Archive for the Flotsam Category

We give him 80 points! He left out “this wine is corked!”

SOMM Documentary Trailer 1 from Forgotten Man Films on Vimeo.

Somm is the story of four Sommeliers attempting to pass the Prestigious Master Sommelier Exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world. The exam covers literally anything having to do with the entire world of wine and that is just the beginning. Access to the Court Of Master Sommeliers has always been strictly regulated and cameras have never been allowed anywhere near the exam…. Until now. How much do you know about wine?

We’ve had a very odd, but interesting experience this week. The telling takes a few turns, but stick with me here, it’ll all makes sense at the end, or will it…?

During the course having new water pipes installed in our basement, I had to empty out all the wine that we keep in our makeshift cellar, which is also the room where our water meter is. We now keep our wine in wooden cases or on racks, as we’ve graduated from those cardboard cases that used to populate “the cellar from hell.” One of the cases was a 6-pack that carried a half dozen 1998 Sena Red Wines that we purchased well over 10 years ago. Those wines are long gone; we enjoyed them all, and never detected any kind of taint in any of them. Since the case itself was still functional, about three years ago, we put five bottles of red wine in it for safe storage from a producer who has sometimes been accused of producing corked wine.

As I was putting the cellar back together a few days ago, I noticed the unmistakable odor of TCA emanating from the box, so I took the five bottles out, put them on the wine rack and took the box outside. I let Kim take a whiff (she’s even more sensitive to corked wine than I am), and she recoiled in disgust, as I knew she would. I put the box over by our shed about 50 feet from the back deck, and over the next few days, we both noticed that not only could we smell the taint when the wind was blowing in the right direction, but also that it seemed to get worse, just like corked wine that “opens” in the glass after it’s poured.
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Our good friends at Gourmet Underground Detroit just may be on to something!

The trailer is here – film coming in the summer of 2012

Michigan Wine Country Magazine 2011 is here!

From Michiganwines.com – This colorful, free magazine is published annually in April and contains information and informative articles about the wineries and wine regions of Michigan.
Request a printed copy or view it online.

Michigan Wine Showcase to Feature Local Wines
Master Sommelier Duo Teams to Celebrate Michigan Wine Month

Bloomfield Hills, MI — The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is sponsoring the “Michigan Wine Showcase” on Monday, April 11, at the Radisson Bloomfield Hills, home of Northern Lakes Seafood Company. Two of Michigan’s Master Sommeliers — Madeline Triffon and Claudia Tyagi — are closely involved with this project and are excited to celebrate Michigan Wine Month with this event.

Admission to the Showcase is $45 per person in advance, or $50 at the door. The gala will take place in the Grand Ballroom at the Radisson, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy a comprehensive selection of artisan wines from Michigan with lavish appetizers of local ingredients prepared by Chef Tim Budzinski, with the Matt Prentice Restaurant Group. Winemakers will be on hand to discuss their wines and provide additional information about their winery operations.

From 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., the Showcase will be open to restaurant, retailer and distributor staff. RSVP with your professional affiliation to Madeline Triffon at mtriffon@mattprenticerg.com.

The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is pleased to highlight the event’s tie-in with April as Michigan Wine Month, which honors the state’s wide selection of quality wines and the wine industry’s significant contribution to the economy. Michigan’s 81 wineries welcome more than 1 million visitors to their tasting rooms each year, and Michigan’s wine and grape industries contribute nearly $800 million to the state’s economy annually.

The Radisson Bloomfield Hills is located at 39475 Woodward Ave., next to Northern Lakes Seafood Company, which is part of the Matt Prentice Restaurant Group. For more information about the Showcase event, visit www.michiganwines.com/showcase. To purchase discounted tickets in advance, contact the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council at 517-241-4468.

The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is a 10-member panel that supports the growth of the grape and wine industry in Michigan. It is housed in the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, which is the official state agency charged with serving, promoting and protecting the food, agriculture and agricultural economic interests of the people of the state of Michigan.

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Editor’s Note: Following is a partial list of wineries participating in this event. Members of the media are invited to attend any part of the Showcase at no charge.

The Michigan Wine Showcase will feature more than 20 Michigan wineries, including:

Bel Lago Vineyards
Black Star Farms
Bowers Harbor Vineyards
Brys Estate
Burgdorf’s Winery
Chateau Aeronautique
Chateau Chantal
Chateau Fontaine
Chateau Grand Traverse
Cherry Creek Cellars
Circa Estate
Fenn Valley Vineyards
Forty-Five North
Founders Wine Cellar
Hickory Creek
L Mawby
Left Foot Charley
Sandhill Crane Vineyards
Shady Lane Cellars
Sleeping Bear Winery
St. Julian Wine Company

grace: a wine cork portrait from Scott Gundersen on Vimeo.

A time-lapse video.
50+ hours (of 200 total)
9217 wine corks.
96″ x 66″

Her name is Grace.

A part of Grand Rapids artprize 2010.

Learn more at: facebook.com/scottgundersen.art