Burning Chair

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Maker: Savage and Cooke, Vallejo, California, USA.

Distillery: Ross & Sqibb, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, USA.

Style: Bourbon whiskey finished in Zinfandel and Grenache (70/30%) barrels.

Age: NAS

Proof: 119 (59.7 ABV)

Barrel: 213

Purchased for $70 (Vine and Table)

Tasted with a little water.

Appearance: Medium copper.

Nose: Big spice, char, cayenne, oak, and sweet red wine.

Palate: Full-bodied with a velvety, sweet opening. Wild cherry Lifesavers, then oak, spice, and burn that slowly grows until it burns the roof of my mouth like a hot slice of pizza.

Finish: Burn and cherry wine. Not quite cough syrup but right on the edge.

Parting words: Savage & Cooke is a restaurant/distillery in Vallejo, California. It was founded and is owned by Dave Phinney, known as “the The Prisoner Guy” in wine circles. It’s another case of a rich guy getting into the micro-distilling business, and also another case of a distillery that seems to be more of a distillery-themed restaurant than what normally passes for a distillery.

As cheesy as all that sounds, this is one of the better finished bourbons I’ve tasted. One of the keys is starting with good, already aged whiskey. Too many producers, large and small, try to use finishes to cover up flaws in the spirit. That almost never works, so I’m glad Savage & Cooke didn’t try. This has a solid whiskey base. The finish is noticeable, but not overwhelming, and well-integrated. It’s everything a wine-finished bourbon should be.

The price, on the other hand, is higher than it should be. I knew $70 was too much when I paid for it, but it is barrel strength, unavailable in the Mitten State, an exclusive retail bottling, and Dave Helt was pouring samples of it at the time. So I paid it, and I haven’t really been disappointed. As a result, Burning Chair (barrel 213) is recommended.

Tempesta, 2016

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Maker: Bel Lago, Cedar, Michigan, USA.

Grapes: Cabernet Franc, Regent, Merlot, Marquette, “and more (?).” Label calls it a “vineyard blend”.

Place of origin: Bel Lago estate, Leelanau Peninsula AVA, Leelanau County, Michigan.

Vintage: 2016

ABV: 13.5% ABV

Notes: Spent 34 months in oak barrels.

Purchased for $44 from Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room, Royal Oak.

Thanks to Cortney Case for the information on the grapes that went into this wine!

Appearance: Brick red.

Nose: Cherry jam, lightly toasted oak, anise, mace.

Palate: Blackberry jam, mulberry, leather.

Finish: Chewy with a little tang.

Parting words: I bought this wine about a year ago. At the time, I’m sure I took note of what the composition of the wine was, but over the months, that knowledge drifted out of my mind. So in preparation for this review, I emailed friend-of-the-blog Cortney Casey (co-owner of Michigan by the Bottle) and asked if she had any information on the grapes in this wine. She wrote back promptly with the above information but noted that Bel Lago co-founder “Charlie [Edson] is notoriously difficult to get full blend lists out of since a lot of his wines are field blends.” Since that is the case, I’m going to assume the term “vineyard blend” on the label means field blend.

I didn’t have that information at my fingertips when I tasted this wine, though, so I went in assuming this would be a Bordeaux/Meritage style blend like many of the “flagship” red blends in Michigan. I was therefore surprised at the “fruit of the forest” flavors of Tempesta at first taste, but with Regent and Marquette in the mix, it makes a lot more sense. That is not intended as a knock in any way, though. Tempesta is an excellent food wine, pairing well with just about anything except shellfish, which it would overwhelm.

$44 is pretty expensive. Not Bel Lago’s most expensive (that would be the Riesling ice wine), but it is in the top four. I’ve had the second most expensive one, sibling wine Tempesta Cabernet Franc, but I think I actually prefer this over that!

I vacillated between a full and a mild recommendation because of the price, but I’ve settled on full. Even though Regent and Marquette are pretty easy to grow in Northern Michigan, Merlot is not (even in a hot vintage like 2016), and Cab Franc can be a pain from time to time. If it is indeed a field blend, that’s worth a bit more as well. All in all, I feel comfortable recommending 2016 Bel Lago Tempesta.

Great King Street Glasgow Blend

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Maker: Compass Box, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

Distillers: Undisclosed.

Style: Blended Scotch whisky.

Age: NAS

ABV: 43%

Michigan state minimum: $40.

Appearance: Medium amber (natural color)

Nose: Peat, malt, sherry, rubber.

Palate: Full-bodied and moderately sweet. Toffee, dark chocolate, burn

Finish: Sooty but sweet.

Parting words: Compass Box, known for its blended malts, got into the blended whisky business back in 2011 with their Great King Street Artist’s Blend, named for the Edinburgh street on which their headquarters is located.

What’s the difference between a blended malt and a plain old blended Scotch, you may ask? Well, a blended malt (formerly known as a vatted or pure malt) is a blend of various single malt whiskies. A blended Scotch is single malt blended with grain whisky. Grain whisky is whisky that is made with grains that are not malted barley. It’s usually distilled in a column still (single malts are made in pot still) to a higher ABV than single malts, for less flavor. It’s made to be blended, although it can occasionally be found bottled on its own by independent bottlers. Compass Box actually bottles a grain whisky under the name Hedonism. My review of it is here.

Anyway, Great King Street Glasgow Blend was released in 2014, as a smokier counterpart to Artist’s Blend. It succeeds in that effort. In fact, it was even smokier and peatier than I thought it would be. The result is a blend that is a good, lower cost alternative to smoky Islay Single Malts, for people who enjoy that style. Great King Street Glasgow Blend is recommended.

Bowers Harbor Vineyards Riesling- Medium Dry, 2019

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Maker: Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Lake Leelanau, Michigan, USA

Grape: Riesling (at least 85%)

Place of origin: Old Mission Peninsula AVA, Traverse City, Michigan, USA (at least 85%)

Style: Semi-dry/semi-sweet.

Vintage: 2019.

ABV: 11%

Purchased for $15 at Holiday Market, Royal Oak, Michigan.

Appearance: Very pale gold, almost platinum.

Nose: Pear, wet limestone, papaya.

Palate: Pineapple, tart apple, mandarin, gravel.

Finish: Stone and stone fruit with a bit of acid. Lingers for a while.

Parting words: Bowers Harbor is one of the reigning monarchs of Northern Michigan Riesling and this wine is an excellent example of why. It’s fruit and acid in perfect harmony: at once complex and easy to drink.

It’s hard to believe but the last vintage of this wine I reviewed was 2011. That review is here. I got a lot of orchard fruit in that bottle. Those are definately present in this 2019 bottle, but I tasted more tropical fruit in this. I don’t know if the wine changed or my palate did, but either way, it’s still a very good wine. At $15, it’s a steal if you’re a Riesling lover like me. Bowers Harbor Medium Dry Riesling is recommended.

The 2012 Project

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In my last wine review, I stated that there was a blogging project coming up that involved aging and Michigan wines. Well, here it is: the 2012 project.

A few of the wines that will be a part of the 2012 Project.

In the early 2010s, around the time this blog was born, there was a run of excellent vintages in Michigan. 2010, 2011, and 2012 were all hailed as superb at the time. By the time the 2012 wines were released, I finally got the memo I and started collecting them with an eye on seeing how they would develop in my cellar. 2013 was more challenging, with a cooler autumn, but was recognized as a good year for whites at the time. In retrospect, some excellent reds were produced that year as well; they’ve just taken longer to develop than their older siblings.

Two cellars, one alpaca farm, and countless wine shops later (OK, mostly MBTB, Red Wagon, and Holiday Market), the time has come. Starting in January 2023, I will be embarking on a series of reviews of Michigan wines from the 2012 and 2013 vintages with the goal of understanding how they’ve changed in the bottle and what difference factors like terroir, winemaker, and closure make, among other things. The wines are mostly red, but there will be a few whites in the mix. They are all from Michigan AVAs that existed at the time: Lake Michigan Shore, Leelanau Peninsula, and Old Mission Peninsula. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to grab any from Fennville.

Why include 2013s in the 2012 Project? As I mentioned above, 2012 and 2013 were pretty different vintages. A lot can be learned just tasting through the 2012 vintage, but including 2013 opens up the possibilities to explore how the variations in weather from year to year factors into the aging of wine.

Winemakers: It’s not too late to get your wines in on the action! If you have library wines you want me to include in this project, send me an email at sipologyblog@gmail.com . The project is currently weighted toward red Bordeaux variety wines, so any samples of whites or other red varieties you may have are especially welcomed!

I’m looking forward to exploring these bottles with you all in the new year!

Happy Holidays from your internet drinking buddy Josh.

Crown of Cab, 2017

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Maker: Domaine Berrien, Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA.

Grapes: 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec.

Place of origin: Domaine Berrien estate, Lake Michigan Shore AVA, Michigan, USA.

Vintage: 2017

ABV: Undisclosed (table wine exception).

Purchased for $21 (Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room, Royal Oak).

Appearance: Brick red.

Nose: Cherry juice, toasted French oak, wild blackberry.

Palate: Medium bodied. Tart and a little chewy. Tart cherry, blackberry, leather.

Finish: Chewy like a good Bordeaux.

Parting words: Crown of Cab is the crown jewel of Domaine Berrien’s cellar. It’s produced every year from a blend of red Bordeaux varieties. In odd numbered years, winemaker and co-owner Wally Maurer aims for a Left Bank Bordeaux, producing a Cab Sauv-forward blend like this one. In even numbered years, he goes for a Right Bank, Merlot & Cab Franc heavy blend.

Although Wally encourages his customers to drink his wines promptly, they are some of the most age-worthy wines produced in the Mitten State. That fact is even more astounding when one factors in how affordable they all are.

At five years old, this blend is just starting to get going. 2017 was an especially fine vintage in Michigan as well, so this wine will probably end up having a long, fulfilling life for anyone who can wait a while.

Speaking of aging, I have a fun series of reviews planned for this winter and spring that involve aging Michigan wine. Watch this space for more information soon!

At any rate, 2017 Crown of Cab is recommended for cellaring and for drinking right now!

Marland Sauvignon Blanc & Semillion, 2020

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Maker: Wyncroft/Marland, Fennville, Michigan, USA.

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc (75%), Semillon (25%)

Place of origin: Lake Michigan Shore, Michigan, USA.

Vintage: 2020

Note: Aged in acacia barrels.

ABV: Not disclosed (table wine loophole)

Purchased for $19 (winery).

Appearance: Very pale straw

Nose: Golden delicious apples

Palate: Pear, touch of wood, honey.

Finish: Honey, gravel, clementines.

Parting words: Marland Sauv Blanc/Semillon is basically the less expensive, non-estate version of Wyncroft Shou (pronounced “show”) white. To my knowledge, Wyncroft’s James Lester is the only winemaker in Michigan who uses acacia barrels to ferment and age a white blend like this. He does it because that’s how many wineries in Bordeaux make their white blends. I don’t drink a lot of white Bordeaux, but the technique works very well in this wine, and its more expensive cousin. It adds a rich mouthfeel without any of the toasty tastes and aromas one gets from French oak barrels.

I’m not sure how much of this vintage is still kicking around, but 2020 was a great one for pretty much everything, so if you see this, pick it up! It’s a good all-season white that goes beyond the typical summertime porch-sipper. 2020 Marland Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon is recommended.

For more information on Wyncroft/Marland, see the write up of my visit there last year here.

Rockway Small Lot Syrah, “Alter Ego”, 2017

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Maker: Rockway Vineyards, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada.

Grapes: Syrah with Viognier skins added during fermentation.

Place of origin: Rockway Estate, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada.

Vintage: 2017

Notes: Spent 18 months in French and American oak. For more information, click here.

Purchased for $30, Canadian. Listed at $36 on website.

Other note: Liz and I received a complimentary tasting at the time of purchase.

Appearance: Dark red.

Nose: Chocolate covered cherry, blackberry.

Palate: Dry to semi-dry. White cherry, red currant, chocolate orange.

Finish: A little chewy and a little tart, with a hint of oak.

Parting words: The family and I visited Rockway back in July on our way to Niagara Falls for a vacation. We went there to pick up a bottle of When Pigs Fly Rosé and Ruff Pinot Noir from 80x, the wine company co-founded by friend of the blog André Proulx.

I feel uncomfortable drawing attention to myself in situations like that, especially outside of Michigan where even fewer people know who I am. It was lunch time, so we got a table at the winery restaurant and I ordered a glass of Gewürztraminer. After we ordered our food, I walked over to the tasting bar and mentioned that I was picking up two bottles from André and might want to buy another bottle or two. That’s when wine club manager Bonnie Bates sprung into action.

After a sip at the bar, she offered to move the rest of the tasting to our table and we accepted. Liz was included in the tasting as well, and we weren’t changed or given any sort of limit for it. This is a dangerous situation for yours truly to be in, but I managed to keep it in second gear so my palate wouldn’t get tired or my head dizzy.

In addition to the Gewürz, we also tried the Pinot Gris, Gamay Noir, Small Lot Syrah, Meritage, Cab/Shiraz (featuring Cabs Franc and Sauvignon), Pink Ribbon Rosé, and this wine. They were all good, but the standouts to me were the Pinot Gris and Alter Ego. Liz liked the rosé better than the Gris, so we bought a bottle of that, Alter Ego, and a bottle of the surprisingly tannic (in a good way) Gamay Noir which I was eager to try again in a different setting.

On the way out I attempted to tip tasting room manager Mike (he had taken over from Bonnie who had wine club managing to do), but I was waved off. That said, always tip your tasting room pourer, or at least try to!

Anyway, don’t let the touristy vibe of Rockway and its golf course fool you, there is seriously good wine being made there, and seriously good hospitality too. It’s worth a leisurely stop if you’re driving through the area or you could stop at the tasting bar after a round of golf, if you’re into that sort of thing.

As for this wine itself, the unique process is a twist on the way Syrah is often made in the grape’s traditional home in the Rhône valley. Rhône Syrah is often co-fermented with Viognier for added complexity, a rounder mouthfeel, tamer tannins, and to stabilize the color. The practice is most associated with the sub-region of Côte-Rôtie in the northern part of the valley. It’s not done as much in that area anymore, but it’s still done in many places, including Northern Michigan, where Nathaniel Rose uses that technique with his Syrah.

$30 CA works out to about $22 US at the time of writing, so this is an easy buy. It’s very good now but you could probably cellar it for another year or two if you really wanted. Rockway’s 2017 Small Lot Syrah, “Alter Ego” is recommended.

When Pigs Fly Rosé of Pinot Noir, 2021

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Maker: 80x Wine Company, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Made at Rockway, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

Grape: Pinot Noir (100%)

Place of origin: 82% Crispino Vineyard (Vinemount sub-appellation), 18% Rockway Vineyard (Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation), Niagara Peninsula VQA, Ontario, Canada.

Vintage: 2021

ABV: 12.6%

Price: $28, Canadian (myarchives.ca)

Thanks to André Proulx for the complimentary bottle!

Appearance: Orangey pink.

Nose: Cherry gummies, orange sherbet, rose pedals, gravel.

Palate: Dry. Strawberry, white mulberry, underripe cherry, rosehips.

Finish: Dry and flinty with a little stone fruit.

Parting words: Back in the spring of this year, 2022, Liz floated the idea of a family vacation to Niagara Falls. We had a lot of fun there as a couple early on in our marriage, but had never been with the kids, so it sounded like a great idea. What also made it sound like a good idea was the opportunity to visit some of the great wineries in the area.

Since winery time was limited, I decided to get an insider’s advice on where to go. So I sent a message to friend-of-the-blog friend-of-the-blog, wine writer André Proulx. I first met André over Twitter, via the old Wines of Ontario Wednesday night chats there. We were even on opposite sides of a friendly debate over the topic of signature varieties. I’ve also been a fan of his podcast with Michael Pinkus, Two Guys Talking Wine, for years.

André gave me some good tips, and also offered me complimentary bottles of this wine and his red Pinot Noir as well. They’re from 80x, a partnership of Vadim Chelekhov, Guillaume Frenehard, and André. Adam Kern of Lundy Manor makes the wine, and all winemaking decisions, for them at Rockway, although André told me, “I love getting my hands dirty on the crush pad.”

The company was founded as a way to make some excellent wine, of course, but also for André to get hands on experience in the Ontario wine industry, as a wine writer. He told me via Instagram: “We started the company to learn more about how the industry works. I was (and still am) a wine critic and as DMX said ‘talk is cheap motherf***er’. I also wanted to learn about the legislative and bureaucratic nightmare that is Ontario wine. We took a loss on our first wine and regrouped to start making rosé.” André says he likes Pinot Noir rosé for its consistency across vintages.

This is the only vintage of this wine I’ve had but if it’s always this good, André and the lads have a hit on their hands. As I’ve mentioned before, I usually prefer rosés of Cabernet Franc to Pinot Noir, but this Pinot might change my mind. It’s dry and flinty, but retains loads of fruit flavor without ever getting sweet. It’s my favorite wine oxymoron: fruity but dry.

I love rosé but my wife Liz LOVES it. She was so excited to try this wine, she passed up a perfectly good Leelanau Riesling that was already chilling in the fridge to open When Pigs Fly the moment it appeared in our dining room wine rack. And it went fast. I’m glad I was able to get a few sips in and I’m very glad I reached out to André before we went to Niagara. Big thanks again to him and to the folks at Rockway for their hospitality!

$28 Canadian comes out to about $20 US, which is an excellent value. When Pigs Fly rosé is worth seeking out the next time you’re in the neighborhood. 2020 When Pigs Fly Rosé is highly recommended.

Woodinville Private Select, Holiday Market, barrel 4884

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Maker: Woodinville, Woodinville, Washington, USA

Style: Single barrel, barrel strength, straight bourbon.

Age: NAS (at least four years old).

Proof: 121.28 (60.64% ABV)

Michigan state minimum: $70

Appearance: Medium copper.

Nose: Spicy. Caramel, hot pepper jam, mace, cassia.

Palate: Full bodied and lucious. Caramel and cream, with big burn on the end. Water calms things down a bit, but doesn’t rob it of its richness. It also brings out the char and a little chocolate.

Finish: Sweet and oaky, in the “dusty” bourbon way.

Parting words: Woodinville is a farm-to-bottle distillery in the wine country near Seattle. Like many micro distilleries around the US, they claim the late Dave Pickerell as a formative influence on their business. After parting ways with Maker’s Mark in 2008, Pickerell went into business as a travelling consultant and worked with scores of start up distilleries over the next ten years, Woodinville included.

I’m not very well acquainted with Woodinville, and this is the first bottle I’ve purchased, so I had no expectations upon opening it. When I first opened it, I drank it mostly on the rocks, and I was not particularly impressed. Once I started drinking it in a Glencairn glass with a splash of water, my opinion changed immensely.

It has a richness that reminds me a lot of some of my favorite old “dusty” discontinued bourbons. I don’t remember how old it is, but I don’t really care, frankly. It’s one of the best “craft” bourbons I’ve had. $70 is a perfectly reasonable price given the quality and proof. I really like this, and I can’t wait to try more Woodinville selections. Woodinville Private Select, Holiday Market selection (barrel 4884) is highly recommended.