Month: October 2024

Exploring Michigan’s Unique Kerner Wine by Left Foot Charley

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Maker: Left Foot Charley, Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Place of origin: Island View Orchard, Old Mission Peninsula AVA, Traverse City, Michigan, USA.

Grape: Kerner (at least 85%).

Vintage: 2020.

ABV: 13.3%

Purchased for $25 (Michigan by the Bottle, Auburn Hills, Michigan)

Appearance: Light gold.

Nose: Canned pear, thyme, golden apple.

Palate: Green apples, gravel, touch of leather.

Finish: Medium tart. pear, white pepper.

Parting words: Kerner is a grape that is not widely grown outside of Germany and Northern Italy. It is a newer vinifera variety, first released to the grape-growing public in 1969, the result of a cross between Trollinger (a red wine grape) and Riesling, both of which are pretty old varieties.

Anyhow, I like this grape a lot, especially in this dry style. Kerner isn’t as complex as a top tier Riesling, but it’s aromatic enough and easier to grow than its parent. I could see it doing well in white blends as well, but it’s already well-balanced on its own.

Anyway, I hope we see more Michigan Kerner in the future. Left Foot Charley’s is recommended.

Wild Ferment Cider Review: Eve’s Albee Hill

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Maker: Eve’s Cidery, Van Etten, New York.

Style: Wild ferment, single orchard blend.

Apples: Too many to list. See website.

Region: Southern Tier, New York, USA.

ABV: 7%

Price: $17/750 ml (website).

Appearance: Light amber.

Nose: apple juice, apple peels, gravel.

Palate: Semi-dry with big apple flavors. Acid, then tannin, then sweetness.

Finish: Relatively dry. Sour apple, limestone.

Parting words: This was my first cider from Eve’s Cidery, and I found it to be enjoyable. When I saw “wild ferment” on the bottle, I thought I was in for some funk, but there was very little to be had. They have some very well-behaved yeast in that part of New York, apparently.

This is simply a well-constructed, well-behaved, entry level craft cider. It’s at its best when served with a meal. Think of what one might pair with Pinot Noir or Gamay: pork, salmon, turkey, duck, etc. It would even make for a nice change of pace at Thanksgiving dinner. The vintages, sorry, batches, do vary, so what you buy may not taste exactly like what I sampled.

At $17, this is an easy regular buy. Eve’s Albee Hill, batch 2021 is recommended.

Gelas, 8 ans

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Maker: Gelas, Vic-Fezenac, Gers, Ocittania, France (negociant)

Region: Bas-Armagnac

Age: 8 y/o

ABV: 40%

Purchased for $73 (Vine & Table)

Appearance: Medium copper.

Nose: Prunes, leather, anise, vanilla

Palate: Oak, vanilla, grape soda, pinch of cayenne.

Finish: Drying. Dried fruit, oak.

Parting words: For more information on Gelas, or just for kicks, take a look at my review for Gelas Selection here.

This is the second tier Bas-Armagnac blend from Gelas (in the US at least). It comes with a hefty jump in price, but also in sophistication. The sugar of Selection is gone, replaced by more refined barrel and fruit notes. It tastes more like how I expect an Armagnac to taste, rather than the generic French brandy flavors of the entry level offering.

This is a good, solid spirit. I like it as a a finer evening brandy, perhaps with a dessert. I would like it even more if it were $10-$15 cheaper. Despite being a little overpriced, Gelas, 8 y/o is recommended.