Archive for October, 2018

I was quite pleasantly surprised to notice last week that wines from Troon Vineyard have finally made their way into the Detroit market. I was perusing the shelves of (where else) Ferndale’s Western Market, and found placements of Troon’s 2016 Whole Grape Ferment (Orange) Riesling, which we reviewed a while back, and the bottle noted below. We’ve tried and enjoyed quite a few different things from this rising star from southern Oregon over the past couple of years, thanks to General Manager Craig Camp’s inclusion of the Gang on Troon’s reviewers list, so, given that, I was only too happy to fork over the bucks to give this one a try.

2016 Troon Vineyard Merlot Rogue Valley, 13.8% alc, $19.99: We like everything about this wine, starting with the twist-off Stelvin enclosure. (Kim just loves the sound these make when you crack them open, and neither of us are cork snobs.) It shows a clean, dark color, and exudes an earthy black currant and blackberry nose, shaded with subtle herbaceous notes that add to, rather than detract from the appeal. These impressions echo and explode on the palate; the earth and herb play off the attractive fruit very nicely, and there’s not a hint of oak to be found. Yay! Full bodied without being heavy, and while it’s structured for at least 5 years in the cellar, it’s more than approachable already. This shows a sense of place, and will never be mistaken for one of the cookie cutter models coming out of Sonapanoma and surrounding environs, and that’s just the way we like it. Frankly, I went back a few days after trying this and brought more, because it offers a lot for the price. It’s an obvious red meat kind o’ wine, and check out Troon’s Facebook page for lots of food pairing ideas for this and many others of Troon’s bottlings. Find this wine

Reporting from Day-twah,

Bastardo

There are rosés and then there are rosés. Most often what you get are light-to-medium weight quaffers that are pleasant and food-friendly in an easygoing, uncomplicated manner; these can range from bone dry to New World fruit forward. Sometimes, you get a more serious (and expensive) specimen, such as the wonderful Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé.

And then, there are a few that walk, talk and drink like a red wine, and that’s what this one is all about. I’m not at all sure that we’ve had anything from this producer before. Jarred Gild put it in my hands while I was perusing the wine shelves at Ferndale’s Western Market a few days ago, telling me “It’s one of the best rosés made in the Loire Valley.” It certainly is a very good one, no doubt about it. (Click image to enlarge.)

2017 Jean-Maurice Raffault Chinon Rosé, 100% Cabernet Franc, 12.5% alc., $11.99: Clean, not-too-pale salmon in color, with a rich, expressive nose that leads into even richer and more outgoing flavors, all earthy, mineral-driven cherry in character. No lightweight this, it has size, weight and depth, and even shows some tannins to go along with the active acids. Being more hefty than most, it’ll stand up to a variety of grilled meats, ranging from turkey to pork, lamb and beef. I daresay, it’ll also pair well with a slab o’ salmon. My kind of rosé, and very fairly priced at $12. I’m going back for a case as soon as I finish posting this. Find this wine

Imported by Elite Brands, Kalamazoo, MI

Reporting from Day-twah,

Bastardo