Left Foot Charley Wine, Blaufrankisch, MacDonald Vineyard, Old Mission Peninsula

The Wine of the Week
by Annette Tomei

2011 Left Foot Charley Blaufränkisch, Old MacDonald Vineyard, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan

In the spirit of the Fourth of July holiday, American wine is on the menu this week – a red, Blaufränkisch, which roughly translates as blue-French (the white label on this particular bottle completes the patriotic reference). Also, to honor equality, we went beyond the expected coastal American wines of California, Oregon, Washington, or even New York, and looked to a place where most would never suspect has its own culture of wine making – Michigan.

Wine has been made in America for over 300 years. Currently, you can find commercial wine production taking place in all fifty states. The state of Michigan currently boasts over 100 wineries, which are the focus of a growing tourism industry with at least six official “wine trails”.

Blaufrankisch, also known as Lemberger, is a native of Austria and does well in colder, more challenging climates and conditions, so it’s no surprise that the top regions of production are Austria, Hungary, Germany, and the northern United States.

Left Foot Charley is an “urban winery” representing eighteen of Northern Michigan’s best growers. Although their focus is on white wines (Riesling in particular) and ciders, they do produce a few red wines for their distinct terroir and quality.

With the 2011 vintage, the aroma of blackberry and huckleberry with rich soil and black pepper are true to the varietal. The berry flavors carry through with a tart juicy tingle and surprisingly firm tannins. This wine is bone dry and has a lingering dusty black pepper finish. It could easily be enjoyed ever so slightly chilled and would be a welcome accompaniment to lean game meats, grilled chicken or pork, and absolutely a perfect mate for a cheeseburger fresh off the grill.

Note: the winery is currently sold out of this vintage, but it is available online through Frankly Wines in New York City.