Holy Cow Harry, This Marquette Wine Is Really Good!!!

Regular readers of this blog column know that Rude Tasters has been together meeting monthly since 1973 and always judges wines double blind.   That is, no one knows what wines are being tasted and only the host knows the theme but not necessarily the order in which the wines were poured.

Kim and Tom LeRoux, proud growers for Michigan Vintner Wine Company, decided to put on a tasting to see what the Rude’s think about wine made from Marquette grapes.  Marquette is the hot varietal in the Midwest these days because it has minimal demands on soil type, is extremely cold hardy, experiences minimal damage from spring frosts and usually ripens well before the Midwest gets it autumn rains.   Plantings are exploding from New York to South Dakota and all places in between. 

Marquette is a Hybrid grape variety developed at the University of Minnesota expressly for the purpose of expanding grape plantings in the Midwest.   Not only does it grow like a weed in West Michigan, but, the crop levels seem to have a sweet spot between maximum quality and ideal plant health of about five tons per acre.   This is a very high average among quality wine grapes grown under the stressful conditions in the upper Midwest.

As participants in the annual Tasters Guild International wine judgings, Tom and Kim were curious to see if these wines that score well by trained wine judges would fare as well with our group of wine aficionados who have no reason to be fair, charitable or even professional.   This group is called Rude Tasters for a reason.  So, with most of these tasters pretty much palate trained on Vinifera varieties such as Cabernet, Syrah, Pinot etc., Tom and Kim wondered if the challenge of tasting wines made from a different species than the Rude’s are used to might turn out disastrous.   As a small exercise to prime everyone’s palate they served (again, double blind) a Braganini Reserve Meritage made exclusively from Vinifera grapes along with a Michigan Vintner Marquette tank sample as warm up wines A and B.   The overwhelming preference was for the Marquette even though the Meritage showed finesse and class.  The power and flat-out size of the big fruity flavors of the Marquette are hard not to like.   The identity of these wines was not revealed until after all of the flights were completed, judged and recorded.   Needless to say, the Hybrid preference was surprising.  Prices are very approximate and most of these are available only at their respective wineries.

FIRST FLIGHT

2012 Von Stiehl Stony Creek Red (Marquette), Door Peninsula WISCONSIN (13.4% ABV) $20 Rich black fruit of berries and plums in the nose stays consistent in the high pitched Hybrid palate with piercingly bright edgy fruit.   The fruit is surprisingly classy finishing plump and soft with very little Hybrid wild grape flavors after the tip of the tongue.  My score 91 points / Group score 88 points fourth place

 2015 Karma Vista Marquette, Lake Michigan Shore MICHIGAN (13% ABV) $15 Plenty of fat ripe fruit smells are compromised by SO2 and fermentation smells somewhat like hard well water.  The palate recovers well with fresh, fine textured fruit.   Though it improves a great deal with some airing, I am very surprised by the nose.   I have tasted this wine a half dozen times and loved it every time in the past.  My score 74 points / Group Score 87 points fifth place

2015 Vineyard View Marquette, Finger Lakes NEW YORK (12.5% ABV) $20 The light aroma of red fruit and berries is spoiled by hints of iodine, swimming pool plastic liner, resins and balsa wood.   Granted these subtleties are not the main focus, but, they are there just enough to be annoying.   The palate is clean, with good fruit concentration and a fine silky finish.  My score 77 points / Group Score 81 points seventh place

 2014 Michigan Vintner Wine Company Vineyard LeRoux Marquette, Lake Michigan Shore MICHIGAN (? ABV)* $18 The powerful aroma combines rich ripe black fruit with a distinct native grape smell that screams Michigan!   It is fine and correct, yet, strikingly big, mouth filling and untamed.  The toasted oak is almost too much, but, ample fruit and dense mouth feel stand up to it. My score 91 points / Group score 93 points first place

 SECOND FLIGHT

2012 Coyote Moon Marquette, (1000 Islands) NEW YORK (13.6% ABV) $35 This wine took a double gold medal at the Tasters Guild judging, but, not here.  It was in the middle of the pack on my sheet, but, several tasters found serious flaws.  It has an airy, captivating bouquet not unlike plum brandy or port wine.   On the palate, a nutty, sesame seed, fudge-like demeanor comes through soft delicate fruit essences.  My score 82 points / Group score 79 points eighth (last) place

2014 Calico Skies Marquette, (Northwest Iowa) IOWA (13.2% ABV) $28 The fine, elegant, fruit filled nose makes one think of Vinifera, Syrah, to be exact.  The palate is much the same with nuances of forest floor and spice emerging into the firm textured finish; my favorite of the tasting.  My score 93 points / Group score 85 points sixth place

2016 North Branch Vineyards Marquette, (Winooski River) VERMONT (? ABV)* $20 Though the bouquet offers up lots of fruit with ripe berry essence, there is also an earthy wool-like nuance which detracts slightly.  On the palate, the black currant flavors are condensed and much more like good Vinifera than most of these wines.  My score 85 / Group Score 89 points third place

 NV Prairie Berry Vineyard Phat Hog American Red (Marquette), (Black Hills) South Dakota (13% ABV) $20 Just a hint of SO2 and fermentation odors detract slightly from the bright cherry-like aroma.   It also seems just a bit hollow in the middle.   I’m surprised everyone else seemed to really like it.   My score 82 points / Group score 90 points second place

 As you can see, many of these wines are not from regions known for fine wine.  It is a testament to the Marquette grape that it thrives in locations not suited for most grape varieties and still makes a wine full of ripe fruit, good texture and not too much of the wild grape flavors.  By the way, in case you think it very self serving for the LeRoux’s to serve a wine produced from their vineyard and for me to taste and rate it, keep in mind, that it is double blind so the scores are what they are.   There were 18 tasters that evening so even if we may have recognized our wine unless most of the other 15 tasters liked it as much as we did, it wouldn’t have scored so well.

Enjoy in Good Health,

A Brian Cain, the Michigan Vintner

 *Wines which are sold only within the state in which they are produced are not required to furnish alcohol content.