Pull out your tasting notebooks for two large wine events this week: The first is the annual Great Lakes Great Wine tasting and strolling dinner at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills, starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 17. The second is the Great Lakes Wine and Beer festival at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn,… Continue reading
Wine
Resident wine expert Sandra Silfven on all things vino
Weekend Wine: Cellar No. 8 Chardonnay
Cellar No. 8 Chardonnay 2010, $8-$10: This northern Sonoma County winery has a reputation for dry reds that are affordable and satisfy demanding palates. The Chardonnay, however, pleasantly surprised me with its zesty personality, its fruit-forward punch of apple, pear, white peach and nectarine, even with hints of spicy oak. It’s now on my go-to… Continue reading
Awards, inside stories at the Michigan Wine Showcase
The recent Michigan Wine Showcase at the Rattlesnake painted a bright canvas of today’s Michigan wine industry — the vintners with lots of experience who keep trying new things, the newer wineries finding their groove … and brand new wineries finding their way. More from my notebook: The buzz at Chateau Fontaine and Black Star Farms tables was the way… Continue reading
A conversation with Michigan's Jon Treloar from J. Trees Cellars
The new J. Trees Cellars is an easy outing for Metro Detroiters, with a tasting room in Lenawee County’s quaint village of Blissfield. Owner/winemaker Jon Treloar has the inside track on commercial winemaking from his days at Michigan State University as Dr. Stan Howell’s research enologist. He made the wines and worked in the vineyard at Spartan Cellars, a… Continue reading
Weekend Wine: Cono Sur Pinot Noir
Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2011, $9-$12: This is one of the prettiest Pinots you will find at this price. Adolfo Hurtado, winemaker and the face of this fabulous property in southern Chile, produces the most Pinot Noir of any winery in the country. This one has good balance, with lovely ripe fruit flavors (cherries, strawberries,… Continue reading
Michigan wineries put on a show at the Rattlesnake
Twenty three state wineries, most with owners or winemakers present, rolled out their best bottles of the 2010 and 2011 vintages at the third annual Michigan Wine Showcase on Monday at the Rattlesnake, where not only the public, but local restaurant managers, chefs, store owners and media got a taste. The Rattlesnake — thanks to… Continue reading
Weekend Wine: I'M Deep Rose Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
I’M Deep Rose Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, $18: This stylish, rare rose of Cabernet Sauvignon is from Michael Mondavi’s prized Atlas Peak and Pope Valley vineyards in Napa Valley. It’s named for Mondavi’s wife, Isabel, who fell in love with this wine style, and it eventually went from being a few cases for family… Continue reading
Brys Estate's Stassen is on target with velvety reds, unique whites
Coenraad Stassen, the South African born winemaker and vineyard manager at Brys Estate on Old Mission Peninsula, has found his groove. Stassen is a master of fruit-forward, velvety red wines — he can make Cabernet Francs and Pinot Noirs that sing — and dry whites like the newest Gewurztraminer and Dry Riesling that are packed with flavor… Continue reading
Weekend Wine: Las Rocas Garnacha
Las Rocas Garnacha 2009 Calatayud (Spain), $9-$14: Garnacha, the grape variety the French call Grenache, makes a fruit-packed, delicious, approachable dry red grown on the arid, unforgiving rocky soils of Spain’s Aragon region. The Vinas Viejas, or “old vines” wine, about $20, is made off vines from 60 to 100 years old. It’s more difficult to… Continue reading
St. Julian introduces new red and Reserve Late Harvest Riesling
Just in time for Michigan Wine Month, St. Julian is rolling out two new wines that are delicious, affordable and available — a trifecta for wine lovers! The new 2011 St. Julian Late Harvest Reserve Riesling, $12.99, in fact, is the total wine package I have been waiting to see in this state — a… Continue reading