JT Red Wine 2011: Review

Vineyards at Bowers Harbor
Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Old Mission Peninsula

Bowersharbor.com

Blend: 50% Merlot; 50% Cabernet Franc; both from Big Paw & Wind Whistle Vineyards

12% abv

$18.00

Appearance: very light translucent red.  Seems like the Michigan red wines that I have reviewed from the 2010 and 2011 vintages have all been very light in color.  I can go back to the 08 and 09 vintages on this blog and they have a deeper garnet body color. 

Aroma:  super faint, non-descript berries, and a touch of spice.

Flavors: thin berries, a little raspberry and a touch of cranberry,

Mouthfeel: thin, light body, not much on the aftertaste,

Let me spin it: a nice red to have with fish or a sandwich or even a fish sandwich.  Actually, this would work on a summer day.  I like big and bold reds so, in the summer I do not drink too many reds, this wine would do the job in the summer for its light body and thin style. 

To the Point: The 2011 JT Red is just too thin.  Personally, I would not buy this vintage again.  I am disappointed for I enjoyed the 08’s and 09’s from this winery so; I was looking forward to tasting their newer vintages.  You have to remember these are handmade and nature made.  With some bad summers in the last few years – and wow – think of 2012 summer – total crap from the bad spring.  This is sad, for Michigan was making some very good red wines. 

I am still stopping by Bowers when I make it into the Traverse City area.    

Their dog Brix greets my dogs

My hound Annie sings Brix a song.  My Corgi in the front seat
and my Mutt just behind Annie.

Bowers Harbor 2010 Riesling Block II: Review

90 degrees outside makes the bottle sweat a little

Old Mission Peninsula

Bowers Harbor Vineyards

Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Bowersharbor.com

12% abv

$20.00 a bottle

I tried this yesterday and doing the review today.

Appearance: pale yellow

Aroma: faint floral and mild citrus meat,

Flavors: the citrus bite is bigger than I was expecting, lemon mineral water with an extra squeeze on the lemon, once in a while I think a note of some other fruit shows up but, the lemon just dominates. 

Mouthfeel: pucker power, acidic, very dry, like biting on a lemon wedge

To the Point: I thought my taste buds were off yesterday and thought I needed to wait one more day to review this … it is a lemon drop.  I had to stop after one glass yesterday because the acidic nature of this Riesling started to bother me.  I think I’ll cook some shrimp and scallops with the remainder of this bottle.  Not what I think of as a Riesling.  Maybe with this high acidity this Riesling could be aged and the flavor profile may mellow with time.