Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)

CellarTracker Main Site

Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Cellar Talk] >> General Discussion >> Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan) - 9/3/2015 9:40:11 AM

Vino Me

Posts: 144
Joined: 3/27/2007
From: Chicago/South Haven, MI
Status: offline

2015 WYNCROFT WINERY VISIT (MICHIGAN) - Wyncroft Winery, South Haven, Michigan (8/29/2015-9/1/2015)

I visited this winery again with a few other board members from the Chicago area last weekend (Allred, LostVerse and our wives). The owner/winemaker, Jim Lester, has been in his new location for over a year now. Tastings are by appointment only and his Wyncroft wines are sold by mailing list only and at some select fine restaurants. I have been visiting, buying and tasting Jim's wines for over 10 years now and the lineup of wines he currently has is by far the most impressive. Anyone who lives in Michigan or has an interest in tasting the best wines that Michigan has to offer needs to contact Jim and get on his list (http://www.wyncroftwine.com/). These wines will change your opinion about the potential of Southwest Michigan and what can be accomplished by a dedicated and skilled winemaker. We were lucky that many of the wines we tasted came from the exceptional 2012 vintage and the very good 2013 vintage. Jim was very generous with the wines he opened and spent about 3 hours with us. I scored 7 wines in the outstanding or potentially outstanding category (90+) with one of them getting a classic score of 95. Here are my notes:

Riesling

2009 Wyncroft Riesling Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. Despite being a cooler year, this wine was ripe. The grapes were picked in November at 19.8 brix and Jim chapitalized the wine. 12.8% alcohol. Solid acidity. These vines were planted in 1989-1990. Gold color. Fine minerality at first with grapefruit notes. Once it warmed up it showed some crushed grape skin flavors as well. Bone dry and expansive on the palate. 89-90 points.

2011 Wyncroft Riesling Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. First time I have had this wine. Another cool year but warmer than 2009 and as a result, Jim did not have to chapitalize this wine. A little bit of petrol on the nose. As this wine warmed up it became more aromatic with floral aromas. Fruitier than the 2009. This wine is in its prime now. Long legs with moderate acidity. Notes of smoke, pears and apples. Dry Austrian in style. Well balanced. 90 points

2013 Wyncroft Riesling Wren Song Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. This was the last wine we tried (Jim didn't seem to want us to leave and kept opening bottles). Grapes were harvested in October. Very minerally with notes of grapefruit and lime. Solid acidic backbone. Not giving this a score because we tasted it out of order. No score.

2013 Wyncroft Riesling Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. We tried this after the reds. This wine took longer to ferment and as a result received extended lees contact. A savory wine with a leesy character and notes of citrus, wet stones and white fruit. Tasted leaner than when I had this last year. No score because of tasting this out of order. However, when I had this last year I thought it could be the best Riesling Jim has made.

Chardonnay

2013 Wyncroft Chardonnay Cuvée Rae Lee Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. Last had this from barrel a year ago. 2013 was a very good but not great year in SW Michigan. Made in an unoaked Chablis style. 13.5% alcohol. Similar notes as before. Fresh honeycrisp apples, cool pears and some spices. A touch of heat on the finish. 87 points.

2011 Wyncroft Chardonnay Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. First time I have had this wine. The Chardonnay vines in the Avonlea vineyard are old California clones from Robert Young and Mt. Eden. Light gold color. Creamy texture and rather opulent. Notes of butterscotch (which Jim thought tasted more like creme brulee), white pepper and poached peaches. I'm curious to see what Allred and TLV gave this wine as they prefer Chard much more than I do. 88 points.

2013 Wyncroft Chardonnay Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Barrel sample at the winery. 2nd barrel sample I've had with the other being a year ago. This wine will be bottle in early September. 13.5% alcohol. Notes of vanilla, toast points, citrus and cactus. The finish had some warmth to it. I preferred the 2011 which we had from bottle. 87 points.

Pinot Noir

2012 Wyncroft Pinot Noir Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (8/29/2015)
From bottle at the winery. This has been bottled for 1 year. A ruby/scarlet color. Wonderful structure and elegant for being so young and from a ripe vintage. 2012 was a hot year which produced very ripe fruit. Bright fruit with notes of pomegranite, roses and cherries. Fine silky tannins. A lovely well proportioned wine. Burgundian style. 47 cases produced. Jim thought this would be in it's prime in 3-4 years. This is the best Avonlea Pinot since the 2005 vintage. 91 points.

2013 Wyncroft Pinot Noir Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from an unlabelled bottle at the winery. This was bottled on June 18th and has not been released. 2013 was a warm year but the growing conditions were not as ideal as 2012. This was more tannic and tasted like it had more acid than the 2012. Aged in 1/3 new Cadus oak barrels and 2/3 used Freres oak barrels. 2nd time i have had this wine. Gone was the sulfur, cola and tart notes that the barrel sample had a year ago. Nice round texture now. A little heat or alcohol on the nose which should subside with more bottle age. This had a fleshy mouthfeel with notes of burnt cherry, chocolate and berries. This should be a longer lived wine than the 2012. 88+ points.

2014 Wyncroft Pinot Noir La Esperanza Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore, Fennville (8/31/2015)
Barrel sample at the winery. This is the first vintage which Jim Lester has made this wine. Made from purchased grapes sourced from a small vineyard located in Glenn, MI in the Fennville AVA. The vineyard is a mix of sand and clay. The grapes were picked at 22.2 brix and yielded enough juice to make 25 cases (1 barrel). This will be bottled in about a month as it was fairly complete now. 13% alcohol. Aged in used French oak. Dark ruby red color. Aromas of toast and strawberry jelly on the nose. Fine acidity with a beautiful underlying minerality. Rather Burgundian in style. Bright and lively fruit with notes of red currants and raspberries. I was surprised by how ripe this wine was considering 2014 was a cooler year. 90-92+ points.

2013 Wyncroft Pinot Noir SWMREC Cuvée Dr. Stanley Howell - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (8/31/2015)
Barrel sample at the winery. The grapes for this wine came from the Southwest Michigan Research Center vineyard which is run by Michigan State University. This is the first and last vintage that Jim Lester will make of this wine since MSU ripped out these vines after the grapes were picked. This wine is named after the man who started the Enology and Viticulture program at MSU, promoted Michigan viticulture and played an important role in the SWMRC site. The vineyard was in Berrien County near Benton Harbor. This wine was more tannic, ripe and had more alcohol than most of Jim's Pinot Noir. The reason being that the SWMRC called Jim in mid October to offer him the grapes so they were picked late in the year. A concentrated wine with 14+% alcohol. 25 cases produced. Crimson color. Long thick legs. Creamy texture with firm tannins and a little heat at first. Ripe berries with some spiceiness on the finish. Solid acidity. 88 points.

2013 Wyncroft Pinot Noir Trillium Springs Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
This was the last of the Pinot Noir barrel samples poured at the winery. This is the first vintage Jim Lester has made from this vineyard which is managed by his Son. The vines are only 5 years old and the 2 acre vineyard is located a mile or two East of New Buffalo, MI. The vineyard is planted to 50% Dijon 115 clones with the other half being Swan, Chalone and Hansell clones. Only 1 barrel (25 cases) will be made. Aged 6 months in new Cadus oak barrels before being transferred to used barrels. This was a very different style than his other Pinots and a bit of a diversion from the style Jim normally makes. I found this to be very Californian. Garnet color. Very tight and tannic at this stage. Young and probably in need of more barrel time (or perhaps bottle it and delay its release) but I think Jim had plans to bottle this soon. notes of black tea leaves, cinnamon and blackberries. Dry and almost puckering now. Will be interesting to see how this evolves. Reluctant to score this in the condition it is in but I would give it an 85+ at this stage.

Bordeaux Blend

2012 Wyncroft Shou Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. This was the last red which we tried and the best in my opinion. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. From the excellent 2012 vintage. The grapes were picked at 23 brix in early to mid October. 13% alcohol. As you would expect from the blend, this was left bank in style. Round silky texture and well proportioned. Supple tannins. Notes of graphite, ripe red berries and leather. The best Shou that I have had (matched only by the 2003 in its prime) which includes the 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2013. I purchased a magnum of this and plan on holding for 8-10 years. 92 points.

2013 Wyncroft Shou Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Merlot Barrel sample at the winery. 7 barrels of the Shou are being made (the largest ever) and this sample was from a barrel which had 60% Merlot with most of the rest being Petit Verdot and a little Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. 2013 produced a bumper crop of ripe Merlot in SW Michigan. Dark purple color. Firm acidity in this sample. Notes of puckeringly tart red fruit with cocoa and brown sugar. No score.

2013 Wyncroft Shou Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Cabernet Barrel sample at the winery. 7 barrels of the Shou are being made (the largest ever) and this sample was from a barrel which had 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cab Franc. The wine had a better structure but showed some green notes at this stage. notes of tobacco, plum and pencil lead. The body in this sample was lighter than the Merlot barrel. No score.

2013 Wyncroft Shou Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Barrel sample of a cross section of all varietals in this blend. The final blend will be about 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. This combined sample was rounder and more complete than the 2 separate samples. A perfumed wine. Bright and fresh on the palate. Notes of brambly fruit, light oak and some green pepper on the finish. This last descriptor will hopefully resolve. 2 of the 7 barrels in this cuvee spent 9 months in new French oak. 87-91 points.

Dessert

2013 Wyncroft Riesling Icewine Wren Song Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/1/2015)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. 2nd time I have had this wine but the first was a barrel sample. This was harvested at 40.7 brix on January 2, 2014 at 7 degrees above zero. 8.8% alcohol. 20-25% of the grapes were affected by botrytis. This has really added some depth since I last had it. A wow wine. Laserlike acidity holding all the sugar and fruit together. Some sesame and woody aromas. Notes of candied apricots, almond paste, honey, tropical fruits and botrytis nuances. 95 points.

VM

< Message edited by Vino Me -- 3/25/2016 7:57:35 AM >

Post #: 1

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 9/3/2015 5:36:47 PM

khmark7

Posts: 11426
Joined: 7/6/2008
From: Chicago suburbs
Status: offline

Thanks for the notes. This is one of the wineries that I have heard you talk about over on WineSpec, but that I have never tasted. Website appears to have some wines for sale to Michigan & Illinois residents only. Woohoo!!

_____________________________

"a rogue Provence rouge of unknown provenance." author grafstrb

(in reply to Vino Me)

Post #: 2

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 9/3/2015 6:04:45 PM

skifree

Posts: 3414
Joined: 3/14/2010
From: SE King County, Washington
Status: offline

Nice notes, The ice wine certainly sounds good!

The climate change sounds like it will help this region, I guess.

_____________________________

So much wine, so little time

(in reply to khmark7)

Post #: 3

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 9/4/2015 9:05:19 AM

Vino Me

Posts: 144
Joined: 3/27/2007
From: Chicago/South Haven, MI
Status: offline

Ripening is not that big of a concern in the Lake Michigan Shore AVA which is located in the Southwest corner of the state along the shore of Lake Michigan. The growing season is up to 195 days which provides plenty of time for ripening. The wine regions up North around Traverse City have a growing season which is 2-3 weeks shorter and they have to worry about frosts and weather more than we do.

VM

(in reply to skifree)

Post #: 4

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 9/4/2015 10:35:00 AM

SteveG

Posts: 788
Joined: 5/21/2008
From: Central Ohio
Status: offline

Thanks for posting such an impressive tasting, the only representative I have had is this vendanges tardives:

2008 Wyncroft Riesling "VT" Wren Song Vineyard

but I think it is terrific, rather like a concentrated auslese trocken , if there still is such a thing. My notes:

11/25/2011 - 93 Points

Brilliant light gold. Nice nose of wax and overripe stone fruits. Viscous and a little savory palate, loads of sweet peach, pear, apricot flavor, but with no discernible sugar. Nicely balanced and long finish, with a hint of bitters. Like many Sherrys, this is the type of wine I call 'adult dessert', but an interesting contrast to the Jerez version.

11/15/2010 - 93 Points

Fresh floral nose, extraordinary intense tropical palate, clearly tastes like there is some residual sugar, with plenty of complementary acidity, along with distinct citrus zest, and finishing with a slight and pleasant bitterness, Long, long return of those tropical fruits, as well as a slight pucker. While light enough for an apertif, this wine is really dessert on its own.

(in reply to Vino Me)

Post #: 5

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 9/4/2015 12:08:53 PM

Vino Me

Posts: 144
Joined: 3/27/2007
From: Chicago/South Haven, MI
Status: offline

The 2008 VT is the first and only time Jim made it. I've had it twice as well and my scores were slightly lower than yours (a 90 and a 91-92). It was an impressive wine.

Jim also made a Riesling called December Harvest in 2008 from the same grapes.

VM

(in reply to SteveG)

Post #: 6

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 9/30/2015 7:51:42 AM

Vino Me

Posts: 144
Joined: 3/27/2007
From: Chicago/South Haven, MI
Status: offline

2003 Wyncroft Shou Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (9/25/2015)

Opened by a friend. Not decanted but opened about 3 hours. 5th time I have had this wine and it has been consistently fine. 79% Cab Sauvignon, 17% Cab Franc and 4% Merlot. Nose of herbs and forest floor. Notes over cherry and raw meat. A multi layered wine with good depth of flavors. Solid tannin. Old world character. Holding up great for 12 years old. This 2003 and the 2012 are my 2 favorite Shou's. 92 points

VM

(in reply to Vino Me)

Post #: 7

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 3/24/2016 11:56:33 AM

Vino Me

Posts: 144
Joined: 3/27/2007
From: Chicago/South Haven, MI
Status: offline

I stopped in to see Jim Lester last weekend at his Wyncroft winery outside South Haven, Michigan to pick up some wine I ordered and get a crash course in pruning grape vines. After we were done he poured some barrel samples of his 2015's (together with a few older bottles he opened). Here are my notes (Marland is his 2nd label):

Whites
2015 Marland Pinot Grigio - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. The grapes were sourced from the La Esperanza Vineyard in Glenn, MI. This is the 2nd vintage this wine is made and based on the my tastings of the 2014 and 2015, this has the makings of a really nice Summer porch wine year in and year out. This was straw color with a slight pinkish hue. Harvested at 22.5 brix. Tropical aromas on the nose. Good acidity and notes of soft white fruit and pears. Should be bottled in a few weeks. 89 points.

2015 Marland Riesling Late Harvest - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. 75% of the fruit came from the Wren Song vineyard and 25% came from La Esperanza. This had Spatlese level sweetness and will be bottled in a couple weeks. This was sharper than the kabinett level wine Jim made with other grapes from the Esperanza vineyard. Solid acidity holding the sweetness in check. Notes of pineapple and guava. I liked this vintage better than the 2013. 89-90 points.

2015 Marland Riesling La Esperanza - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. This is not really a Marland wine and will not be sold to the public. Jim took half the Riesling grapes from this vineyard and is giving it back to the vineyard owner but poured this barrel sample for me. This was made in a kabinett style. Very pretty German nose. Pulpy texture with apple and some mild tropical notes. Very refreshing. 88 points.

2015 Wyncroft Riesling Wren Song Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. This wine should be bottled in a few months. About 70 cases will be made. This is normally a blend of 4 different Riesling clones but this year only clones 110 and 10 were used. Harvested at 22 brix. Very fresh and lively. A dry wine with solid acidity. Notes of white peaches, grapefruit and stoney minerals. Clean finish. 90 points.

2014 Wyncroft Riesling Wren Song Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/21/2016)
Tasted from an unlabeled bottle at the winery. Jim is considering labelling this late harvest. This is made in a dry Alsatian VT style. Fuller bodied than the other Rieslings from this estate. 20% of the grapes were affected by botrytis. It had a very unique yeasty funkiness on the nose which I really liked. Dry with a minerally backbone. Rich flavors of peach, apples and merengue. Long finish. 91 points.

2013 Wyncroft Riesling Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/21/2016)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. 3rd time I have had this. Made from Riesling Clone 110. Bone dry. Austrian in style. An earthy core with a fine minerality and notes of pears. It has integrated and mellowed a bit since I first had it 2 years ago. 88-89 points.

2013 Wyncroft Chardonnay Avonlea Vineyard - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/21/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. 3rd time I have tried this from barrel and it has developed more richness and depth each time. It is basically complete and ready to be bottled. Notes of vanilla, oak and smokey white fruit. It has put on more weight since I first tried it. 89-90 points.

2015 Marland Chardonnay Non Affecté - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. Fermented in stainless steel without any oak. 13% alcohol. This was a sparkly straw color. Notes of apples, tart citrus and wet stones. I liked the 2013 vintage a little better but this still in it's growth stage. 87 points.

2013 Wyncroft Shou Blanc SWMREC - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/21/2016)
Tasted from bottle at the winery. Made using extremely ripe grapes that the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center left hanging in a vineyard before they were offered to Jim. Picked at 24.5 brix. The blend is 25% Sauvignon Blanc, 24.5% Sauvignon Blanc Musque, 20% Semillon, 17% Sauvignon Gris and 14.5% Sauvignon Vert. Made in a Moulleaux style. Rather sweet but not quite all the way to a dessert wine. Very rich texture and almost unctuous. Notes of peaches and chamomile. A little heavy on the finish. An interesting wine but it seemed to be an in between wine which couldn't make up its mind if it wanted to be a table or dessert wine. 86 points.

Rosé
2015 Marland Cabernet Franc Rosé of Cabernet Franc - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. 100% Cabernet Franc. 60% came from the La Esperanza vineyard and 40% came from the Gabrielow vineyard. Dark rose color. About 60 cases will be made. This was a heavier and more serious Rosé. Notes of cranberry and black cherries with an earthy texture. 86 points.

Reds
2015 Wyncroft Pinot Noir La Esperanza - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore, Fennville (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. This has not been in barrel very long, was still on its lees, has only started malolactic fermentation and has not been sulfered. This will likely not be bottled until September and is still in a very unfinished state. scarlet ruby color. Very fizzy and served at about 40 degrees. Low tannins at this stage but a good core of fruit including cherries, red currants and cranberries. No score but 2015 was a better vintage than 2014 and the 2014 vintage of this wine was excellent so I'm looking forward to trying this again in the Fall.

2015 Marland Cabernet Franc - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. This sample came from one of the La Esperanza vineyard 4 barrels. Harvested at 22 brix. Notes of charcoal, red berries and more earthy than the other barrel sample I tried. Still raw and will not be bottled until the Fall but this shows promise. No score.

2015 Marland Cabernet Franc - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. This sample came from one of the 3 Gabrielow vineyard barrels. 22 brix. A light violet purple color. More acidic than the Esperanza barrel and fruitier as well. Edgy and tart with strawberry notes. No malolactic fermentation. No score.

2015 Marland Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Michigan, Lake Michigan Shore (3/22/2016)
Barrel sample at the winery. 90% Gabrielow vineyard and 10% La Esperanza vineyard. 100% clone 685. Harvested at 23 brix. Jim did not get any Cab from the Avonlea vineyard in either 2014 or 2015 because of the polar vortex so there will not be any Shou in those years making this wine the only Cab Sauvignon he will make in 2015. Still young and at least 6 months from bottling but it was showing well for being at this age. Notes of black currant, wet earth and spice. No score.

VM

(in reply to Vino Me)

Post #: 8

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 3/24/2016 8:04:00 PM

Slye

Posts: 1923
Joined: 8/3/2013
Status: offline

What a timely post. I find myself in Michigan for 2 days -- in Lansing actually. The restaurant where we were treated to dinner tonight had a number of wines from Michigan. I was tasked with ordering one of the two bottles for the evening, and went with a Seven Hills Malbec to show off my home wines. I was curious about the MI wines but not confident enough to order any. Perhaps tomorrow night I will get a chance to -- in which case I will remember the wines in these notes!

(in reply to Vino Me)

Post #: 9

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 3/25/2016 7:50:37 AM

Vino Me

Posts: 144
Joined: 3/27/2007
From: Chicago/South Haven, MI
Status: offline

Slye,

Jim is selective about the restaurants that carry Wyncroft wines (Marland wines might be more widely available). There is only 1 place in East Lansing and another in Lansing. Here is the list of restaurants:

http://www.wyncroftwine.com/restaurant-list/

VM

(in reply to Slye)

Post #: 10

RE: Winery Visit: Wyncroft Winery (Michigan)(7 90+ wine... - 3/25/2016 3:08:50 PM

Slye

Posts: 1923
Joined: 8/3/2013
Status: offline

Thanks for the reference. Afraid I won't make it there tonight! But may venture in and try some of the MI wines on the list at the restaurant we are going to tonight.

(in reply to Vino Me)

Post #: 11