The Winerie at Sandusky, 2021 Lemberger Wine
Background on Lemberger Wine
A wine which is not a household name, at least in California! No it is not related to the Limberger cheese! It is known as Blaufränkisch in Austria, Kékfrankos in Hungary and as Frankovka in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Lemberger is thought to originate in the Danube River Valley and is widely grown in Central Europe, especially in Austria where it is known as Blaufränkisch. This grape is related to Gamay and Pinot Noir. Lemberger is a late ripening grape best suited to moderate climates. If it is too cool in the summer it will not ripen and display a more vegetal aromas and flavors like green bell pepper. It is a black-skinned gape with production in Austria being 78%, Hungary 7% and Germany 6% totally 91% of the worldwide crop. In the USA only 3% of worldwide production with it growing in New York (Finger Lakes), Ohio (Lake Erie) and Washington (Yakima Valley). Other smaller areas include California, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Colorado.
A common feature of Blaufränkisch or Lemberger is a fruit forward profile with aromas of black cherries and black pepper, coupled with medium tannins and bright acidity. It also yield a large amount per acreage over many grapes.
The Winery
From Vermilion Valley Vineyards Website
Vermilion Valley Vineyards is an estate winery located in the rural landscape of the Vermilion River Watershed in North Central Ohio. They are located at 11005 Gore Orphanage Road, Wakeman, Ohio. Their goal is to produce world-class wines to showcase both the sustainable terrior and skilled wine making.
Co-owner and winemaker Joe Jupiter and I have had many text exchanges on his participation in the Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition. His main concern was the judging of wine based on the regional terroir. Assuring him that we divide up the regions for judging, for example, East Coast (NY, VI); Central USA (MI & Ohio); Northwest (Oregon, Washington), etc. he decided to enter the event this year. Upon his submission he graciously sent a few other wines which I will be reviewing.
Vermilion Valley Vineyards has 100 planted acres in four different locations. With micro climates, this allows all his wines to be 100% estate grown. What is interesting about Ohio is that some 370 wineries exist but only 900 acres of grapes are planted! Doing some simple math, removing the five largest vineyards in the state, you are left with each winery having a one acre parcel! Thus many wineries in Ohio rely on importing juice from various areas like the Central Valley of California and Washington. That is one of many unique characteristics of Vermilion Valley Vineyards their estate wines.
Currently they produce the following red wines: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Dorsa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Lemberger, Chambourcin, Dornfelder, Nebbiolo, Malbec, Pinotage and Merlot. Ditto for their white wines producing: Muscat Ottonel, Riesling. Gruner Veltliner, Müller-Thurgau, Traminette, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Valvin Muscat, Ribola Gialla, Petit Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Albariño, Pinot Blanc and Arneis. That is a wide variety of wines and all estate grown!
You can read their webpage about their high level of sustainability incorporating land use and their buildings. Link at the bottom of the page.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This was the first time I had the opportunity to taste Lemberger and I was pleasantly shocked with the taste. Expecting a lighter wine with “little distinction”, it actually produced some interesting notes of flavor. The coloring was almost semi-transparent and light. On the nose a beautiful banquet of black fruit emerged on a “lighter wine coloration” which was the first surprise. The second surprise on the palate was the crispness and very low tannins. Immediately I thought of it being a cross of Merlot and Pinot Noir. The finish of red and black cherries, blackberry and black pepper spices enlivened the imbiber.
In an email exchange with Joe it went on to state that in “cooler years, it leans toward the hearty Pinot Noir into Merlot and in hotter dryer years it’s rich and spicy like Syrah”.
The Sandusky Vineyard has shallow well drained sandy soil over limestone and typically yields 5 tons per acre. Most of the vineyard is machine harvested with only 15% being hand harvested for the purpose of stem inclusion. After pressing, the wine goes straight to neutral barrels to complete primary and secondary fermentations. Once stabilized, about 20% goes into new French oak and the remainder in neutral for 11 months. This vintage goes for $22/bottle and only 300 cases were produced. While always looking for a “food and wine pairing” this wine is simply gorgeous to drink by itself.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
With my wife down with an injury, the meals being cooked are lacking with my culinary skills. That stated, I paired this evening’s meal which was a hand rubbed and BBQ’ed pork tenderloin and served with a Cherry Pepper sauce. Accompanied by a garden salad with chicken, corn, grated cheese and dressing. While I generally like a food flavor profile of polar opposites, this meal was more equal being neutral on the pork (cut down on some of the normal spices) and neutral on the wine, being akin to soft Pinot Noir and a mellow Merlot. Both the meal and wine were great but the wine would have even been better with our normal spicier rub.
Should you get a chance to try a Lemberger variety, take the opportunity to taste it and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 