Indiana’s Satek Winery Celebrates 11th Anniversary

Satek Winery, 260) 495-9463, 6208 N. Van Guilder Road, Fremont, Indiana, is celebrating its 11th anniversary. The  family-owned farm winery, nestled on a picturesque 16-acre property in Fremont, produces more than 20,000 gallons of wine, has 25 employees, and draws 65,000 visitors a year to the area.

At their Grand Opening in 2001, Satek introduced four wines (DeChaunac, 101 Lakes Red, Steuben, and Seyval Blanc), and eventually released (and sold out of) 12 wines in total that year. Satek Winery will release 38 varieties of wine over the course of 2012, including award-winning dry whites and reds, semi-dry wines, sweet wines, fruit wines, port-style and ice wines.

Larry Satek has been a key player in fostering Indiana wineries, having served for 9 years on the Indiana Wine Grape Council, and for nine years as President of the Indiana Winery and Vineyard Association, retiring in early 2012. He has actively lobbied the statehouse on behalf of fellow Indiana wineries, citing the economic impact of wineries as agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing entities.

This year’s Anniversary Celebration (which starts Friday, June 29 and continues through Sunday, June 8), will kick off with the unveiling of a large new entrance sign, crafted of sandblasted redwood with gilded lettering, crafted by TLA Signs of Angola.

The 10-day celebration is highlighted by a gift of a limited-edition wine glass with each two-bottle wine purchase (no limit, while supplies last). They will also release the new vintage of their signature DeChaunac, a dry red wine made from grapes grown on the original Lake James vineyard on Kreibaum Bay—and one of those first four varieties released on opening day eleven years ago.

Satek Winery is open every day, including the Fourth of July, with free tasting, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Technorati Tags: wine,Indiana wine

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Moon Mountain Vineyard 2007 Petit Verdot-Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley

When we read that there was a closeout of Moon Mountain Vineyard wine we burned up the keyboard placing an order to stock up on these elegant wines. We were introduced to Moon Mountain a couple years ago by tasting team member Ace of Bass. He brought a Moon Mountain Cabernet to a tasting and it entranced the group – being rich, fruit forward, and sporting a super long finish.

We recently popped open the first of our Moon Mountain shipment, the 2007 Petit Verdot – Cab blend. Petit Verdot is best known as a blending grape in Bordeaux wines, but we have recently been appreciating it as a lead player. In a twist, Cabernet Sauvignon is a supporting player at 30% of the blend.

The wine is a luxurious deep purple with a dark berry bouquet. The name of the winery conjures up a bit of mystery and the wine delivers with flavor notes of plum and dark cherry. The wine has structure, but the mountains of the moon are smooth and this PV follows suit. Vanilla and spice flavor notes elevates this wine above a typical Sonoma Cabernet.

The grapes are estate grown and organic, adding to the allure. The winery is located on the Sonoma side of Mount Veeder at about 2,000 feet. The winery and vineyards were sold to Diageo Wines. It’s unclear if wine like this will be produced in the future. We certainly hope so. We nabbed this wine at an unbelievable price of $12.99.

Like a full moon, this vino beamed forth with radiant goodness. We’re ready to launch a moon mission again very soon.

Rating: 4.5 of 5  Value: 5 of 5

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Exploring The Wineries of Hood River, Oregon

Tasting Team Member Dr. J continues his winery reports from his recent visit to the Northwest.

To break up our journey from the Willamette Valley to the Walla Walla Valley, we made a stop in Hood River for a night. There were quite a few signs for wineries. It’s hard to imagine there could be any not-so-good wineries in Oregon, but when you’re new to an area and there are several to choose from, how do you pick the best stops? Our first pick was based on recognition and achievements. Cathedral Ridge was named Oregon’s winery of the year in 2007. Their winemaker, Michael Sebastiani was listed as one of the top ten winemakers of the year by Sonoma Sommelier magazine. The premises of the winery are just beautiful and would be perfect for picnicking or even weddings.

Our tasting consisted of wines of the 2009 vintage. We started off with a Pinot Gris. The citrus and apple notes followed by a balanced acidity make this a pretty versatile wine.

The Chardonnay, one of their multi-medal winners, is full-bodied with buttery hints and lemon on the nose. On the palate it is “butterscotchy” as they say, and I couldn’t agree more. I was in love with this one.

Riesling is a wine that I used to prefer sweet. Anymore, I’m really leaning towards the off-dry to dry bottles. It turns out that this one is just under 3% residual sugar, yet drinks more like an off-dry wine. With light acidity and flavors of apple and sweetened grapefruit, this one pairs well with various nuts and curry dishes.

Continuing on to the reds, we were in for pure enjoyment. The Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend (50/50) has black cherry and chocolate on the nose. It is very smooth and balanced with soft tannins.

Bordheauxd Red (pronounced board head) was the big winner of this stop. Their previous 2007 vintage was rated 91 points by Wine& Spirits Magazine. It is an equal blend of Cab Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. With such an array of aromas, it’s hard to pinpoint any certain one. This wine showcases the complexity of each grape and the distinctiveness of the Columbia Gorge climate.

We finished with one of CR’s most prized wines, the Syrah. There are aromas of forest floor and wildflowers that lead to tastes of berries, spice, and pepper. I had to flip a coin between getting a bottle of this and the Bordheauxd. After all, it was still only the middle of our trip.

I am still pondering joining the Cathedral Ridge wine club. This place was simply wonderful.

Two other stops in Hood River that I’d like to make mention of include Springhouse Winery and Naked Winery. These were based on proximity and did not disappoint. We had to check out Naked just because of its name. Each of the wines on their list is named in sexual innuendo. We happened to catch them early in the day before they got too busy and were treated to their list top to bottom. I have to say, it’s much more than just the name that’s enticing. The wine was excellent.

Springhouse had a great lineup as well. The standouts for us were the Chardonnay and the Cherry Ort. A friend of the winemaker had a lot of cherries left over that he didn’t know what to do with. It was decided to make a wine from them. An ort is a scrap of food left at a meal and pretty fitting both for the name and to hint at the style of wine that it is. The Ort is made just like the famous dessert wine from Portugal, but careful because you can’t use that word…

 

Technorati Tags: wine,Willamette Valley

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Toledo Area Wine Tastings & Events: June 27-30, 2012

Wine tasting bar at Ridge/Lytton Springs, Sonoma, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wednesday, June 27

The Andersons, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. 1. Christian Moreau Chablis, 2. Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Muelheimer Sonnenlay Riesling Spaetlese feinherb, 3. Cota 585 Tempranillo Rioja, 4. Exitus Red. $8 or nominal fee per sample.

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

Thursday, June 28

Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. France vs. USA. 1. 2010 Domaine de la Villaudiere – Sancere – Sancere, France, 2. 2010 Medlock Ames – Sauvignon Blanc – Alexander Valley, California, USA, 3. 2007 Joseph Drouhin – Red Burgundy – Burgundy, France, 4. 2008 Dierberg – Pinot Noir – Santa Maria Valley, California, USA. Flight $11 or nominal fee per sample.

The Andersons, Talmadge Road. Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Fresh Wines for the Start of Summer: 1. Pillitteri Gewurztraminer-Riesling, 2. Carles and Charles Rose, 3. Vin de Savoy Abymes, 4. Domaine Andre Neveu Sancerre, 5. La Spinetta Vermentino, 6. 3 masses Basses Ventoux, 7. Geretto Refrosco, 8. Bonny Doon Clos de Gilroy Grenache, 9. Leitz Drangstone Riesling. Nominal fee per sample.

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

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

TREO Wine Bar, 5703 Main St., Sylvania, (419) 882-2266. Wine & Cheese Thursday. Explore the wonderful world of wine and cheese. Try four different wines with a sample platter of the day’s cheese.

Friday, June 29
Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. White Blends: 1. Apothic White, 2. Folie a Deux "Menage a Trois" White, 3. Seven Daughters White, 4. Conundrum. $10 tasting.

Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. Wine Tasting. 5:00 – 8:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

Saturday, June 30

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. White Blends: 1. Apothic White, 2. Folie a Deux "Menage a Trois" White, 3. Seven Daughters White, 4. Conundrum. $10 tasting.

The Andersons, Woodville Mall. 1-3 PM. Wines to go with July 4th: 1. Firelands Gewurztraminer, 2. Liberty School Cuvée Red, 3. Vicious Petite Sirah, 4. Sutter Home Moscato. Flight $2 or nominal fee per sample.

Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. Wine Tasting. 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

AREA WINE BARS

• The Bistro at Maumee Wines, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
  
• Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
  
• Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.

Technorati Tags: wine

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

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Tasting Pinot Blanc From Willamette Valley and Alsace

Pinot Blanc is a distant third or maybe fourth when wine lovers talk about Pinots. Leading the pack is Pinot Noir trailed closely by Pinot Grigio (at least in my handicapping of the race). Pinot Blanc comes struggling across the finish line far behind – perhaps even trailing Pinot Gris (which is actually the same grape as Pinot Grigio).

Pinot Blanc is a white grape variety popular in the Alsace region of France, northern Italy, Austria and Germany. The wine does remarkably well in Oregon too.

By chance I tasted two very different Pinot Blancs within 10 days, one that hit the mark and one that left me unimpressed.

I was in Houston for a meeting and our group went to T’Afia, the quirky restaurant of Chef Monica Pope. The menu features such dishes as Lamb’s Tongue Salad and Gingered Kobe Stirfry. The food was fantastic and the group mindset was white wine, no matter what. This might have had to do with the sweltering heat and humidity.

Rather than an obvious New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, I opted for a 2010 Elk Cove Pinot Blanc from Willamette Valley. It was a great choice. The wine is a true crowd pleaser with a crisp apple palate and a touch of minerality. It’s a versatile food wine and a recommended summer thirst-buster. It’s medium bodied with an off-dry finish.

Feeling good about my Pinot Blanc experience, I chilled down a bottle of Alsatian Pinot Blanc upon my return home. 

The 2009 Domain Frey Rayon de Lune Pinot Blanc from Alsace laid an egg. I love wines from Alsace and was ready to be impressed. Hoping for some creamy apple goodness, I instead found this to be a very austere wine.

Minerality dominates some very light fruit notes. The wine starts with welcome freshness, but ends with a slightly sour finish. This was not terrible, but didn’t live up to my expectations.

I remain on the hunt for great Pinot Blanc. It’s a great choice for those who thirst for variety in their white.

Technorati Tags: wine,Pinot Blanc

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Willamette Valley: Winery Visit Highlights.

Tasting Team member Dr. J. wraps up his report on his recent Willamette Valley, Oregon visit by sharing highlights from several wineries.

I wanted to make mention of a few more highlights of our stops.

Anne Amie caught my attention because like St. Innocent, I had tasted their Pinot Noir at a tasting once before and thought it was exceptional. They were very familiar with Toledo as their winemaker was in town in early May for the Pedaling for Pinot event. I didn’t stick to my tasting notes too well, but I can tell you the Pinot Noir was exactly as I remembered it…wonderful. We took a bottle of this along with a Müller Thurgau dessert wine duo. I’ve enjoyed this wine dry the few times I’ve had it, but it made an incredible sweet wine as well.

In a back-to-back tandem, we made stops at both Torii Mor and Lange Estate. This was a long, winding journey up the side of steep hillsides on stone roads. Torii Mor has a beautiful Japanese garden and as well as very picturesque premises. Both whites we tried, the Pinots Blanc and Gris were excellent summer sippers. There were three different Pinot Noirs from distinct vineyards. It was getting hard to distinguish between them; visiting several wineries a day. It’s safe to say that we didn’t try a bad Pinot in all of the Willamette Valley. We finished with a Syrah Port. I love Syrah and Port, so this was the best of both worlds! It was perfectly sweetened with rich berries, spice, and earth notes. We wanted a well-versed collection of great wines to take home with us, so we nabbed a bottle of the Gris and the Port.

At Lange Estate, the trio of single vineyard Pinot Noirs really shined. These are about as good as they get. Trying to pick what to take with us was difficult so we went with a bottle of the “Lange Estate Vineyard” Pinot Noir due to its 92pt. Wine & Spirits Magazine rating.

Other notable stops include Hyland Estates and Owen Roe. Hyland Estates is a newer winery and it was a nice change of pace to see Riesling and Gewurztraminer on the tasting list. The Riesling has a great fruity nose with great acidity and crispness on the palate. The Gewurztraminer was very aromatic; something this grape is known for. It was nice and bold with a long, dry finish. We took a bottle of each of these exceptional whites.

Owen Roe is one that was on my list before we even got there. These are usually top-shelf wines in our local depots, and I had previously sampled an incredible Cab Franc. In research beforehand, I found out that they do not have a tasting room and you have to call for an appointment to taste. Luckily for us, they were very welcoming and got us right in. Everything on their list was outstanding; from the Syrah to the Merlot and red blend, to the Cab Sauvignon and Cab Franc. We were very impressed.

The Willamette Valley is a great place to visit for some exceptional wine. Our only regret is that we were there on a Monday and Tuesday when many of our other “must-visit” wineries were closed.

Technorati Tags: wine,Willamette Valley

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