Bride all went with “Tasting Menu” and I just ordered a couple of dishes from the menu, so I will only discuss my two meals.  When I asked our server what was going to be on the “Tasting Menu” that evening, she just looked at me and sneered “you will have to wait and be surprised, evidently you have never had a ‘tasting menu’ before” and chastised and belittled me at the table.  I was totally humiliated, but I tried not to ruin the evening for everyone else.  So, for my first course I had the Michigan Heirloom Tomato Salad, Nuoc Cham, cucumber, crispy tempura, shishito pepper, and herbs, but I asked not to have whipped tofu.  I had a glass of Bodega Ulacia Blanco Getariako Txakolina DO, Spain 2023.  Bodega Ulacia has been making wines for three generations in Getaria, the birthplace of Getariako Txakolina DO.  In 1989 the regulatory Council was created for the Txakolina DO and in 1990 the Getariako Txakolina DO was approved.  The word txakoli is Basque for wine village. They built a new winery in 2009.  The wine is a blend of ninety-five percent Hondarribi Zuri and five percent Hondarribi Beltza, and the vine are between five and sixty years of age.  The fruit is hand harvested, and pneumatic presses are used to extract the must, which is then fermented in Stainless-Steel temperature-controlled tanks. After a couple of months, the wine is bottled.  The wine is straw colored with natural effervescent sparkle and offers notes of tropical fruits and citrus, herbs and yeast.  On the palate this light-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of fizzy lemon and pineapple, a very crisp wine that ended with a medium-count finish of fruit, yeast and minerals.

In between my two courses, I had the pleasure to meet the Sommelier at the restaurant and she was trying to have me join their Champagne Society, but I was still fuming about the insult that I took, so I really wasn’t interested in future activity with Mabel Gray.  Our “waitress” told us that a lamb entrée was only offered to the Tasting Menu customers, so my Bride offered me that dish, but I also ordered their Griddled Baja Blue Fin Tuna with summer peperonata, crispy potato, arugula and herb salad.  My Bride had also booked the dinner, telling them that I was having a birthday and the restaurant also sent out their version of a Baked Alaska, that we all shared.   The wine list paled in comparison to the Champagne Society selection, but I opted for a red, in anticipation of the lamb entrée, and it was good that my dish was to be shared for two.  I ordered a glass of Paolo Scavino Langhe Nebbiolo DOC 2022.   Paolo Scavino was founded in 1921 in Castiglione Falletto by Lorenzo Sacavino and his son Paolo.  Enrico Scavino has been working at the winery sine 1951, at the age of ten, and he now manages the estate with his daughters, who are now the fourth generation.  The estate has twenty-three hectares entirely in Barolo, including lots in nineteen different Cru Vineyards. The Langhe Nebbiolo is pure Nebbiolo grapes coming from sites that the winery says enhances the more ethereal Nebbiolo aromatics and structure.  The wine undergoes fermentation at a low temperature, to ensure a soft extraction.  The wine then has a short period in neutral oak and then finishes the aging in Stainless-Steel to preserve the freshness of the grapes. The ruby-red wine offered notes of red cherry, raspberry and strawberries along with violets, white pepper and herbs, licorice and sous-bois.  On the palate the medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of cherry, raspberry, strawberry, plum, blueberry, and spices blending with supple tannins and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit, florals and terroir.  

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Quick Getaway

Posted on October 12, 2025 by thewineraconteur

During my monthlong period of revelry, we made a side trip for a scheduled stop, we also had a night to entertain ourselves.

We ended up having dinner one evening at The Village Anchor, the last time I was there was seven years ago, but my Bride has had a few visits there without me.  We were in the charming village of Anchorage on the east side of Louisville, and the establishment is actually two businesses.  On the lower level, which is better accessed from another parking lot is the Sea Hag which features a thirty-foot copper bar with a built-in ice trough to keep your beverage of choice well chilled. They off sixty-two beers and fifty-five bourbons.  Of course, we entered from the other parking lot and we were in the Village Anchor, which also has the Anchor Bar, a charming place that has incorporated the original crimson red beer taps from Churchill Down’s Silks Bar.  The restaurant has the feel of laid back elegance with an eclectic mix of brick, dark wood, velvet, wrought-iron and beautiful paintings in frames above the dining room on the ceiling.

We started our dinner by getting a couple of appetizers that we could share.  They had a plate of Three Crab Cakes pan seared with Avocado Aioli, as well as an order of hand cut Sweet Potato Fries seasoned with vanilla and brown sugar accompanied with two dipping sauces; one that was light Bourbon and cayenne, while the other was Bourbon-marshmallow crème.  My Bride had the sesame-crusted Yellow-fin Ahi Tuna Salad with spring-mix lettuces, mango, avocado with a Ginger-cilantro Vinagraitte accompanied with Wasabi and Sracha.  I had the Wagyu Burger with caramelized onions, Cheddar Cheese, “Anchor Candied-bacon,” garlic-aioli and a side of Roasted Rainbow Carrots.  We then shared a Crème Broulee, which we probably didn’t need, but it seemed proper.  I also get a kick out of the fact, that the dinner bill is brought out in a well-thumbed paper-back Romance novel.

We also had a bottle of Kysela Pere et Fils Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet Les Costieres de Pomerols 2023. Picpoul de Pinet is not seen here that often and the name of the grape translates to “sting the lips” from the highly acidic nature of the wine. Kysele Pere et Fils Ltd was founded in 1994 by Sommelier Fran Kysela, and today he works with two hundred suppliers from fifteen countries.  Les Costieres de Pomerols is a group affair that was started in 1932 and today has about three-hundred-fifty growers in the town of Pomerols in the coastal region of the former Coteaux du Languedoc, now the much larger Languedoc-Roussillon. The average age of the vines from this association is about twenty years planted on clay and limestone and is now into sustainable farming practices.  The fruit is picked at night, pneumatically pressed and the free running juice is under inert gas to maintain freshness.  The juice is allowed to settle for forty-eight hours and then temperature controlled Stainless-Steel tanks for fermentation with no Malolactic Fermentation. This pale-yellow wine offered notes of white fruits, grapefruits, and juniper, rosemary, thyme and sage.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displays tones of white fruit, citrus (especially grapefruit), herbs and spices with zesty acidity and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and chalky minerals.  I find it very refreshing and a bit racy.    

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Night of Dancing

Posted on October 9, 2025 by thewineraconteur

We were having a nice quiet dinner at home and all of a sudden, my Bride said let’s go dancing.  So, who am I to argue, another way to have fun during my month of birthday celebrating, and so we dressed up and away we went. 

We went to Chicane in the Old Village district of Plymouth, Michigan, because we enjoyed our dinner and night out that we had on another occasion.  They did a magnificent job renovating a restaurant that had been empty for several years.  A “chicane” is a serpentine curve, usually added by design, demanding skill and precision to navigate as racers gather speed and propel forward through the faster course that lies ahead.  In the old days, there were many nighteries that had live music and dancing along with food and drinks.  Before we got married, we even took dance lessons, so that we wouldn’t look like rank amateurs, and to this day we  still enjoy watching couples from our parent’s generation as they glide across the dance floor.  The restaurant has a small dance floor just in front of the stage for the band and is adjacent to the bar.

Our plan was to get either a table or sit at the bar and get some munchies and a bottle of wine.  A perfect way to spend a couple of hours.  At one time, we had actually looked at buying a house in Plymouth, but the city is surrounded by train tracks, which are a necessity and a necessary evil, but it can bring everything to a halt.  The restaurant lies right next to railway tracks, thankfully the insulation and structure is totally sound, that one doesn’t vibrate when a train goes by.  I was talking to the beverage manager, and he said that the bar, itself had to be rebuilt to keep the beverages and the glassware from bouncing around and having potential accidents.  In fact, while we were there, two trains passed by the restaurant, and if you look through the window behind the bar, you can see how close the trains are.

We ended up getting a couple of orders of Crab Cakes done in a classic style with lemon, arugula and a Remoulade Sauce and they were really good.  We had a bottle of Bernard Fouquet Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Cuvee de Silex Loire 2023.  Bernard Fouquet took over the reins of the winery in 1980 from his father after getting experience in both Alsace and Burgundy, before returning to the Loire. Domaine des Aubuisieres began in 1982 with a few inherited parcels of vines, and it now spans thirty-three hectares in Vouvray of Chenin Blanc and now the vines are fifty to sixty years of age.  Eighty percent of the vineyard is located on the prime slopes of Vouvray, showcasing two types of soil: seventy-five percent is clay and limestone (on the hillsides) and twenty-five percent is clay and silex (on the edges of the plateau).  The “silex” is the traditional terroir of Vouvray with its distinguishing flint soils.  Chenin Blanc has been referred to as Pinot de Loire.   Since 2023, the estate has begun transitioning to organic farming.  Vinification is done using Stainless-Steel tanks with temperature-control to maintain the wine’s freshness.  This classic off-dry wine is a pale-golden color that offers notes of grapefruit, white fruits, jasmine and honeysuckle, and flint.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of peaches, pears, grapefruit, with traces of melon, lemon, white pepper and anise blending seamlessly with mouthwatering acidity and ending with a nice long-count of fruit and flint (terroir).                                           

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Being a Tourist in Detroit

Posted on October 6, 2025 by thewineraconteur

One of the joys of my month-long birthday celebrations was that my Bride and her friends put up with it.  One day, we had a day trip to Detroit and went to a famed studio and school; and then off to a restaurant that all of hadn’t been to in over thirty years.

We went to see the Pewabic Studio/Gallery/School which the three of us had never visited.  It was founded in 1903 and is one of the oldest continually operating potteries in the country.  The studio is a National Historic Landmark. Pewabic became a leader of the Arts & Crafts movement in Detroit.  They have achieved national acclaim for their unique iridescent glazes that they have formulated. On the second level is a museum of some of their major installations across the country and especially Metro Detroit, including copies of architectural drawings.  It may sound like I have lost my mind and perhaps I have, but I have to mention, and I mentioned it to the two ladies, that they must avail themselves of the facilities while there.  William Randolph Hearst and Shah Jahan would be impressed.  And yes, my Bride and her one friend took turns trying to buy each other special gifts to remember the day.

We also had lunch at Sinbad’s Restaurant & Marina.  For over seventy years, Sinbad’s has been part of the Detroit riverfront, as people arrive there by car and by boat for their hospitality.  Sinbad’s began in 1949 by two brothers-in-law, and it is still in the family.  I first went there when I was in high school and then I have been there by car and boat over the years, but it was so refreshing to revisit the place.  The ladies both decided on the Coconut Shrimp Salad with Michigan dried cherries, toasted almonds and red onions, and of course they both wanted their dressing on the side.  I had the Buster’s Angus Burger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, Cheddar cheese, grilled onions and bacon along with a platter of real French fries for us to nibble on. 

Sinbad’s is not a frou-frou place, so don’t expect anything exotic, as they cater to the boating crowd, who want good food and beverages.  The wine list was short and sweet, and I selected something that we could all enjoy.  We had Les Alliés Sparkling Brut Rosé France NV.  This producer has a wide range of wines and varietals from France, and some of the least expensive series of wines as well.  Crafted through an alliance of passionate winemakers from across France to “celebrate the heritage, mastery, and innovation of French viticulture. I don’t think that I will go to far out on a limb to claim that this wine is made using a bulk method, and the grapes are not listed. Be that, as it may, it was a good and festive drink for the occasion.  A soft golden colored wine with a tint of coral showing medium size bubbles offered notes of white cherries, strawberries, vanilla and rose petals.  On the palate this sparkling wine displayed tones of cherry, strawberries, pomegranate and ended with a nice medium-count finish of pastry rather than brioche, fruit and citrus zest. 

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Another Great Meal at the Walloon Lake Inn

Posted on October 3, 2025 by thewineraconteur

As I continue with how my Bride pampers me, when I am a rightful gent.   I must admit that I always accuse my Bride of being repetitious in her selections, but I totally agreed that we had to have dinner while we were up north at the Walloon Lake Inn.  It began as a quaint country inn on the shores of Walloon Lake, back in 1891.  Originally called Fern Cottage, it was a haven for the travelers, who enjoyed northern Michigan by carriage, train, or steamboat. In 1981, it became the Walloon Lake Inn, as a “bed and breakfast” and a restaurant.  In 2014, there was a total renovation, and it became the current Walloon Lake Inn.  Of course, we were there to take advantage of their early bird (Senior’s Special) which is fine, because going back to almost the earliest days in retail, back in 1972, I was the low man on the totem pole and I was appointed to have my dinner break at 4:30 and to this day, it is a hard habit to break.

We started off our meal, by having my Bride enjoying their Caesar Salad of Romaine lettuce, croutons, heirloom cherry tomatoes, Parmesan crisp with John Cross smoked whitefish pâté Caesar dressing.  I had their Gnocchi filled with wild mushrooms, roasted garlic, Sherry cream and fresh herbs. We began by enjoying Charles Ninot Methode Traditionelle Brut France NV from Famille Piffaut.  From what I can gather, this wine is made at a young winery in the Languedoc region, in a vineyard with a high altitude.  It is a French alternative to Italian Prosecco, made from Chardonnay grapes that are picked early in the season to maintain freshness and then produced under the classic method compared to the bulk method for sparkling wines.  A soft-golden colored wine with plenty of medium-sized bubbles that offered notes of citrus and exotic fruits.  On the palate this medium-bodied crisp wine displayed tones of citrus, pineapples, lemon zest with a touch of brioche, ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and candied lemon zest. 

For our entrées the menus arrived with a salutation of “Happy Birthday!” as my Bride always tries to see if there is something special done by the house.  My Bride had the Chilean Sea Bass with stir-fried Asian vegetables, Bamboo rice, and a Ginger-Miso citrus Beurre Blanc.  I am becoming a creature of habit also, as I had Braised Short Ribs with Fingerling potato hash, roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut squash and a house-made Demi-glace.  Afterwards we had our decaffeinated coffees and shared a Chocolate Tarte with salted caramel and Vanilla bean ice cream.  We then started with Stoller Family Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, Oregon 2023.  Stoller Family Estate began as a second-generation family farm in 1943 to raise turkeys, and in 1993 Bill Stoller acquired the property from his father and uncle with the vision of a winery.  The vineyard is the largest contiguous vineyard in Oregon’s Dundee Hills and comprises 400 acres with 225 acres dedicated to vines with an elevation of 210 to 650 feet. The south-facing vineyard is planted on Jory, a fertile and well-drained red soil that is the Dundee Hills.  The Pinot Noir grapes start as a cluster that are sorted and removed unwanted materials, then destemmed, the whole berries go into tanks at cool temperatures for about ten days.  The Initial Fermentation usually takes five to seven days, and then the wine is pressed.  The wine is then aged for about ten months in French Oak and then bottled.  This deep burgundy colored wine offered notes of black cherry, cassis, cedar and sous-bois.   On the palate this medium-bodied well-balanced wine displayed tones of rich brandied cherries, ethereal tones of soil, blending with supple tannins and ending with a medium to long-count finish of fruit and terroir. 

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pepi Lignana

Posted on September 30, 2025 by thewineraconteur

Through social media, I was introduced to Fattoria Il Casalone Pepi Lignana and later, so was my local wine shop The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  Pepi Lignana has been making wine since 1960, and now there is three generations in the winery.  They have twenty hectares of vines in the Tuscan region of Maremma, facing the eastern lagoon of Orbetello.  The staff at The Fine Wine Source and I had a chance to try three of their wines.

The first wine that we had was Fattoria Il Casalone Pepi Lignana “Leopoldino” Tuscan Maremma Vermentino DOC 2022.  This wine is a blend of eighty-five percent Vermentino and fifteen percent Viognier; and of the twenty hectares of vineyards on the estate, eight hectares are devoted to Vermentino which can handle the loamy, sandy and clay terrain as well as the sea air.  The fruit is manually harvested, then gently pressed and Fermentation lasts for twenty day in a temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks and then aged for seven months on fine lees.  The straw-yellow colored wine offered notes of peaches, apricots, golden apples, violets and wisp of salt-air.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced displayed tones of stone fruits and apples ending with a nice medium-count finish of fruit, spices, honey and saline.  I think the addition of the Viognier adds character and elegance to the Vermentino.

The second wine that we had from Fattoria Il Casalone Pepi Lignana “Poggio Colombi” Cabernet Toscana Maremma DOC 2022.  Tuscana Maremma wines are a brighter and more modern concept of wines from the Tuscan region.  The wines tend to be more varietal driven, and they have a designation for “Cabernet” which may be Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon or Carmenere, alone or in combination; this wine was seventy percent Cabernet Sauvignon, twenty percent Cabernet Franc and ten percent Petit Verdot.  The fruit is grown on land that is loamy, sandy and clay terrain and the sea breeze. After the fruit is manually harvested, it undergoes Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation, then it is aged for twelve months in second-used French oak barriques and then another six months in bottle before release.  A rich ruby colored wine that offered notes of dark fruits, wild berries, spices, tobacco leaf and sous-bois.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of black and red cherry, blackberry, blending with silky tannins and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit, spices, leather and terroir.  

The final wine of the tasting was Fattoria Il Casalone Pepi Lignana “Il Cucchetto” Toscana Maremma DOC 2020.  “Il Cucchetto” was pure Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the estate’s vineyard of loamy, sandy and clay terrain and the sea breezes.  Though looking at their website, perhaps later vintages of this wine had fifteen percent Petit Verdot.  The fruit is manually harvested, pressed and undergoes Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation, with additional racking for ten days, and then it is aged for eighteen months in French Oak barrels, and then an additional six months of aging in bottle before release.  This deep ruby colored wine offered notes of black and red fruit, wild berries, spices, menthol and sous-bois.  On the palate the full-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of black and red cherries, blackberries, cassis with assorted spices blending seamlessly with mellow tannins and ending with a long-count finish of fruit, tobacco, and terroir.  A delightful red and total consensus by the group that this was the winner.       

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Fine Wine Source Club – September 2025

Posted on September 27, 2025 by thewineraconteur

Now in the midst of my monthlong birthday celebration we also picked up our monthly club wines from The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan and we did have some wine tastings during the month as well and I am like a kid in the proverbial candy store.

The first wine is the Spelletich Cellars Zinfandel Reserve Amador County 2017 from the Spelletich Family Wine Company.  Spelletich Family Wine Company started in 1994, and their first three wines were: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Bodog Red (which became their immensely popular blend thirty years later).  They have three brands and a thriving custom crush business.  They produce about two hundred fifty cases per year from grapes sourced from Napa vineyards.  The custom-crush arm of the company which produces wine for clients from crush-to-bottle and everything in between.  A family-owned business with three generations working together.  This wine is pure Zinfandel from Alviso Vineyard in Amador County and was aged for twelve months in a blend of American and French Oak.  A medium garnet red wine that offers notes of dark plum, black cherry, blackberry, prunes along with cedar, chocolate, coffee, caramel and cinnamon.  On the palate this full-bodied, well-balanced wine displays tones of blackberry, dark cherry, boysenberry, prunes, chocolate in a “jammy” wine with integrated tannins and finishing with a medium-count finish with fruit, chocolate and tobacco leaf.

The second wine from the club is Tua Tua Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand 2023 by David Clouston.  In a small coastal village in New Zealand there is a legend about a mysterious seashell called Tua Tua.  It is said to represent good luck and prosperity and is kept and revered as a talisman.  David Clouston crafts distinctive, innovative Marlborough wines that reflect the valleys where they are grown.  His grapes are grown on the clay soils of the high-density planted Brookby Hill Vineyard along with select sites in the Awatere and Wairau Valleys.  His winemaking techniques include native fermentation, aging in concrete egg tanks, large oak cuvées, a range of French Oak barrels, and clay amphora.  The wines are bottled, unfiltered and unfined to preserve complexity and texture.  This wine is pure Sauvignon Blanc and is described as a delicate straw-like hue that offers notes pineapple guava, elderflower, currants and wet stones.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displays tones of kiwi, passion fruit, pineapple, pink grapefruit and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and lime zest. 

And while we were there picking up the club wines, we were also poured some a tasting of La Bioca “Zabalda” Barbera D’Alba 2022. La Bioca is a small vineyard estate comprised of nine hectares located in the hills of Langhe, in the municipalities of Monforte d’Alba, Novello, La Morra and Barbaresco.  Zabalda is named after the prior owner of the vineyard and is pure Barbera.  Barbera is usually thought of after Barolo and Barbaresco and is thought of as an alternative to the other two.  All around Alba are rolling hills and Barbera vines thrive on the chalky, limestone-rich clay soils, and the best vineyards are sites closest to Barolo.  This wine is pure Barbera, the fruit is manually harvested, destemmed and cool fermented in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks for about eight days and then an additional maturation for six months. A reddish-purple wine that offered notes of cherries, raspberries, and blueberries with additional notes of lavender and roses.  On the palate this dry, medium-bodied wine displayed tones of the fruits, juicy acidity with fine tannins and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and spices.

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Walloon Watershed

Posted on September 24, 2025 by thewineraconteur

We were on our way for dinner, but as we were leaving Boyne Valley Vineyards, they asked where we were going to eat, and they suggested that since we were going to be in the neighborhood, we should stop at Walloon Watershed and check out the newest wine bar and tavern.  We had some time before our dinner reservation, and I am always interested in checking out a new place of interest.

We found Walloon Watershed in the heart of Walloon Lake Village and a very easy walk to the lake, I mean, even I would not build up a sweat walking there.  While it was in a brand-new small strip center, the tavern itself evoked the charm of the village.   My Bride parted company with me, as she saw a coffee shop and that is one of her beverages of choice, so she left me to my own devices.   They had a well curated wine carte, locally produced craft beers and as they proclaimed, “meticulously crafted cocktails.”  I was intrigued and I had to walk around a bit, being the curious person that I am.  It was a very comfortable shop, with a private room for ten for a small gathering, and they offered small artisanal plates for sharing.  I even saw an interesting bottle of Hometown Horseradish Vodka with Natural Horseradish Flavor that was made by Detroit City Distillery from pure Michigan corn vodka.  I thought would be ideal for Bloody Mary’s or for our brother-in-law who hails from Canada, especially for his Caesar of Bloody Caesar where Clamato Juice is substituted for Tomato Juice.

As I was waiting for my Bride to finish with her coffee next door, I opted for something chilled and Maison La Saget La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc Vin de Table 2023.  The Saget family has been producing wines from both sides of the Loire River for nine generations since 1790.  They only produce wines that are either Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir, using fruit from their estate as well as long- term partnerships in the south of France.  Their vineyards are certified for biodiversity, with careful management of fertilizers and water conservation.  The harvested fruit is half manually picked, and the other half is mechanically harvested, pressed and clarified for twenty-four hours.  The wine undergoes cold maceration and then fermentation in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks for eight days. The wine is then aged on fine lees for around four months and then bottled to maintain freshness.  The pale-yellow colored wine offered notes of peach, mango, lemongrass, white florals, citrus, and camphor.  On the palate this light to medium bodied, well-balanced wine displayed notes of grapefruit, lemon, lime and minerals, ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and a saline finish. 

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Quick Stop at Boyne Valley Vineyards

Posted on September 21, 2025 by thewineraconteur

My Bride likes to drive, as compared to me, who only likes driving on freeways away from municipalities; my Bride was a Road Warrior, since I have known her.   As she was driving on main roads in northern Michigan, she pulled into another winery after we left Petoskey, and the winery was Boyne Valley Vineyards.  I mean they are really a relatively new winery, because by the time this article is published, it will be around their Fifth Anniversary.  Now, if you are thinking that I am pulling a fast one on you, let me explain that I have mentioned Boyne before.  There is a Boyne, Boyne Highlands, Boyne Mountain and Boyne Falls in Michigan and while I have mentioned a couple, we have not been to them all. The winery backs up to a scenic one-hundred-thirteen-acre nature preserve.  My Bride thought she had found another winery for us to explore, and as we “bellied” up to the tasting bar, the tasting manager said, that she remembered us, because I write a wine blog.  I wonder what gave me away, was it the note pad that I produced, the questions that I started asking, or was it that I may be the only individual up north with a sport coat and a Panama Straw hat.

We tasted the white wines that were being poured that day.  The wines are aged in plastic tanks for four months.  We had the Boyne Valley Vineyards Estate Itasca White Wine Tip of the Mitt AVA Michigan 2024.  Itasca is a Cold Hardy Grape that was bred at the University of Minnesota in 2002 and released in 2017.  There are some years that the berries turn a pinkish shade, but it is still considered a white variety.  It is a crossing of Frontenac Gris and Seyval.  A soft yellow colored wine that offered notes of pear, melon, citrus and honey.  On the palate this light-bodied wine displayed tones of pear, and melon with moderate acidity and had a short-count finish of fruit and lemon zest.  We also had the Boyne Valley Vineyards Cayuga White Michigan 2023.   Cayuga is also a Cold Hardy grape that is a French American hybrid, found in the Finger Lakes and in Michigan, Vermont, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.  It is a crossing of Schuyler and Seyval Blanc that was bred in 1945 but not released until 1972. This pale straw-yellow colored wine offered notes of lemon zest and green melon.  On the palate this light-bodied wine displayed tones citrus and melon, some acidity and ending with a short-count finish of fruit and foxing.  We also had Boyne Valley Vineyards La Crescent Tip of the Mitt AVA Michigan 2024.  La Crescent is a Cold Hardy grape developed by the University of Minnesota and is a crossing of Saint-Pepin and a Muscat Hamburg.  This soft yellow colored wine offered notes of pineapple and lemon zest.  On the palate this semi-dry light-bodied wine displayed tones of tropical fruits, stone fruit, and citrus fruit with light acidity and a short-count finish of fruit and lemon-zest.

While we were tasting and discussing wines, I learned that the fruit is manually harvested by friends and family of the winery. The last wine that I will mention is Boyne Valley Vineyards Frontenac Bliss White Wine Tip of the Mitt AVA Michigan 2023.   This wine was aged for four months in plastic tanks, but with the addition of Oak Staves in the tanks.  Frontenac is another French American Cold Hardy grape developed at the University of Minnesota in 1978 from a crossing between Landot Noir (itself a cross between Landal Noir and Villard Blanc) and a native local wild  grape; and it was released in 1996 as Frontenac.  In 1992 a mutation occurred on a Frontenac vine at the Minnesota Horticultural Research Center resulting in a gray grape called Frontenac Gris.  A further mutation occurred and was released in 2012 as Frontenac Blanc.  This wine is a blending of Frontenac Gris and Frontenac Blanc.  This yellow-colored wine offers notes of white fruit, vanilla, caramel and spices.  On the palate this semi-dry light-bodied wine with moderate acidity displayed tones of green apples, stone fruit and a short-count finish of fruit and vanilla. 

   

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment