Michigan's Chateau Aeronautique Schedules Holiday Open Hangar

Photo by Armando Maynez

  Hanging out in an airplane hangar in the middle of December may not be your idea of fun -- unless of course that hangar is owned by airline pilot and Chateau Aeronautique Winery owner Lorenzo Lizzaralde. Everyone is invited to try the 2010 wines right out of the tanks in their youngest stage as Chateau Aeronautique, 1849 Rives-Eaton Rd., Jackson, Michigan, (517) 569-2132, will host its Open Hangar on Saturday, December 11, from Noon to 6:00 PM. The hangar is toasty warm, the holiday music spirited, and the wines delightful. Tapping the tanks, tasting young, fresh wines, is a fun and festive way to celebrate and share the holidays.

As our way of saying thank you for the patronage and support of Michigan wines this year, there is no charge to for this special event. Lorenzo invites all to "come ready to enjoy, bring your friends, bring your family, let's make a memory."

Exceptional, Early Growing Season Favorable for Michigan Red Wines

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 LANSING -- As harvest is wrapped up and tanks are filled with the crushed reward of the season's labor, Michigan's winemakers are already raving about the 2010 vintage, and with good reason. Many feel that the long, warm growing season will result in some of the best wines they've produced. The bad news is that quantities may be limited, due to a series of spring frosts that damaged early bud-break varieties in some vineyards.

"The 2010 growing season has been an excellent one, but it had some challenges," said Paolo Sabbatini, assistant professor of horticulture at Michigan State University. "In the Southwest part of the state, spring arrived very early and unfortunately the spring frost too. Freezes caused serious damage to juice grapes -- about 50 percent crop reduction -- and minor to moderate damage to wine grapes, depending on site location."

According to data compiled by Michigan State University (MSU), growing degree day accumulations for 2010 rivaled 2005, which was an exceptional year for Michigan wines -- red wines in particular. Growing degree days (GDD) are a measurement of the growth and development of plants during the growing season. Development does not occur unless the temperature is above a minimum threshold. There are factors other than temperature that impact the growth of grapevines, but GDD is a widely accepted means of assessing development.

"With the heat this season, we were at least two weeks ahead of a 'typical' season," said Nikki Rothwell, coordinator of MSU's Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station. Paul Dalese, vineyard manager for Chateau Chantal on Old Mission Peninsula described how early ripening can influence the quality of the wine. "We have excellent quality due to hot summer days and cool nights," he said. "The grapes ripened earlier than last year, so we had the luxury of waiting until each varietal reached its optimum ripeness. Then we get out there and harvest."

Some early-ripening varieties were harvested as early as August in the Southwest part of the state. Bob Dongvillo, a grape grower in Scottdale, noted that in 30 years of growing grapes in Michigan, this was the first time he has harvested a wine variety in August.

Michigan's wine industry continues to grow. Four new wineries opened in 2010, bringing the total using predominantly Michigan-grown fruit to 75. Many wines from the 2010 vintage will be available beginning in spring 2011, though some reds may not be released for a year or two. Some wineries will celebrate the vintage with new-release and other special tastings. To learn more about the vineyards and wineries of Michigan, visit www.michiganwines.com or contact the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council at 517-241-4468.

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Walt Churchill’s Market Tastings, Events Focus on Grower Champagnes

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For many, the month of December is filled with shopping, holiday meals and exchanging gifts. For Austin Beeman, wine manager at Walt Churchill’s Market (Briarfield-Maumee), 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000, it means something else: Grower Champagne. During the month of December three tastings and two dinners will focus on these artisanal wines.

Austin explains the fuss about Grower Champagnes, “Grower Champagnes only account for 3% of the total Champagne market, but are some of the finest Champagnes available, “ he says. “Instead of buying juice and blending, as is done by the big Champagne houses, Grower Champagnes are small family operations that do all the production on their own land.  That makes them more distinct, more interesting, and much more tasty.  They are also much more inexpensive for the same quality.  Most $40 to $75 Grower Champagnes are as good as $150 to $200 ‘big’ Champagne bottles.”

Grower Champagnes are grown in the Champagne region of France and are produced by the same estate that owns the vineyards from which the grapes come.This is much like Estate designation in the US. Large Champagne houses may use grapes sourced from as many as 80 different vineyards, Grower Champagnes are focused on the terroir, with grapes coming from a single or closely located vineyards around a village. There are more than 19,000 independent growers in the Champagne region and about 5,000 produce wine from their own grapes. A Grower Champagne can be identified by the initials RM (meaning Récoltant-Manipulant) on the label.

The Grower Champagne events at WCM in Maumee are as follows:

Saturday, December 4, 1-5 PM: Grower Champagnes & Holiday Wine & Cheese Tasting

Friday, December 10, 6-8:30 PM, Five-course wine dinner with pink Grower Champagne. Cost $80 pp. Advance tickets required. Limited to 18 people.  

Saturday December 11, 1-5 PM: Grower Champagnes & Best of Bordeaux

Saturday, December 18, 1-5 PM:  Grower Champagnes & Gifts for the Wine Lover

Sunday, December 19, 12:00 Noon to 2:30 PM: gourmet Sunday Brunch with Grower Champagne. Cost $80 pp. Advance tickets required.

If you buy tickets to both the wine dinner and gourmet brunch, you can save $30 per ticket. Tastings on December 4, 11 and 18 are by the sample or flight.

Technorati Tags: wine,grower champagne,champagne

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Wine Tastings & Events: December 1-4, 2010

Wednesday, December 1 

The Andersons, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Great Kosher Wines: 1. Recanati Chardonnay – Galilee, Israel, 2. Recanati Syrah – Galilee, Israel, 3. Tishbi Estate Merlot – Upper Galilee, Israel, 4. Bartenura Moscato – Italy. Nominal fee per sample or $9.50 flight.

 
Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Spanish Wines. $15.

Thursday, December 2

The Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Leonetti Cellars (Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley): 1. 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2. 2007 Sangiovese, 3. 2008 Merlot, 4. 2007 Reserve (69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot and 9% Cabernet Franc.) Flight $20 or nominal fee per sample.  
 

The Andersons, Talmadge Road. Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Z-BEST: Our premiere wine tasting of the year. White wines: Kongsgaard Chardonnay, 95 points Parker, $100; Talbott Diamond T Chardonnay, $60; Red wines: Chateauneuf du Pape Clos Des Papes 2006, 98 points Parker, $120; Chateau Beaucastel 2007, 96 points Wine Spectator, $122; Domaine Pegau 2007, 95 points Parker, $80; Argentina: Cheval des Andes, 94 points Parker, $76; Australia: Schild Moorooroo Shiraz 2005, 94 points Parker, $76; Torbreck Factor Shiraz 2003, 96 points Parker, $100; Torbreck Run Rig 2005, 98+ points Parker, $200; Wild Duck Creek Duck Muck Shiraz 2002, 95 points Parker, $279; California: Cakebread Cabernet 2006, $57; Craig Cabernet 2007, 94 points Wine Spectator, $90; Dominus 2007, 94 points Wine Spectator, $148; Elyse Morisoli Cabernet 2005, $70; Joseph Phelps Insignia 2006, $200; Kamen Kabernet 2006, $79; Lagier-Meredith Syrah 2005, $55; Opus One 2007, $196; Patz & Hall Pisoni Ponot Noir 2007, $82; Staglin Cabernet 2003, $146; France: Chateau Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe, $110; Italy: Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalciano, $70; Brancaia Ilatraia Super Tuscan 2006, $85; Spain: Lan Edicion Limitada Rioja 2005, $57; Washington: Quilceeda Creek Cabernet 2006, $185; Quilceeda Creek Cabernet 2007, $185; Dessert: Alcyone Tannat Dessert Wine 375ml, $38; Maxferd Richter Riesling Beerenauslese 375ml, $65; Old Boys 21 year old Tawny Port, $45; Plus: Goodies from: In Situ Bread, House of Meats, coffees, cheeses, desserts.No reservation required. (Editor’s Note: This is way more info than we usually include in a listing, but due to the exceptional nature of the wines, we thought our readers would value it.)

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Spanish Wines. $15.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

Friday, December 3

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Red Blends: 1. House Wine, 2. Ciconia, 3. Steltzner Claret, 4. Molly Dooker "Two Left Feet."  $10 tasting.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

Saturday, December 4
Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Red Blends: 1. House Wine, 2. Ciconia, 3. Steltzner Claret, 4. Molly Dooker "Two Left Feet."  $10 tasting.

The Andersons, Woodville Mall. 1-3 PM. 1. Pietra Santa 2005 Sangiovese, 2. Mountain View 2008 Pinot Noir, 3. Toad Hollow 2009 Chardonnay, 4. Leonard Kreusch 2009 Piesporter Michelsberg. Nominal fee per sample or $2.50 for flight.

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. Noon to 5:00 PM. Grower Champagnes and our holiday wine and cheese tasting. Nominal fee per sample or by the flight.

Technorati Tags: wine

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

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Goose Watch 2007 Finger Lakes Viognier

Tired of Rieslings and Sauvignon Blancs – not to mention Chardonays? Viognier is a great way to break out of the white wine rut.

This Viognier comes from one of our favorite Finger Lakes wineries, Goose Watch Winery. Goose Watch specializes in truly unique premium wines with a selection unlike any you will find anywhere in the world such as Viognier, Pinot Grigio,Traminette, Melody, Diamond, Merlot and Lemberger. This winery is one of the best reasons to visit the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail.

I’ve enjoyed some outstanding Viogniers from California and the Northwest and this wine holds its own with some very noted competition.

One of the main differences between Viognier and Riesling is the medium body, a few notches up from Riesling. Riesling can, in unpracticed hands, be a bit watery. This has a lovely, delicate tropical fruit flavor with floral notes.

This Goose Watch beauty is dry with only 0.5% residual sugar. The alcohol is 13%.

It matches nicely with seafood, poultry and fruit. It has also bagged its share of gold medals in wine competitions. The 2007 vintage is no longer available, but the 2008 can be ordered online for a reasonable $18. There were 500 cases of the 2008 vintage produced.

Technorati Tags: wine

 

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Niagara Peninsula Winery Visit: Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery



Yes he can play hockey, but can he
score  with wine?


Another in our series of reports on Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, wineries.

Wayne Gretzky is acknowledged as the greatest hockey player of all time. When he retired he held forty regular-season NHL records and fifteen playoff records. And when you are in Canada, as we were for our Ontario wine tasting trip, there is no bigger celebrity than “The Great One.” He sure knows how to blast a slap shot – but can he make a quality wine?

We were about to find out as our itinerary brought us the the winery of the famous No.”99."

Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery was established to raise money for the Wayne Gretzky Foundation, which supports numerous charities, including minor hockey programs for less fortunate kids. The winery, in Vineland, is a great destination for hockey fans and wine lovers alike. 

All the Gretzky wines are designated as Niagara Peninsula VQA (the Canadian designation for a wine-growing appellation). The winery features its Grille restaurant with a great outdoor seating area. The tasting room, which is one of the smaller ones we visited, is nicely decorated and has the added appeal of plentiful Gretzky memorabilia on display. The winery gift shop is also a dynamite location if you have a friend or family member that is a sports fan – especially someone who follows hockey.

In 2009 the winery launched its Estate Series and we sampled a couple of bottles. Leading off was the 2007 Estate Series Sauvignon Blanc. I found this to be a unique twist on Sauvignon Blanc, less zingy than a New Zealand Sauv Blanc with decidedly grassy flavor notes mixed with tropical fruit. This wine is finished 70% in stainless steel and the remainder in oak – adding some nice character to the wine and a medium body. The Founders Series are the entry level, value wines and the Estate Series is the next step up in price and quality. However, the price for this Sauvignon Blanc is only $18.95 Canadian – very reasonable.


Some of The Great One's memorabilia on display.



The 2007 Estate Series Pinot Noir was light bodied with pronounced tannins.The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak (a combination of old and new). The wine has tangy cherries with a bit of spice. 830 cases were produced. A pleasant wine, but not exceptional in our minds. This wine also is priced at $18.95.

This is an upper tier winery with some good wines. It is boosted into the “must see” category by the fame of its celebrity owner. The fame of No. 99 may get you in the door, but you’ll find the high quality wines a compelling reason to stay.

Technorati Tags: wine,Niagara Peninsula,Ontario wine

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