Maker: Left Foot Charley, Traverse City, Michigan, USA.
Grape: Riesling
Style: Semi-sweet
Place of origin: Michigan, USA (Antrim Co., Grand Traverse Co., Old Mission Peninsula)
Vintage: 2012
ABV: 10.4%
Purchased for $16
Appearance: Light gold.
Nose: Fresh sliced apple, apricot, gravel, orange peel.
Palate: Medium bodied and very well balanced. Medium tart apple, mandarin orange, woodruff, flint.
Finish: A bit of sweet citrus, then smoke and stone.
Parting words: Missing Spire is named after a spire missing off Building 50 in the former insane asyum in Traverse City where Left Foot Charley is located. There’s nothing missing here, though. This has everything one could want in a Riesling: bit of minerality, a bit of fruit, a bit of acid, a bit of sweetness, a good body and brilliant color. It’s the kind of wine that made me fall in love with this grape years ago. Left Foot Charley might be the best winery in Northern Michigan right now and this is one of their best wines. It’s also a favorite of friend-of-the-blog Oliver Windgätter, who knows more about German Riesling than anybody I’ve ever met. As Nicholas Cage might say, that’s high praise. The Missing Spire is highly recommened.
Sipology 
Thanks for the shout out, Josh! It’s indeed one of the best wineries in Michigan (I still need to write up our visit up there). I need to get you to try some of Brys Estate’s Rieslings. I found them to be exceptional. We need to meet up, I’m happy to pull a bottle open for us.
[…] I have not reviewed Cadia before as it turns out, but my review of Gill’s Pier Riesling is here and a review of Left Foot Charleys’ Missing Spire Riesling is here. […]