Michigan Wines

Jonathan and I took a trip to southwest Michigan for the fourth of July weekend and a visit to several wineries. We didn’t have high expectations, brought wine with us to enjoy in the evenings and decided to stay away from overpriced, average bottles of wine. I did think Riesling wines might be intriguing from the area so I was eager to try a few of those. I also wanted to try more ice wines. I’ve only tasted a few so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. However, we were pleasantly surprised by several wineries and varietals. We purchased more wine than we thought we would. The prices were fair and the wine was good. Plus, I tasted several new grape varietals for my quest of 100. This trip put me around 80. Here are a few tasting notes from some of the wineries we visited. I’ll have more next week.

Hickory Creek Winery
This was the best winery for white wines.

Hickory Creek

2006 Riesling
-lots of acidity
-grapes grown in sandy soil
-orange peel and pineapple on the nose

2007 Estate Riesling
-grapes grown in clay soil
-slight aroma of honey on the nose
-big, powerful citrus punch on the palate

2007 Chardonnay
-aged in stainless steel – no oak
-nice, thin, light
-easy to drink

2006 Chardonnay
-aged on oak for 6 months
-toasty, oaky nose
-heavy, round

2007 Shiraz
-light, looks like a Pinot Noir
-dusty, musty aromas
-young and acidic, needs to lay a few years

Tabor Hill Winery

Lake Michigan Shore Dry Riesling ($14.95)
-spent 8 days in oak
-smells very sweet on the nose
-offers a floral bouquet on the palate

White Heritage ($8.45)
-blend of Chardonnay and Chardonel
-soft, yet citrusy
-similar to a Burgundy white, but a little more citrus

Lake Michigan Shore Pinot Noir 2007 ($21.95)
-almost has a slight spicy aromas
-slight oak and tannins
-quick finish

Red Heritage ($8.45)
-blend of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chancellor grapes
-similar to a Chianti
-quick finish

Lake Michigan Shore Lemberger 2007 ($21.95)
-berries on the palate
-earthiness on the finish

Round Barn Winery
This winery was the biggest disappointment of the entire trip.

Blanc de Noir ($19.99)
-not a fan
-there was something unusual, but I couldn’t put my finger on it
-hints of vanilla

Riesling LMS ($14.99)
-very fruity smell – lots of pears and apples
-sweeter than other Rieslings tasted

Merlot LMS 2005 ($21.99)
-more body than a typical Merlot
-aged over 20 months
-could decant or sit for a while

Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.99)
-grapes are a blend from Michigan, Oregon and Washington
-smooth and easy to drink for a Cab
-dusty, earthiness on the nose

Warner Vineyards
Family owned winery, we had one of the brothers pouring for us, and he was quite a talkative fellow. This winery had one of the best atmospheres.

Pinot Grigio ($18.99)
-floral bouquet on the nose
-flat and full on the palate

Riesling ($16.99)
-made in the Alsatian-stye
-tons of pear on the nose
-touch of sweetness on the palate

Cabernet Franc 2007 ($29.99)
-rusty red color
-dusty, spicy aromas
-young with heavy tannins

Ruby Red ($13.99)
-deep red appearance
-light bodied
-slightly, sweet fruity taste
-blend of baco noir, chelois, chancellor noir and maréchal foch