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Wine Recommendation
Domaine Berrien Cellars
2005 Marsanne, Estate(Lake Michigan Shore)
A "family affair," Domaine Berrien Cellars, established in 2001, is a Michigan winery on the move to prove some varieties, untried elsewhere in the state, can make a mark of distinction.
On an 80-acre fruit farm in Berrien County (Lake Michigan Shore AVA), grower Tom Fricke has challenged the uncharted with such vinifera varieties as Marsanne on his 13 acres of vineyard that replaced part of his tart cherry orchards. Fricke's son-in-law, Wally Maurer, a former purchasing manager for a Chicago water utility company and one-time amateur winemaker gone pro, owns the winery with his wife Katie, a construction company engineer.
The Marsanne grape variety finds its origins in the Rhône River Valley of France. It's often found in Rhône white blends from California, yet solo and from the Lake Michigan Shore AVA, it makes a medium-bodied white wine with delicate honeysuckle aromas and an appealing dry finish. Perfect with crab cakes, shellfish, roast chicken or "that other white meat" pork.
Check all remarks above when considering Domaine Berrien’s 2005 Marsanne, a gold medal winner at the 2006 Michigan Wine & Spirits Competition.
Reviewed September 13, 2006 by Eleanor & Ray Heald.
Other reviewed wines from Domaine Berrien Cellars
 2005 Cabernet Franc Ice Wine, Estate (Lake Michigan Shore)Eleanor & Ray Heald 2/26/2007 |
The Wine
Winery: Domaine Berrien Cellars |
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. |