Riedel VIP Tasting to Kick Off Vintage Ohio

One of the world's iconic wine stars will be featured at a preview to the 2010 Vintage Ohio wine festival. This is a chance to spend an elegant evening with Max Riedel of the famed Riedel Austrian crystal company while enjoying incredible Ohio Wines. Using wines from across the region Max will illustrate how his stemware provides an exceptional tasting experience versus regular wine glasses.

The event will take place on Thursday, August 5, at Quail Hollow Resort in Concord, Ohio. The cost is $95 per person and includes the program, an hors d'oeuvres reception, fine wine tasting and a collection of lovely Riedel stemware ($125 retail value) to take home. Register at OhioWines.org. Only 100 seats are available.

As the event begins, you will stroll through a collection of luxury cars provided by sponsors Stoddard Porsche and Willoughby Audi. Upon arrival in the Quail Hollow ball room, you will enjoy a glass of sparkling water and a cheese display presented in part by our host, Quail Hollow resort and by Adam's Reserve cheddar cheese.

Then Max will work his "magic" with a presentation of the famed Riedel stemware showcasing some of the best Ohio wines from across the state. Following the program, Quail Hollow will present a lovely hors d'oeuvres reception complemented by another glass of award winning Ohio Wines.

The wines selected by the Riedel team for this special event include 2007 Grand River Valley Reserve Chardonnay from Debonne' Vineyards in Madison, 2008 Grand River Valley Gewürztraminer from Ferrante Winery in Geneva, 2008 Grand River Valley Pinot Noir Select from St. Joseph Vineyard in Thompson and from Dover, Ohio, Breitenbach Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.

At the conclusion of the evening, your own set of Riedel glasses, valued at $125, will be wrapped for you to take home before you leave to stroll once more among the Porsche and Audi vehicles displayed under the Quail Hollow portico.

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Michigan Winery Visit: J. Trees Cellars

 

The second stop on our Michigan weekend day trip was the new J. Trees Cellars tasting room115 N. Main St., Blissfield, Michigan, (877) 304-3254. The J. Trees Cellars tasting room is located across from the Main Street Stable and Tavern Grill in historic Blissfield. It was a beautiful day and we were zipping along enjoying the sunshine and soon overshot the general area where we knew the tasting room was located. We circled back and located the diminutive tasting room.

The tasting room is small but tasteful, with a nice bar and a side room we imagine could handle overflow crowds. J. Trees is the effort of winemaker Jon Treloar. He opened the tasting room in Blissfield in April to showcase his first four releases. The vineyards are located in Petersburg, Michigan, and plans are to open a tasting room in the original farmhouse on that property.

Paul Evans was handling duties at the tasting room and started us off with the 2008 Chardonnay. This lively wine set the tone for our tasting. It was surprisingly good. That’s not to say we doubted Jon’s winemaking chops – he has a Masters in Viticulture from Michigan State and was in charge of their vineyard program – but for his first effort he’s come up with a Chardonnay that compares favorably with just about any in Ohio and Michigan. It is lightly oaked with sophisticated tropical flavor notes. Green Dragon isn’t fond of heavily oaked Chards, so we were liking this.

The highlight of our day was the 2008 Dry Riesling. We think Dry Riesling done right is absolutely sublime. We gladly travel hundreds of miles to the Finger Lakes to sample and buy Dry Riesling. J. Trees Cellars has done Dry Riesling right – we knew it after just one sip. It has the acidity that dials in crisp refreshment and a light mixture of apple and pear flavors with a dash of minerality. This might be the best Dry Riesling within a hundred miles of Toledo.

The next tasting was Fuji Ice Cider. We approached the tasting bar cautiously – we’re not fruity wine people and our palate trends to the dry side. All righty, our preconceptions were wrong again. This is a beautifully tasting drink (I guess this is cider versus a wine). It takes 70 to 80 apples to make one bottle. The apples have to be picked at the height of winter when they are frozen. That’s a lot of effort for a $20 half bottle. This is a unique bottle that I believe stands alone in the area.

We wrapped up with the 2008 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine. Jon must love the bitter Michigan cold, because the grapes for this dessert wine must also be harvested after they freeze on the vine. The flavors are intense and concentrated. This full bodied, thick wine tastes of pineapple and honey. Very nice and a good buy for $35 (half bottle).

Blissfield is a very short distance from Toledo and the J. Trees Cellars tasting room is well worth the trip. It is open Friday through Sunday and 4 to 7 on Tuesday. You can also visit them during the Wine Days of Summer special Pioneer Wine Trail promotion August 7-8.

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Michigan Winery Visit: Pentamere Winery

To avoid the heat and humidity of Toledo, we hit the road to the Irish Hills in Michigan. It was just what the doctor ordered. The rolling hills, great scenery and wafting breeze chased the sweaty humidity right away.

We decided to visit Hidden Lake Gardens, a botanical garden about eight miles west of Tecumseh. On our return trip we planned to visit the J. Trees Cellars tasting room in Blissfield. As we motored through the downtown Tecumseh, we noticed Pentamere Winery and decided that would be another great stop on our weekend outing.

Pentamere Winery, 131 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh, Michigan (517) 423-9000, is an urban winery. That’s something that’s not uncommon in hipper wine communities in California or the Northwest – but it is a rarity in our area. Pentamere is Michigan’s first urban winery and one of the state’s smallest winery.

We certainly have a preference for estate wineries – wineries that produce their wine on property with grapes that they have grown – but Pentamere has a unique angle that I find very intriguing. All their wine is produced at their downtown winery and their grapes are sourced from growing regions around the Great Lakes including Michigan, Ontario and Ohio. As Sherry told us as she poured us samples, all the growing regions must be in the Great Lakes watershed.

The tasting room is light, airy and very classy. It features a long bar and one of the best assortment of wine accessories you’ll find anywhere. Pentamere is a combination of Greek and Latin words meaning five lakes, which ties in nicely with their nautical theme. Almost all the wines are named after ships.

We followed their first rule stated on their tasting notes: “Drink what tastes good to you” and started with the dry whites. First was Wings of the Wind, which had a clean citrus fruit flavor. I must point out one drawback at Pentamere and that is that the grapes in the various wines are always not listed on the bottles or tasting notes. I believe this blend had Vidal Blanc, but a check of the website shed no light on this mystery.

The 2008 Dry Riesling, which lists for $18, has pronounced lemon and pear flavor notes. It was pleasing, but lacked the acidity we like in a Dry Riesling.

White Swan was our favorite. It is a dry Vidal Blanc and had a medium body with an interesting tangerine zing. This wine is a good selection for seafood or poultry. We bought a bottle of this.

Moving to the dry reds, we started with Walk-In-The-Water, a blend of five reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chambourcin, Zweigelt and Syrah. This had cherry, cedar and an earthy quality. Very unique.

The 2003 Chambourcin is finished in oak and so is unlike most Chambourcins we’ve had. Le Griffon 2005 is a red Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc. This is Pentamere’s top of the line wine and lists for $32.

We wrapped up with a sample of Monarch of the Glen. This is a medium dry Cabernet Franc. We are big Cab Franc fans and we enjoyed this light red wine.

Tecumseh is a very appealing town and Pentamere is front and center on their tourist-friendly main street. Add this urban winery to cap off a nice day of sight-seeing and dining in Southeast Michigan. Pentamere is part of the upcoming Pioneer Wine Trail event, the Wine Days of Summer.

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Wine Tasting & Events: Week of July 17, 2010

Wednesday, July 21

Anderson's Market, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8:00 PM. Washington State Syrah Tasting. Be sure not to miss these four outstanding high-end Syrahs from Washington. AlmaTerra is a project of Smasne Cellars in which three single vineyard Syrahs are produced using identical processes in order to showcase the unique attributes of each vineyard site. The “Coeo” (Symphony) is a blend of the three.Come experience this unique opportunity to sample four world-class Syrahs and speak with Dave Pirwitz about the hot Washington wine scene! 1. Minick Vineyard Yakima Valley Syrah, 2. Horse Heaven Hills “Coyote Canyon” Syrah, 3. Red Mountain “Ciel du Cheval” Syrah, 4. “Coeo” Three Vineyard Syrah. Flight $9.50. (Half-samples, full samples also available.)

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM. New arrivals: Alice Prosecco, White Truck, Hey Mambo Bistro Style White, Alice Sparkling Rose', Saint Esprit Cotes-du-Rhone, Petrognano Chianti, 7 Deadly Zins and Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz. $15.

Thursday, July 22
The Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Wines of the Tour de France featuring Alsace: 1. Gustave Lorentz –Pinot Blanc, 2. Cleebourg – Pinot Gris, 3. The Furst – Riesling, 4. Cave de Ribeauville – Gewürztraminer. Nominal fee per sample or $7 per flight.

The Andersons, Talmadge Road. Wine Tasting, 6-8 PM. Wines of Oregon & Washington: Everyone Deserves a Little Celebration, “Uplifting Wines:” 1. Riondo Prosecco, Italy; 2. Domaine Guindon Muscadet, France; 3. Larochette Manciat Macon Les Morizotte, France; 4. Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand; 5. Mollydooker “The Violinist”, Australia; 6. Mon Coeur Cote du Rhone, J.L. Chave, France; 7. Gorman “Pixie” Red Mountain Syrah, Washington; 8. Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkastler Badstube Rieslinh Kabinett, Germany. Nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM. New arrivals: Alice Prosecco, White Truck, Hey Mambo Bistro Style White, Alice Sparkling Rose', Saint Esprit Cotes-du-Rhone, Petrognano Chianti, 7 Deadly Zins and Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz. $15.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Zin'in Ain't Easy: A lot of people will tell you that summer is the time for rosé, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Well, those are nice wines...for BABIES! Join us as we pop the top grillin' and chillin' wines of the summer. Special Guest: Farrah Felten, daughter of the estate founders, pouring Lodi Farrah Syrah, Lodi Old Vine Zin, and the Old Ghost Zin. Don't miss it! $1 to $3 per sample.

Friday, July 23

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. French Wines: 1. Robert Klingenfus Pinot Blanc, 2. Justin Monmousseau Sancerre, 3. Baron de Luze Red Bordeaux, 4. Clos de L'Oratoire Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. $10 tasting.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Zin'in Ain't Easy: A lot of people will tell you that summer is the time for rosé, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Well, those are nice wines...for BABIES! Join us as we pop the top grillin' and chillin' wines of the summer. Pouring Lodi Farrah Syrah, Lodi Old Vine Zin, and the Old Ghost Zin. $1 to $3 per sample.

Saturday, July 24

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. French Wines: 1. Robert Klingenfus Pinot Blanc, 2. Justin Monmousseau Sancerre, 3. Baron de Luze Red Bordeaux, 4. Clos de L'Oratoire Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. $10 tasting.

The Andersons, Woodville, Wine Tasting. 1-3 PM. Saturday tasting: Barefoot wines will donate $ .50 on every bottle we sell to the Toledo Boys & Girls Club through the first week of September. 1. Barefoot Moscato Spumante, 2. Barefoot Moscato, 3. Barefoot Pinot Grigio, 4. Barefoot Merlot. Nominal fee per sample or $1 per flight.

[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]

Photo by Torsten Reuschling

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Special Zinfandel Tasting Set For Thursday, July 22, At Corks

Rich, intense and multi-dimensional Zinfandel are in store at Corks Wine and Liquor, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800, during a special tasting of Klinker Brick wines, Lodi, California, 6:00 to 9:00 PM Thursday, July 22.

Special guest will be Farrah Felten, daughter of Steve and Lori Felten, founders of the estate. She'll be pouring the Lodi Farrah Syrah, Lodi Old Vine Zin, and the Old Ghost Zin.

A treat will be the Old Ghost Zin, produced from “Old Vines.” Old Vines, those at least 50 years old, yield more intense sugars, color and concentration of flavors, producing wines that are generally better balanced with more body and structure. Old Ghost comes from a 96-year-old vineyard.

If you're curious about the name, Klinker Bricks are highly prized bricks that grace many of the historical buildings in Lodi. Chosen by Craftsmen architects in the 1920’s for their distinctive qualities, including unique shapes and dark, rich color, these bricks are “heavier” than regular bricks. “Klinker” refers to the sound that they would make when banged together, because of their increased weight. Rich, deep color, enormous density, unique and distinctive are the same qualities found in their old vine Zinfandel.

Klinker Brick Winery wines will be featured at the Corks tasting on Friday as well, but without the special guests.

Viking Vineyards Chambourcin Ohio NV

An evening cook-out featuring vegetable and shrimp shish kabobs was the perfect opportunity to introduce my brother Tom and his wife Helen to some fine Ohio wine.

Tom and Helen were driving west to go to the String Cheese Incident concerts at Red Rocks in Colorado and our house made a convenient stop-off location. They’ll make another pit stop on the way back and provide full details of the concerts.

The wine selection was a Viking Vineyard Chambourcin. This Chambourcin is deep red in color with a great bouquet of red fruit. It is smooth with little tannins and refreshing dark notes of black cherry and raspberry. This is a dry and enjoyable wine that is delicate enough to pair well with the shrimp and vegetables (including some great sweet corn from upstate New York).

Viking Vineyards, located near Kent,  is a fun wine destination with great wines and a full schedule of entertainment and activities. The grounds are also excellent for savoring wine by the lake. Here is a link to our last trip there. We’ll have to go there soon since we’re out of Viking wine!

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