Pale straw color. Zesty on the nose, with limes, lemons, guava, topped with nettle, white pepper and cucumber slices. Pleasantly light and fresh on the palate with crisp, zesty acidity and flavors of lemons and limes drizzled over guava. Notes of chalk and white flowers mix with nettle, mint and white pepper. A crisp, bright, vibrant, easy-drinking style of Sauv Blanc.
Light yellow color. Juicy aromas of green and yellow apples, kiwi, topped in yellow flowers and chalk dust. Plush texture, nice depth, but this is a bright and zesty Chardonnay with a salty, chalky streak to match the green apples and lemon curd. A cool mix of breezy floral and deeper honey and raw almond notes, with an underlying mineral streak. A pure, zesty, impressive Chardonnay from Michigan.
Medium yellow color. Aromas of juicy peaches, green melon, with a lovely flinty, mineral, chalky, mountain stream aesthetic, and plenty of flowers. Crisp and nervy on the palate, lots of texture and depth but so tangy, brisk and dry, too. White peaches, limes, lemons, mixed with complex floral and honey notes. Lovely stony, mineral, crushed shell aspect. I’ve enjoyed this producer before but this is an eye-opening Old Mission Peninsula Riesling. Crazy value. 10.5% alcohol.
Light raspberry color. Smells of subtle red fruits and floral tones, raspberries, sour red apple, roses and some white pepper. Crisp acidity on the palate, this shows high-toned red fruit (crunchy red apple, tangy cherry), along with rose petals and white pepper. Fun, straightforward, tangy, stuff, not too complex, but well made. A saignée method pink made from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Meunier, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Gamay.
Bright purple color. Love the nose: tart cherries, red currants, pomegranate, with elements of earth, pepper and rose petals. Crisp acidity frames this wine so well, and light tannins provide enough structure, but this goes down easily, with juicy but tart cherries, cranberries and red currants. Notes of roses, violets, black pepper, black tea and mushroom add significant complexity. A spicy, tart, vibrant, fruity, eye-opening Gamay for me. This was the first vintage of Gamay from this winery’s Jamieson Vineyard, and if this is any sign, this is a wine to pay attention to in the future.
Deep ruby color. Intense aromatics with tons of spice (black pepper, tobacco, clove) along with roses and tangy red currants. Dusty, light tannins on the palate with crisp, crunchy acidity. A leaner style with tangy red currants, red and black cherries. Lots of roses, pepper, sage, tobacco, over a constantly zippy aesthetic. Fresh, vibrant, interesting stuff! Includes 15% Merlot, aged nine months in a mix of French oak.
Pale ruby color. Bright and vibrant on the nose, rose petals, rhubarb, clove, white pepper, along with red cherries, cranberries, red apples, love the spicy edge to it. Medium-bodied on the palate with brisk, refreshing acidity and light, fine-grained tannins. Bright and crunchy with herbal tones that pop (rose petals, rhubarb, white pepper, clove). A bright style but shows some smoothness and velvety appeal, too.
Light purple color. Aromas of tart cherries and red plums, along with rose hips, spicy pepper, sliced bell pepper and smoky tar. Medium-bodied on the palate with zippy acidity and lean tannins, a brisk approach here. Tart plums and cherries topped in spicy pepper, anise, rhubarb and soy. Lighter, fresher, veggie-friendly style. A blend of 61% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and 1% Pinot Noir.
Light straw color. Aromas of sugar cane, white flowers, clean laundry, on top of white peaches, honey and spiced tea. Plump and rich on the palate, sweet and honeyed but crisp, vibrant acidity throughout, and the depth is impressive. Oranges, white peaches, apricots, honeyed and juicy but vibrant and crisp with mineral, chalky, floral elements. This is lovely, balanced stuff. 8.5% alcohol, 8.75% residua sugar.
2016 Black Star Farms Sauvignon Blanc Arcturos 86 Points
USA, Michigan, Leelanau Peninsula
Pale straw color. Zesty on the nose, with limes, lemons, guava, topped with nettle, white pepper and cucumber slices. Pleasantly light and fresh on the palate with crisp, zesty acidity and flavors of lemons and limes drizzled over guava. Notes of chalk and white flowers mix with nettle, mint and white pepper. A crisp, bright, vibrant, easy-drinking style of Sauv Blanc.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Bowers Harbor Chardonnay Unwooded 88 Points
USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula
Light yellow color. Juicy aromas of green and yellow apples, kiwi, topped in yellow flowers and chalk dust. Plush texture, nice depth, but this is a bright and zesty Chardonnay with a salty, chalky streak to match the green apples and lemon curd. A cool mix of breezy floral and deeper honey and raw almond notes, with an underlying mineral streak. A pure, zesty, impressive Chardonnay from Michigan.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Chateau Grand Traverse Dry Riesling 90 Points
USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula
Medium yellow color. Aromas of juicy peaches, green melon, with a lovely flinty, mineral, chalky, mountain stream aesthetic, and plenty of flowers. Crisp and nervy on the palate, lots of texture and depth but so tangy, brisk and dry, too. White peaches, limes, lemons, mixed with complex floral and honey notes. Lovely stony, mineral, crushed shell aspect. I’ve enjoyed this producer before but this is an eye-opening Old Mission Peninsula Riesling. Crazy value. 10.5% alcohol.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Hawthorne Vineyards Rosé 85 Points
USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula
Light raspberry color. Smells of subtle red fruits and floral tones, raspberries, sour red apple, roses and some white pepper. Crisp acidity on the palate, this shows high-toned red fruit (crunchy red apple, tangy cherry), along with rose petals and white pepper. Fun, straightforward, tangy, stuff, not too complex, but well made. A saignée method pink made from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Meunier, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Gamay.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2017 Mari Vineyards Gamay Noir 90 Points
USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula
Bright purple color. Love the nose: tart cherries, red currants, pomegranate, with elements of earth, pepper and rose petals. Crisp acidity frames this wine so well, and light tannins provide enough structure, but this goes down easily, with juicy but tart cherries, cranberries and red currants. Notes of roses, violets, black pepper, black tea and mushroom add significant complexity. A spicy, tart, vibrant, fruity, eye-opening Gamay for me. This was the first vintage of Gamay from this winery’s Jamieson Vineyard, and if this is any sign, this is a wine to pay attention to in the future.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 2 Lads Cabernet Franc 88 Points
USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula
Deep ruby color. Intense aromatics with tons of spice (black pepper, tobacco, clove) along with roses and tangy red currants. Dusty, light tannins on the palate with crisp, crunchy acidity. A leaner style with tangy red currants, red and black cherries. Lots of roses, pepper, sage, tobacco, over a constantly zippy aesthetic. Fresh, vibrant, interesting stuff! Includes 15% Merlot, aged nine months in a mix of French oak.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Brys Estate Pinot Noir Reserve 87 Points
USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula
Pale ruby color. Bright and vibrant on the nose, rose petals, rhubarb, clove, white pepper, along with red cherries, cranberries, red apples, love the spicy edge to it. Medium-bodied on the palate with brisk, refreshing acidity and light, fine-grained tannins. Bright and crunchy with herbal tones that pop (rose petals, rhubarb, white pepper, clove). A bright style but shows some smoothness and velvety appeal, too.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Chateau Chantal Proprietor's Reserve Trio 85 Points
USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula
Light purple color. Aromas of tart cherries and red plums, along with rose hips, spicy pepper, sliced bell pepper and smoky tar. Medium-bodied on the palate with zippy acidity and lean tannins, a brisk approach here. Tart plums and cherries topped in spicy pepper, anise, rhubarb and soy. Lighter, fresher, veggie-friendly style. A blend of 61% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and 1% Pinot Noir.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Peninsula Cellars Late Harvest Riesling 87 Points
USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula
Light straw color. Aromas of sugar cane, white flowers, clean laundry, on top of white peaches, honey and spiced tea. Plump and rich on the palate, sweet and honeyed but crisp, vibrant acidity throughout, and the depth is impressive. Oranges, white peaches, apricots, honeyed and juicy but vibrant and crisp with mineral, chalky, floral elements. This is lovely, balanced stuff. 8.5% alcohol, 8.75% residua sugar.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue