Maker: Peninsula Cellars, Traverse City, Michigan, USA
Place of origin: Hawkeye, Kroupa vineyards, Old Mission Peninsula AVA, Michigan, USA
Vintage: 2012
ABV: 12%
Price: $18 (website)
Appearance: Bright gold.
Nose: Fresh cut green apple, Anjou pear, sweet melon, fizzy mineral water.
Palate: Drying. Underripe apple, white mulberry, gravel.
Finish: Racy, slightly tart. Lingers faintly for a moderate length of time.
Parting words: Peninsula Cellars is located in the central part of the Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City, Michigan. They’re best known for their table blends, Old School White, Old School Red and Detention. The school theme comes from the old school house that serves as their tasting room (at a different location than their winery).
Peninsula’s blends may be their most popular and best known wines, but they also produce some seriously good varietals, including a single-vineyard Gewürztraminer and this dry Reisling from grapes grown at two nearby vineyards, Hawkeye and Kroupa. It’s a first rate example of how this style of Reisling is done in Michigan. The winemakers have done a wonderful job of balancing fruit with dry minerality. Like most dry Reisling, it does well with poultry, fish and Asian dishes, but this is one that you’ll want to spend a summer or even winter afternoon contemplating. Peninsula Cellars’ 2012 Dry Reisling is highly recommended.
Sipology 