Michigan By The Bottle

Podcast #95: Fenn Valley 2012 Sauvignon Blanc

"It's, like, jumping right out of the glass. That's so dorky, but it's true!" We get giddy about grapefruit as we sip (and spit, to practice our "proper" tasting techniques) a mega-aromatic 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from Fenn Valley VIneyards & Wine Cellar in Fennville. Are you a Fenn Valley and/or Sauvignon Blanc fan? Come tell us about it.

Video features referenced in this podcast:
Fenn Valley: "A Hobby That Got Out of Hand" (Part 1)
Fenn Valley: "A Hobby That Got Out of Hand" (Part 2)

Podcast #92: Fenn Valley 2011 Merlot

"Don't be afraid of the Merlot!" In what may well be one of our goofiest podcasts ever, we taste through Fenn Valley VIneyards & Wine Cellar's 2011 Merlot and ramble about why it seems so many people are fearful of this particular grape. (Also, let it be known that while Cort professed at the beginning that she typically prefers Merlot blended with something else, she ended up drinking the rest of the bottle in short order and proclaiming it awesome.) Are you a Fenn Valley and/or Merlot fan? Come tell us about it.

SUPER HUGE Michigan Wine Month Giveaway: April 12

Congratulations to DEB ROEHLS! Deb was randomly drawn from yesterday's entrants to win a vineyard picnic from Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery. Deb, please email us at cort@michiganbythebottle.com within 48 hours to claim your prize. (For prizes not claimed within 48 hours, we will redraw from the original pool of entrants to determine a new recipient, so be sure to check back daily to see if you're a winner!)


This contest is closed as of 11:59 p.m. Thursday, April 12.

Today's sponsor: Fenn Valley Vineyards & Wine Cellar

Today's prize: A certificate for 10 people to enter the Wine Fest at Fenn Valley Vineyards & Wine Cellar in Fennville on June 23, an $80 value. The event, which runs 1-5 p.m., features outdoor tasting in the vineyards. Admission includes souvenir Fenn Valley logo wine glasses and tasting tickets redeemable for samples or full glasses. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets; tables also will be available. All released wines tasted at the event will be available 25 percent off of straight cases. 

Please click through for restrictions and instructions on how to enter...

Beyond the Bottle: Fenn Valley Vineyards & Wine Cellar

Welcome to the third installment of MBTB's Beyond the Bottle, a periodic Q-and-A-style feature that allows winemakers and/or winery representatives to talk candidly about their respective facilities: what they specialize in, what types of consumers they're geared toward, what they offer in terms of food and entertainment, what their ambiance is like, etc. We hope this helps you, our readers, decide which wineries make it to your "must lists," based on your affinities and attitudes, as you hit the wine trails. Responses are printed verbatim.

Today, Doug Welsch, owner of Fenn Valley Vineyards & Wine Cellar, discusses how a "mid-life crisis" spurred the launch of his family's Fennville-based winery, and how it's evolved over nearly four decades.

Editor's note: Wineries do not pay a fee to appear in Beyond the Bottle; we're featuring every Michigan winery that requests and responds to our BTB questionnaire. If you're a winemaker or wine representative and would like your facility highlighted, please email cort@michiganbythebottle.com.

This Thanksgiving, Dine Like a Winemaker

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the obligatory article about recommended wine pairings, right? But this holiday, we asked Michigan winemakers and winery representatives to take it a step further and share their favorite recipes as an added bonus. So if you're looking for ideas for what to put in your glass AND on your plate this Thanksgiving, take a peek at what's being served by our wine friends throughout the state.

Michigan Wines : Michigan Wines Receive Prestigious Awards

Michigan wines and wineries have been in the spotlight throughout the summer; and it's not just in Michigan, it's happening across the country. The reason? Michigan wines have been winning a significant number of top awards at regional, national and international wine competitions.

In January, Chateau Grand Traverse won a Best of Class award at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their 2009 Lot 49 Riesling. This off-dry wine was produced from grapes harvested from a single vineyard -- located on a steep, west-facing slope on Old Mission Peninsula, in northern Michigan.

Judges evaluated more than 2,000 wines from around the world at the Pacific Rim Wine Competition, held in San Bernadino, Calif., in April, and declared a tie for Best Gewurztraminer: Tabor Hill Winery, in Buchanan, for their 2009 vintage, and Chateau Fontaine, on Leelanau Peninsula, for their 2010. Chateau Fontaine went on to win Grand Champion honors as Best White Wine of the competition.

via www.michiganwines.com

The awards keep piling up!

Michigan Meritage Merits Mention |

Still, the bulk of Michigan wineries  dabbling in the dynamics of the Bordeaux blend have chosen to go the thrifty route and coin their own  handle—and thus continue to handle their own coin.  Domaine Berrien uses ‘Crown of Cab’, since they consider it the ‘crown jewel ‘of their portfolio.  Pentemere’s goes by ‘Le Griffon’ for reasons known only to the untamed savages of Boondockia; i.e., Tecumseh.  Wyncroft Cellars calls theirs’ ‘Shou’—Chinese for ‘longevity’ which the wine indeed displays.  Accurately, if somewhat less imaginatively, Raftshol’s label reads simply ‘Red’.

via intoxreport.com

A tongue twister, indeed, but a good article.

MBTB SUPER HUGE Michigan Wine Month Giveaway: Day 20

Congratulations to CORINNE ARNDT GOODSON! She was randomly selected from yesterday's entries to win a T-shirt from Chateau de Leelanau in Suttons Bay.

Can you believe we're already on Day 20? Today, we're giving away another awesome combo pack: an official staff shirt from Fenn Valley Vineyards & Wine Cellar in Fennville PLUS a gift card redeemable for a free tasting for two people at any of Black Star Farms' locations!

Five Things I Learned About Michigan Wine in 2010

2010 was a great year for Michigan wine. New wineries opened, the national press has started recognizing the region, and Michigan By The Bottle has been flourishing. On a more personal note, it was a year of learning and discovery for me. Here are five things that I learned/realized in 2010:

• Michigan is a great sparkling wine region. We all know that Larry Mawby reigns supreme in this venue, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn more about other Michigan wineries putting up some great Michigan sparklers. In addition to the classics from L. Mawby, we had some fantastic sparklers from Tabor Hill (Grand Mark is to die for!), 2 Lads, Black Star Farms, and Brys Estate (although their “Bubbly” was so popular that it sold out).

• The Southeast and Southwest Michigan wineries play second fiddle to no one. We were more than impressed with some of the red wines coming out of this region. Domaine Berrien blew us away with its Crown of Cab and Syrah. I would argue that Lone Oak’s Merlot is one of the best in the state. Fenn Valley and St. Julian Braganini Reserve Meritage were some of our favorite wines all year. The Cabernet Franc from Free Run Cellars deserved the Harding’s Cup it won earlier this year.

Video Feature: Fenn Valley, Part 2

Doug Welsch returns for Part 2 of our Fenn Valley Vineyards video feature, where he talks about how he and his father got into custom crush operations for other wineries and how he strives to turn Fenn Valley into a top-notch destination for visitors.

Links mentioned:
• Fenn Valley Vineyards