All Things Must Pass

Aldo Biale – a Remembrance

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Click to enlarge image.

I’d never heard of this wine before tasting it a few days ago, and neither have many other people, I’ll warrant.  The South African winery Boekenhoutskloof is hardly a household name in the US (even among wine geeks who can pronounce it), this was the first vintage of this bottling produced, and only five barrels were made.  The wine is not for sale from the winery, per se, but is shipped off to  their best accounts with the directive to put it on their lists  (obviously, most of said accounts are restaurants) and sell it for what they think it’s worth.  I’m told that some establishments in South Africa price it as high as $500 per bottle; restaurateur Gary Danko mistakenly lists it as a Cabernet Sauvignon on his web site and sells it for $175.  Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve never been one of those wine lovers who worships at the shrine of Napa Cabernet, but that doesn’t mean that I summarily dismiss them either. While too many can be ultra-ripe, over-oaked monstrosities that may show well in blind tastings and score big points with critics (just don’t try to have one with food), there are exceptions, such as the 2 from Cornerstone Cellars we tried not long ago. I happened upon another one last weekend, and liked it so well, I brought one home.

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Randall Grahm

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Reading  Randall Grahm’s recently released book, Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology, is more than a little like having a conversation with him.  From the very beginning, one is bombarded with his erudite, irrepressible and, more than occasionally, savage wit, which should come as no surprise to anyone having had a gander at even one of his Bonny Doon wine labels over the years.
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Continued from the article Tasting Leelanau

Our expedition to the Leelanau Peninsula was a smashing success and particularly eyeopening for me.  I had gone under the mistaken notion that the Leelanau played something of a second fiddle to the Old Mission Peninsula’s first chair in quality Michigan wine, and discovered that nothing could be further from the truth.   Read the rest of this entry »

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Continued from the article Tasting Leelanau

Lee Lutes, photo courtesy of lpwines.com

Our final tasting was, most appropriately at Black Star Farms. We didn’t have an appointment, per se, but David Rusnell spoke with Winemaker/Distiller/Manager Lee Lutes during the LPVA Visioning Session on Wednesday, and Lee agreed to lead us through the tasting. We scheduled to meet after we returned from our appointment at Left Foot Charley, and when we arrived, we found Lee already tasting some barrel samples with another Charlie, one Dr. Edson, from Bel Lago. Read the rest of this entry »

Need a recipe for a fine evening?

Pull a few of your treasured older bottles from the cellar. Add a couple of your favorite people. Blend in a simple supper and you’re there. Read the rest of this entry »

Continued from the article Tasting Leelanau

It might be argued that a visit to Left Foot Charley is out of place with the Tasting Leelanau theme of our three-day excursion to northern Michigan wine country.  After all, the winery itself is located in Traverse City, and at the time of our first report on Bryan Ulbrich’s upstart start-up project, only wines from Old Mission Peninsula fruit were made.  But from the start, Ulbrich had ideas about also sourcing grapes from the Leelanau, and now he’s doing so.  There’s also the Gill’s Pier connection, so Bryan is no stranger to the “other side of the bay.”  Besides, it just wouldn’t be right to be in the area for three days and not drop in to see what’s new at LFC. Read the rest of this entry »

Continued from the article Tasting Leelanau

Margaret and David Bell

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We started our final day of Tasting Leelanau with a visit to a relatively new producer, Circa Estate Winery, owned and operated by Margaret and David Bell.  We were immediately struck by the fact that everything about this operation is first class and with a very distinct style.

In the accompanying video, the Bells tell of how they got into the grape growing and wine making business. Read the rest of this entry »