By Duane Pemberton

I’m an open-minded person when it comes to wine – I embrace all of it regardless of region and always love trying new wines out. It’s what I do, it’s how I roll and it’s what I’m all about. Anyone who knows me has undoubtedly heard me talk about how I try and encourage people – all the time – to try new wines from regions they’ve never tried before.

My brother, Darin, on his recent trip here to the Seattle area brought with him a couple of red wines from his now-home-state of Michigan. Yes, that crazy, hand-shaped state does produce wines, some of which aren’t too shabby (I recently had some of their rieslings that I thought were pretty good).

Gamay Noir (Non-vintage) – W.E.P. Rating 0%

• Alcohol: 12.3%
• Price: $14.95

Nose: If you were out in the woods and ran across a rotten cedar tree that happened to have a bowl of sauerkraut under it – you’d be off to realizing how JACKED-UP the nose is on this wine. In fact, this wine smells so awful that it’s about like smelling your own farts – you know you did it as a kid – those ones that smell SO BAD that you just keep going back to smell it because you can’t believe something so foul could come out of your body? Yeah, like a good car-wreck, you just can’t help yourself but to gawk at its awfulness.

Taste: I actually feel a little violated that I had to taste this wine, frankly – yeah, it’s that bad. Take a blend of rose-flavored Vick’s Formula 44D, Japanese seaweed, sauerkraut and a cedar chest  - you’d get this wine. Very jacked-up from its initial attack to the awkward finish that leaves you looking for the nearest, safe-spot to spit it out asap.  Even my wife – who normally doesn’t use certain words – was like WTH is that *beep*?

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon – W.E.P. 0%

• Alcohol 13%
• Price: $24.95

Nose: Oak, black currants, blackberries, charred-wood, and cedar plank.

Taste: Wow – what a colossal let-down. This is a great example of what a completely over-oaked wine tastes like. In fact, the oak, cedar and charcoal flavors are really all I can taste – the fruit is so far off the radar that most folks would have no clue it’s a cab. Like the Gamay Noir, I could not wait to get this crap out of my mouth – horrible wine – in fact, I wouldn’t even serve this to folks I dislike. Bitter, hot and awkward finish. I’d love to find out someday who the folks were at the winery who tasted this crap before releasing it and said: “Wow, we got ourselves a winner here”. Good Lord, make it stop.

In closing, I’m not at all trying to pick on Lone Oak at all – and would love to try their other wines – whites perhaps. If you’re into sadomasochism, feel free to check these wines out.

One the web: www.loneoakvineyards.com

By Darin Pemberton

Peninsula Cellars, located in Traverse City Michigan, is a producer of wines that happens to sit on the same 45th parallel as Alsace, Burgundy and Bordeaux. It makes both red and white wines and seems to have pretty solid distribution in Michigan and surrounding areas. Additionally, they also sell direct.

Peninsula Cellars, Traverse City, MI WEP Rating: 125%

• Varietals: Baco Noir, Leon Millot, Cab Franc, Merlot, Lemberger
• Vineyards: Kroupa Estate, Grey Hare, Ligon,Hawkeye
• Appellation: Old Mission Peninsula
• Harvest Date Late September to Early October
• Aging Protocol 25% stainless 75% oak aged
• Alcohol 10-11% (my bottle’s label read 12% – dp)
• Residual Sugar 1.00%
• Price: $12

www.peninsulacellars.com

Nose: Pine, Burning wet leaves, raspberry, candy, fruity, – I really enjoyed the scents hitting me. Very aggressive when poured within 5 minutes of opening. As I let it sit in my glass the wine seems to ‘smell’ smoother, more mature.

Taste: Even sitting for 10-15 minutes my first thought was ‘fruit bomb’. Initial sample had very aggressive fruit-forward with a slightly bitter aftertaste. First impression words would be “young and impetuous.” They say, wine gets better with time. No need to wait years – 20-30 minutes after opening, this wine went from a bratty adolescent into a mature young woman. The flavors seemed to now wash over my tongue with fluidity and purpose. I was getting candied cherries, blackberry, chocolate and maybe caramel – was also a nicely balanced vegital action. As I finished my glass I realized this wine had just graduated into a very nice, very respectable blend. In the last couple years I’ve moved from Washington State to Alabama and now here to Michigan. Of the wines I’ve sampled since my moves, Old School House might be the most-versatile. I found my bottle to be exactly what I’m looking for in an everyday wine. Laid back, lots of substance, great smells and flavors. Letting this wine sit for about an hour was key for my tasting experience. As such, I wouldn’t hesitate to put this bottle out with wines costing twice as much. As the bottle grew empty I found myself a little upset I only picked up one. If you’re out shopping, and happen upon Old School Red, buy two. Or four. Then bring them over.