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Wine Recommendation
Black Star Farms
2006 Arcturos Dry Riesling(Leelanau Peninsula)
Arcturos is the brand name for the premium wine tier produced by Black Star Farms. Arcturos is the brightest star in the constellation Boötes and the fourth-brightest star in the night sky, very visible and, thus, a fitting name for a winery carving out a serious niche among Michigan wines.
Michigan is Riesling territory. So much so that it has been dubbed “Michigan style Riesling.” Yet, few of the State’s producers have taken on the challenge of making a dry style. Most are semi-dry. Black Star Farms makes a dry style Riesling only in the best vintages. By dry, winemaker Lee Lutes is reporting 0.25 percent residual sugar. With 12 percent alcohol, this wine has serious balance with classic Riesling aromas including Granny Smith apples, lime and a petrol-like minerality, so typical of the best. Its racy acidity makes it a natural complement to fresh oysters on the half shell. The briny character of oysters and the wine’s acidity are a delicious pair. Skip splashing the oysters with lemon and use a little of this wine.
Reviewed February 27, 2008 by Eleanor & Ray Heald.
Other reviewed wines from Black Star Farms
 2005 Merlot Cabernet Franc, Leorie Vineyard (Old Mission Peninsula)Eleanor & Ray Heald 2/27/2008 |
 2006 Arcturos Merlot “three block lot” (Leelanau Peninsula)Eleanor & Ray Heald 2/27/2008 |
The Wine
Winery: Black Star Farms |
The Reviewer
Eleanor & Ray Heald
The Healds have been writing about wine since 1978 and have focused on appellation significance in many of their world beat writings. They value recognizing site personality (terroir) within an appellation's wines. They praise balance and elegance in wines styled to pair well with food and eschew over-extraction, high alcohol and heavy-handed oak. “Delicious” is their favorite descriptor for a great, well-made wine. |