So yesterday I took a little drive to South Haven, Michigan and on the advice of my boss, I decided to do a little wine tasting at Cogdal Vineyards. He mentioned they had some reasonable red wines that were actually dry (usually Michigan "dry" red wines are a cross between blackberry jam and Welch's concord grape juice), so I decided to give them a try. He also mentioned that their Cabernet Franc was pretty good, hence this post! I was particularly interested in this wine as the owner, Jack, who was guiding me through the tasting, informed me that they grow the Cabernet Franc at the vineyard, so this wine is truly a product of the vineyard I visited (which was very picturesque, see the photos below!). The wine is actually a blend of the Cabernet Franc along with some local hybrids, but unfortunately there wasn't a technical sheet available with the details, so it will remain a mystery for now. So let's see what this wine has to offer!
The wine is somewhat lighter in color and body than some other Cabernet Francs that I've tried. The nose presents a pleasant combination of blackberry, warm spice, green grass and smoke. The taste is a rush of fruit up front, blackberry and tart cherry that transition to some lovely pepper spice notes and smoke midpalate. The tannins are somewhat subdued, but still provide some nice backbone for what actually is a pleasant, smooth dry finish!
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| The tasting room at Cogdal Vineyards, a very nice place to try some wines! |
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's one of the first Michigan red wines that I've enjoyed! It was also a good value at just $19, and one that would be pleasant to sip on the patio of the tasting room (if only it wasn't so hot yesterday!). This would be a good wine for some lighter fare, particularly some of those tough to pair pork or barbecue dishes. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a teriyaki glazed grilled pork tenderloin along with some farm fresh corn on the cob and steamed green beans, a perfect Midwest summer Sunday dinner! Cheers!
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| A view of the vineyard at Cogdal Vineyards in South Haven, Mich. |
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| Some of the grapes as we approach harvest time! |
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