A Flowery Song

Background: Aged on French oak for eight months.

Nose: Cherries and strawberries, earthy hints of mushroom.

Taste: Light red fruit, light hints of oak. Grapefruit pith on the finish.

Overall: Not great. The most disappointing wine I’ve had from St. Julian, particularly a disappointment since the Braganini Reserve are supposed to be their showcase wines. It’s light and drinkable, but lacks the spicy richness of a great Pinot Noir.

Background: Dry white representative from St. Julian’s line of inexpensive wines; the “St. J” wines are generally priced in the $5-$8 range from the winery, slightly higher from a retailer (not that any of their wines are likely to break the bank). Fermentation in 80% stainless steel, 20% neutral oak; aged five months on the lees.

Nose: Musty nectarines and lemons.

Taste: Fruity and dry, with notes of tart green apple and cherry. Plenty of acidity.

Overall: Nothing outstanding; food-friendly and easygoing.

Background: Another wine from St. Julian that I considered doing for WBW, this Syrah was aged for 12 months on French oak and weighs in at 12% ABV.

Nose: Raspberries and peppercorns right up front, with some oaky vanilla and blueberry jumping in.

Taste: Rich berry fruitiness, soft rounded tannins, and a light tartness. More peppercorns and some toasted oak in the finish.

Overall: Very nice indeed. Elegant balance and deep, layered flavours.

The Mission: [C]omparing how more northerly and more southerly vineyards produce different results with the same grapes.

Being from Michigan, the natural choice for North was to go with a local wine, so I rummaged around and found a bottle from St. Julian. St. Julian is Michigan’s oldest winery, and is also the largest. They source grapes from a large number of growers, all of which are located within 50 miles of the winery.

For South, I turned to the sunny climes of California. Honig is located in Napa Valley (Rutherford, to be precise) and has a terrible Flash-infested front page that refuses to work on my computer.
(continue reading…)

Background: From the St. Julian Wine Company. The base wine is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Vidal; after distillation the brandy was aged for two years in Hungarian oak, two years in neutral French oak, and two years in barrels previously used for St. Julian's Solera Cream Sherry. Bottle #87. 40% ABV.

Nose: Vanilla, cinnamon, almond, and nutmeg.

Taste: Solid oak background, some hazelnut presents, light flowery notes and a hint of rubber. Long, dry finish.

Overall: A solid second outing for the distiller(s) at St. Julian. Flavourful and smooth.

Background: Dry white wine, aged in neutral barrels for nine months.

Presentation: Green bottle. Pours a brilliant straw.

Nose: Slightly earthy, slightly diesel-mild fruitiness presents mainly as peach, with some green apple notes.

Taste: Fruity, with refreshing minerality and a bracingly acidic backbone. Fruit as in the nose, with some additional lime citrus character. A hint of loamy earth.

Overall: Refined and balanced. All-around just an excellent wine, and well deserving of its reserve designation. Drinkable now, but has some aging potential.

Background: The other half of my first St. Julian shipment, this dry red wine is a blend of 62% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Cabernet Franc. Aged in French and American oak for 14 months.

Presentation: Small, austere tan label on a green bottle. Pours a clear, deep burgundy. 12% ABV

Nose: Rich, red fruit. Ripe raspberries, blackberries, and plum with some oak spiciness and a hint of black earthiness.

Taste: Fruity like the nose, with blackcurrant and vanilla. Lots of oak and tight tannins in the background. Silky mouthfeel with the barest hint of astringency.

Overall: Drinkable now, but still slightly closed and has a fair bit of aging potential. Robust red wine that pairs well with hearty meat dishes.

Background: St. Julian is the largest Michigan winery and is located in Paw Paw. I received this new release as part of my first shipment from their Wine and Brandy Club.

Presentation: Green screw-top bottle. Pours almost clear, with just the slightest tinge of yellow. 11% ABV

Nose: Apricots and citrus. Extremely fruity.

Taste: Crisp and light; lemon and apricot interplay on a bracing background of minerality. Sweet and fruity at the start, but with a slightly drying finish and a perfect amount of acidity.

Overall: Very good. Not too sweet, with intense fruit that's not overpowering.