Peninsula Cellars Makes the Grade

Situated in an old schoolhouse, Peninsula Cellars is typically the first winery we stop at on Old Mission Peninsula. This year was no exception. We arrived at the winery about a half hour before it opened (we were so excited to beat the traffic, we misjudged the amount of time it would take to get there.)

We took the extra time to walk the grounds, take some photos of the old schoolhouse, and peruse some of the vineyards on the property. Once the doors opened, it was like the entire tasting room was ours! We had the place to ourselves for about 20 minutes before a couple from Deleware joined in the fun.

We took advantage of that time to talk to the staff and the tasting room manager. Both were very knowledgeable about the wines and the area. They cheerfully answered our questions and engaged us in conversation about the need to promote Michigan wines throughout the state and beyond.

At Peninsula Cellars, you are able to taste six wines at no charge. Their wine menu is easy to follow and is organized in whites, reds, and fruit wines. Each set of wines is then further organized dry to sweet.

The staff was helpful in recommending wines suited to our individual palates. My wife and I prefer different styles and our guide was happy to pour different wines for each of us.

Here are the wines that I tried and my impressions of each:

• 2007 Pinot Blanc - a lot of pear overtones, a bit tart with a good finish.
• 2006 Gewurztraminer - this is just the way I like my gewurtz - dry and spicy!
• 2006 Semidry Riesling Vintage - moderate sweetness with lots of tropical fruit
• 2006 Pinot Noir - earthy and a distinct blueberry flavor
• 2005 Cabernet Franc - sweet and sour with a nice finish. At $15 per bottle, this was the value play of the visit
• 2006 Merlot - I picked up a coffee flavor and tart cherries
• 2005 Cabernet Franc Reserve - deep aroma of berries, strong tannins and a memorable finish. I liked this better than the regular Cabernet Franc, but at $20 per bottle, I would rather go with 2 bottles of the other one.

We enjoyed our stop at Peninsula Cellars and picked up several bottles to take home. It was a great way to start our wine tasting journey on Old Mission Peninsula.

I would welcome any comments you have about Peninsula Cellars and about these wines in general. Which are your favorites?