WIOG Weekly Roundup: Aug. 26, 2012

This edition of WIOG Weekly Roundup features a few Michigan wines we drank this week, plus tasting notes taken during a run through Brys Estate's entire lineup in late June/early July. As we often stress, we're not wine experts, but we do taste a lot of Michigan wine. (You may have noticed.) WIOG is our attempt to give you an idea of some selections that you may be interested in checking out based on what we've been tasting. Cheers!

Bel Lago 2010 Pinot Noir: "Light in color, distinct notes of cherries and strawberries, full mouthfeel with tangy sweet tart and a bit of minerality. Layers of flavor add to complexity. I really enjoyed this Pinot Noir." — Shannon

"Bright ruby red, jewel-toned, very clear. Coffee, chocolate-covered cherry on the nose. Fresh, juicy taste, like biting into a drippingly ripe piece of fruit. Tasted blind, and my first inclination just based on appearance was Pinot Noir, but I ultimately incorrectly guessed Cab Franc, because I liked the taste a lot, and I usually don't go wild over Pinot. But in retrospect, the lightness of the body and the color were much more indicative of a Pinot Noir versus a Cab Franc. Out of all of the Pinot Noir I've tried (with mixed results), I'd say this ranks among my favorites." — Cort
M. Lawrence NV Fizz (from L. Mawby): "Tons and tons of tiny bubbles, very effervescent. Touch of years on nose, mostly fruit. Ripe peach on tongue, very tingly. Tasted blind, and initially suspected that because I classified it as 'sweetish on the front end, drier on the back end,' I was confusing fruit forwardness with true sweetness, as I often seem to do. But the wine is indeed a demi sec. Before it was revealed, I also correctly identified this as an M. Lawrence-brand wine (tank fermented or "cuve close") versus L. Mawby-brand wine (bottle fermentted or "méthode champenoise"), as there wasn't as much yeastiness in the taste, and the finish wasn't quite as long as the bottle-fermented wines' finishes seem to be. Overall, love, but no surprise here. I'm pretty much a fan of all of the sparklings coming out of Mawby." — Cort
Peninsula Cellars 2007 Cabernet Merlot: "Very fruit forward, total blackberry, good tannins, black pepper, downright delicious!" — Shannon
Chateau de Leelanau 2010 Bianca: "This is the first Bianca grape I've seen in Michigan. Pears and grapefruit, with a little river rock mixed in. Very much like a Sauvignon Blanc, without the grassiness. Note: This seems drier than the 2009 vintage. Very unique!" — Shannon
2 Lads 2010 Chardonnay: "Pineapple, very dry with a hint of greenness, limestone and minerality abound." — Shannon
Domaine Berrien 2010 Pink Satin: "Muted strawberries, papaya, watermelon, earth-tastic! Not a sweet rosé; spicy." — Shannon
St. Julian NV Catherman's Port: "Chocolate-covered caramels, layers of sweet cocoa, cherries, and caramel." — Shannon
Brys Estate 2010 Merlot: "Vanilla and raspberry, silky, full mouth feel, great with chocolate." — Shannon
Brys Estate 2010 Cabernet Franc: "Bright cherry and cocoa, big nose!, robust dark chocolate. This was one of the best Cab Francs that I've tasted." — Shannon
Brys Estate 2010 Pinot Noir: "Big, bold, very aromatic, chocolate and cherries with a silkiness to it. This is not a light or mellow Pinot Noir — very robust." — Shannon
Brys Estate 2008 Cabernet Franc: "Nose is muted, red fruits, a little reserved compared to their 2010." — Shannon
Brys Estate 2011 Dry Riesling: "Fresh melon, green apple, green apple Jolly Rancher, big fruit makes it seem sweeter than the residual sugar indicated." — Shannon
Brys Estate 2011 Pinot Grigio: "Fresh lemon peel, super fruity, tangy and refreshing." — Shannon
Brys Estate 2011 Pinot Blanc: "Very aromatic, super ripe pear, yellow delicious apple with a bite to it, a real acid kick at the end. The most aromatic Pinot Blanc I have had." — Shannon