12 Corners Vineyards – Lake Michigan Shore AVA
At the National Cabernet Franc Wine Competition held December 2nd, 2020, 12 Corners Vineyards earned a Silver Medal Award from the Professional Judges. This was 12 Corners Vineyards first year entering the wine competition. You can read more about the event at:
The Winery
12 Corners Vineyards was started with a group of friends who grew up in Michigan and understood the uniqueness of a piece of property just four miles off Michigan’s Gold Coast. They named it appropriately for the neighborhood of Twelve Corners near the vineyard. The winery is a 115 parcel planted with various grapes including Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay and Traminette.
Western Michigan has always produced excellent and productive fruit farms for the Midwest. Lake Michigan’s “lake effect” blankets the vineyards with snow and keeps it slightly warmer. The local multi-soil characteristics allow for various grapes to be planted.
The Wine
Michigan wines continue to surprise me with quality and moderate pricing. This 2018 12 Corners Cabernet Franc on the eyes was a ruby red color and with medium viscosity. On the nose and palate both fresh raspberries and blackberries come to the party immediately with layers of spices as secondary flavors. . On the finish soft and creamy vanilla provided an enjoyable conclusion along with an “earthiness quality”. The wine was aged 13 months in oak. The typical pyrazines were faint and perhaps why this wine did not win a gold medal from the judges. Other than that, this was a truly wonderful sipping wine with or without food. This wine goes for $24.99 and is a “steal” for those liking Cabernet Franc.
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 