The expanded tasting room at Chateau Chantal. (Marie-Chantal Dalese)
Old Mission Peninsula, a straight shot up M-37 out of Traverse City, offers one of the easiest-to-drive and scenic wine trails in the state, and you can experience it yourself on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 11 to 5 p.m., when the wineries pour the state’s signature grape for “Romancing the Riesling.” Details: Tickets are $15… Continue reading
Colby Red California 2010 (Treasury Wine Estates)
Colby Red California 2010, $12.99: This dry red blend is not just another bottle on the shelf but a money maker for people, especially kids, with heart trouble. Colby Groom, the 13-year-old son of famed winemaker Daryl Groom, was born with a heart defect and has undergone numerous surgeries. To help give back for the… Continue reading
It’s time to put a little sparkle in your life. You know, welcome in the new year with a glass of wine that has lots of tiny bubbles in it. Bubblies run the gamut in flavor, style, production method and origin. They don’t just come from France and California, and Larry Mawby in northern Michigan.… Continue reading
One way to cut corners on your holiday spending for wine is to hit the deep-discounters. Like, really deep. I mean ALDI . You know, the food market where they corral the carts and make you pack your own bags — and you may be in for some surprises. The German-owned chain that has been… Continue reading
Cupcake Vineyards Dry Riesling Columbia Valley 2010, $9-$10: Cupcake Vineyards hits ’em out of the ballpark. Cupcake partners with vineyards all over the world to produce top-notch, affordable wines. And the grapes from Washington’s Columbia Valley make this one sing. It’s so true to form: grapefruit, pineapple, nectarine, white flowers and a blast of minerality. It’s… Continue reading
Santi Montedoro Moscato 2010, $12: Have you explored today’s offerings of Moscato, both domestic and Italian? If not, you’re missing out. Yes, they are sweet, and the good ones, like this, are balanced, and they have the fruit and acidity to last forever after you open them, and play off spicy Asian dishes and even sweet… Continue reading
Parducci Small Lot Blend Pinot Noir 2009, California, $11-$14: This old, legendary label has undergone a total makeover in the hands of owners Tom and Tim Thornhill and Paul Dolan. On a quest to be the greenest winery in theU.S., it is the country’s first carbon neutral winery, meaning no greenhouse gases are emitted. In… Continue reading
With celebrations’ and parties in the holiday forecast, perhaps you need more wines in your pantry — or a special gift to put in somebody’s stocking. Make it red to match the festivities. The chill in the night air, glittering snowflakes and pace of the season call for something yummy and relaxing. Here are some… Continue reading
This crisp, tart Sauvignon Blanc is from the Marlborough District of New Zealand. (Starborough) Starborough Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2010, $10-$13. The Marlborough District on New Zealand’s South Island grows crisp, tart, complex Sauvignon Blancs like this one. In the mouth, it’s dry and tart, but not austere; on the nose it’s like a fine… Continue reading
Mark Anusbigian, president of Westborn Market, has his own label, Market White. (Brandy Baker / The Detroit News) When it comes to food and wine trends, local is the new organic. Talk to Mark Anusbigian, president of Westborn Market, and count all the local artisan products in the stores. Circling the wagons around our Michigan… Continue reading