Muscedere 2010 Riesling vs Bower Harbor 2010 Riesling

Michigan Riesling vs. Ontario Riesling

First Up: Muscedere Vineyards 2010 Riesling

Coming from: Harrow, Ontario, Canada

Muscederevineyards.com

11.8% abv

$16.00 a bottle

Appearance: bright straw

Aroma: very faint, fresh apple, and let’s call it sweet apple blossom.  You will have to swirl that glass a bit and get the nose down in there. 

Flavors: a mix of fresh apple, maybe a touch of tart apple, and the acidity is giving it a little citrus squeeze. 

Mouthfeel: the acidity is a touch more than I would expect and it comes across like a citrus note. 

To the Point: I don’t know if I would guess Riesling here but, it is a tasty little white wine.  The more I drink it the more I like it.  I would pair this with shellfish – lobster, shrimp, and mussels – oh yes; cook some mussels with this that would be perfect. 

Why would I not guess Riesling?  I think for one it is the apple focus and not peach like and I am not picking up that classic petrol or mineral like quality.  So what – pick up a bottle and you’ll like it. 

Next up: Bowers Harbor Vineyards 2010 Riesling

Coming from: Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Langley Vineyard on Old Mission Peninsula

Bowersharbor.com

10.5% abv

$19.00 a bottle

Appearance: looks just like the Ontario wine – a bright straw color

Aroma: oh, that nice touch of mineral or the good old term of petrol,

Flavors: white peach like on the delivery, washed stone mineral note, a little honeysuckle, just a wee hint of citrus (actually, I think that is more on the aftertaste) and a sweet finish with a touch of petrol on the aftertaste. 

Mouthfeel: a nicely balanced white wine, the acidity seems undercontrol, a lingering touch of sweet citrus with a hint of petrol

To the Point: a nice display of the Riesling grape, very tasty and I think I’ll do this with my fish dinner tonight. 

Muscedere 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon: Review

Muscedere Vineyards Estate Winery

Harrow, Ontario, Canada

Muscederevineyards.com

13.5% abv

$30.00 a bottle

Aged 15 months in French oak barrels and unfiltered

I visited this winery back in the fall and had a very nice visit.  I have never been to Muscedere Winery before.  They have an outdoor brick oven where they cook pizza and of course I had to have one.  It was delicious.  If you have never been here before and I’ll bet you have not, you need to make a visit and plan to have lunch. 

Appearance: deep ruby color with a lighter ruby edge

Aroma: dark berries, a touch of spice

Flavors: I poured a little in a glass to see what it tastes like right after opening the bottle and the wine had a nice spicy taste which worked with the alcohol note on the nose.  Just had to do that for fun. 

I poured some more into the glass to get ready to review.  After a few swirls of the glass and a few minutes to breath I was ready for a taste.  It is clearly fruit forward as they say.  The blackberries, dark currants, and a touch of dark cherries make for a tasty Cab.  Throw in a touch of anise, a little spice coming from the oak barrel aging and alcohol, and 80% dark chocolate bite.

The mouthfeel is smooth and luscious; the dark chocolate bite is on the mid-palate and that is when the oaky note hits the tongue.  The dark berries linger on the palate. 

This first glass is very tasty. 

If I am reading their web site right this is only their second year for Cabernet Sauvignon from their vineyard.  So, the 2007 Cab must have been outsourced?  For being only their second year with the Cabernet grape this sure is good.  Hell, even if it was their 10^th year it sure is good. 

An hour later I pour myself a second glass from the decanter.  The texture is still smooth but, the body seems to have built some strength.  The dark berries seem a touch fuller and there is a good earthy tone that seems to coat the palate.  The high percentage dark chocolate and the sweet anise gives some balance.  Thinking about balance – the acidity and the tannins sure are under control here. 

My Strength Rating: 7 – a good medium-full style wine.  The blackberry and dark chocolate notes show off the acidity in style.  The mouthfeel builds from decanting this wine. 

To the Point: for only 30 bones this is a very worthy Cabernet Sauvignon.  I will be buy more. 

I paired this Cabernet with a Por Larranaga Maduro Cigar on my third glass of wine during a Monday Night Football game and a Detroit Red Wing and Edmonton hockey game.  It is great having three TV’s out in my cigar/wine/beer lounge.  This is my last Por Larranaga Maduro.  I had to have purchased that box about 4 years ago, when the store was closing them out.  I don’t even know if they make this one anymore.  Anyways, this was a great match.  The medium bodied cigar played well with the medium-full bodied red wine.