Lavender Crest Winery Tasting

Lavender Crest Winery Tasting Illinois and Midwest Wines 

Returning from our weekend get away to Iowa, we stopped along our route on return back to Chicago at Lavender Crest Winery in Colona, IL,  for a spontaneous casual Wine Tasting. 

What a pleasant surprise to find such a picturesque setting amidst the gardens and vineyard. And how delightful to discover some respectable wines produced locally, sourced from Illinois vineyards. 

The original Lavender Crest Winery first opened in 2004 by Wilbert and Martha Rittmueller pursuing their passion for wine and named based on fond memories of a memorable visit to a lavender field. 

The Rittmuellers lived their dream for 11 years, until it was cut short by Martha’s unexpected passing in 2015. Seeking retirement, Wilbert sold the winery to the Belshause family who owned and operated Backroad Vineyard and already supplied grapes for many Lavender Crest wines.

The acquisition of the winery in 2016 by the five Belshause siblings, Ron, Nancy, Gloria, Marty, and Henry, already partners in their vineyard, fulfilled their ambition to own and operate their own winery. 

Lavender Crest Winery features a vineyard and wine production facility. In addition there is a hospitality center with a wine tasting room, a café that serves lunch daily, a gift shop, and a banquet and special events center that seats 250 - 300 guests for special occasions. 

Lunch in the café is served either inside or outside on a grape covered pergola over the patio overlooking the picturesque vineyard and gardens grounds. Guests are able to do a wine tour of the production facility or do a tasting of their choice of a flight of wines. 

Lavender Crest produces wines that showcase grapes grown in their own vineyards, and grower vineyards across Illinois and the Midwest, as well as incorporating some juice imported from California. 

We discussed Missouri grapes and their wine industry and heritage in our Missouri Wine Experience feature back in 2021 - (https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/09/missouri-wine-experience.html).

We crafted a wine flight of reds and one of whites. The tasting flights are served in a wine glass tower/tree delineating from top to bottom the wine selections in order of tasting. 

Out Wine flights included:

White wines … 

Red wines … 

The Whites … 

“Colona” Backroad Vineyard La Crescent White NV

An Illinois State Fair Winner, Corona White is a semi- sweet white crafted from Lavender Crest’s own Illinois Grown LaCrescent grapes from the Belshause‘s Backroad Vineyard in nearby Orion, I. This wine possesses a fruity, crisp flavor, with hints of tangerine, apricot and spice, reminiscent of a Riesling.

Their Colona Red and Colona White wines are named after the town, Colona, Illinois, located in Henry County in northwest Illinois on the Mississippi River bordering Iowa. Colona became an official town in 1855. 

No one really knows how the name came about. Legends support four theories; from discovering "coal on a bank", to the abundance of wild flowers creating "cologne" in the air, a traveler named Mr. Colona or a shortened version of the word "Colonial".

 

Over time, the city has embraced such visitors as Abraham Lincoln, Tom Mix and General Pershing and is called home by opera star, Tony Dillon, baseball player, Baby Doll Jackson, racing champion, Lou Fenno and last but not least, Lavender Crest Winery.

“Beaches” NV Niagara La Crecent Blend

Best known perhaps as a juice grape, Niagara is the white-skinned counterpart to Concord and is, in fact, a multi-use grape excellent for wine-making. Blended with LaCrescent, it makes a "heady, heavily-scented wine" with floral notes. This crowd pleaser is best served chilled.

“Faithful Friends” BackRoad Vineyards White Blend

A delicate, semi-sweet white blend of locally grown grapes from the Backroad Vineyard, this takes its name from the fact that this label is crafted especially for the Quad City Animal Welfare Center. A portion of the proceeds goes to support their causes.

“Sweet Temptation” Valvin Muscat NV

Fashioned from Valvin Muscat grapes, this aromatic wine is sure to please Moscato drinkers. It has a spicy, floral aroma with delicious citrus, peach, and passion fruit flavors. Served chilled as recommended. 

“Soirée” Marquette Rosé

A semi-sweet blush wine made with gently pressed, locally grown Marquette grapes. Sweet and tangy notes of strawberry and ripe red fruits create a celebratory dance of flavors. Served chilled as recommended. This was very nice, and in-line with many Rose’ from California or even the Languedoc in Provence. 

The Red Wine flights …

Lavender Crest “Miche Sepi” California Cabernet and Missouri Norton Red Blend NV

Named in honor of the Quad Cities' greatest natural resource, the Mississippi River, this subtly "oaked" Cabernet juice from California and Norton grape from Missouri is finished dry.

Back ground on the Mississippi River heritage and impact - “Jean Nicolet, under direction of La Salle, learned of a great river called Miche Sepi from the native Americans. For nearly 200 years since, agriculture was the primary user of the basin lands. The value of the agricultural products and the huge agribusiness industry that was developed in the basin produces 92% of the nation's agricultural exports, 78% of the world's exports in feed grains and soybeans, and most of the livestock and hogs produced nationally.’ 

“The Mississippi River and its floodplain are home to a diverse population of living things that include at least 260 species of fish and 145 species of amphibians and reptiles. Forty percent of the nation's migratory waterfowl use the river corridor during their Spring and Fall migration and 60% of all North American birds (326 species) use the Mississippi River Basin as their migratory flyway. To move goods up and down the Mississippi, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains a 9-foot shipping channel from Baton Rouge, La. to Minneapolis, Minn. Over 18 million people up and down the river use the Mississippi River Watershed for water supply.”

“1836” Red Table Wine NV

A semi-dry red wine created from Marquette grapes from Backroad Vineyard and California Pinot Noir. Barrel-aged to give it a touch of oak complexity. 

Named 1836 in honor of the neighboring town Victorian Geneseo, IL. 

“Geneseo, a name of American Indian Origin meaning "Pleasant Valley", was established in 1836 by eight families from Geneseo and Bergren in Genesee County, New York seeking religious freedom and financial opportunities. The original 40-acre town was recorded in Henry County on July 12, 1838 and the city was chartered by the state on February 16, 1865.”

Today, Victorian homes still line the cozy neighborhoods and downtown is filled with quaint, unique shops.

A semi-sweet red wine made from locally grown Marquette & Frontenac grapes from Backroad Vineyard, has a vibrant red color and dark berry fruit characteristics. Recommended serving with chocolate. 

“Red Velvet”

A semi-sweet red wine made from locally grown Marquette & Frontenac grapes from Backroad Vineyard, has a vibrant red color and dark berry fruit characteristics. Recommended serving with chocolate. 

“Odds & Ends” Red Blend NV

A semi-sweet wine blend based upon the winemaker's choice, this wine will be different with every bottling. The blend was unspecified. 



“Spice”

This exotic mixture of several spices transforms a blend of several of our fine wines into the perfect libation for fall and winter enjoyment. Served cold or warmed,

“Chocolate Love”

Blend of rich dark chocolate blended with Frontenac wine for a sensational taste that pairs well with many foods, especially raspberries and red cherries. Best served chilled.




To accompany the wine tasting we enjoyed their Baked Brie with fresh berries and nuts with crackers and apple slices, and fresh baked bread with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and cheese.

Readers of these pages know we tend to favor rather ‘sophisticated’ wines … especially when it comes to Reds. The Lavender Crest wines met our modest expectations for wines crafted from Illinois grapes. Taking into account the Midwestern “terroir” - all the elements that comprise conditions for growing vin-vinifera or wine grapes, soil, sun exposure, and most notably climate, there is a reason Illinois is known for corn and soybeans and California with its arid, temperate, coastal climates for wine grapes! 

That said, Lavender Crest are doing a commendable job crafting quality wines, meeting the ‘art of the possible’ from the fruit grown in the Midwest. The highest quality to our preference tending to the whites, generally those sweeter varietal wines. 

We thought enough of their wines that we purchased severable labels to take home for consumption and sharing with friends later. 

Most notably we purchased a mixed case of primarily Lavender Crest whites, “Beaches” NV Niagara La Crecent Blend and  “Faithful Friends” BackRoad Vineyards White Blend, and  “Soirée” Marquette Rosé, in line with our recent pursuit of Rose’ as a summer sipper. 

And of course, in light of our chocolate-mania, love of chocolate, we included some “Chocolate Love” for fun experimentation and sharing with friends. 

We will look forward to, and highly recommend at stop at Lavender Crest for a fun outing taking in their hospitality, wine and accompanying food, in their pretty picturesque setting.  It’s located just off Interstates 80 and 74.

https://lavendercrest.com/

Château d’Aqueria Tavel Southern Côtes du Rhône Rose’

Château d’Aqueria Tavel Southern Côtes du Rhône Rose’ - A taste of Provence 

My favorite author and favorite reads are the “Provence” series by Peter Mayle, made famous when his first book classic, “A Year in Provence” was made into a PBS special series … ala Downton Abbey or thereabouts…  

I’ve read a dozen of his works over the years and would periodically search for new releases. I was deeply saddened when I learned while visiting the Barnes & Noble near our vacation rental in Destin, FL, that he had passed away. My sadness was offset a bit to learn of two new releases that somehow I missed over the years. So it is that I just finished reading “My Twenty-Five Years in Provence : Reflections on Then and Now”, a retrospective encapsulation of his Provence experience. 

And, “The Diamond Caper”, one of his “Caper” series of mystery crime dramas, still set in Provence and filled with all the lifestyle elements of food, wine, and relaxed leisurely living. 

This is about a French Riviera socialite's diamonds being stolen -- the latest in a string of seemingly unconnected but increasingly audacious jewelry heists across France. Peter Mayle's Sam Levitt, and his partner, Elena Morales, are thrust into a case of intriguing "perfect crimes”. 

All the while, they’re immersed in relocating to Southern France, and renovating a cottage into their new dream home - a replay of the theme of “A Year in Provence”, with all the hallmarks of a delightful sun-splashed Peter Mayle adventure.

Peter Mayle was born in Brighton, England on June 14, 1939. He began his career in advertising as a copywriter and rose to the executive ranks, but left advertising in 1975 to write educational books. He then wrote his travel memoir, A Year in Provence, which then received the British Book Awards' Best Travel Book of the Year in 1990, and was adapted into a television mini-series. 

He went on to write a series of nonfiction books, all in his classic whimsical style, showcasing French life, food and wine, centered in Provence. His books included Toujours Provence, Encore Provence, Provence A-Z, and French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork and Corkscrew. His fiction books included The Marseille Caper, The Corsican Caper, and A Good Year, which was adapted into a 2006 film of the same name starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard. 

Mayle died on January 18, 2018 at the age of 78.
 

I was caught up in my own career and lost track of Mayle and his late career releases, until I have recently finally decompressed and started enjoying retirement, and re-engaging in picking up where I left off in light pleasurable reading. 

Just as “A Year in Provence” pays tribute to celebrate the aspects life in Southern France, wherein he plays out his favorite villages, restaurants, and open-air markets; and recounts his most memorable meals, …. 

Twenty-five years later, he replays and encapsulates Provencal living in what fittingly was his final book,  “My Twenty-Five Years in Provence“, a tribute to his adopted home, expressed through his signature warmth, wit, and humor.

This all brings me to this blogpost, and a classical Provençal summer wine - a Rose’, the signature drink of Provence, which was precipitated by reading about the passion and predominance of this wine in the lifestyle of Provençal lifestyle and living! 

This is also in recognition of our friend, Phillipe, who happens to be visiting this week from Aix-en-Provence. It’s fitting that we indulge in Provençal wines, native to the region we love, and home to our visiting friend, and many great memories of the region. 

I served and featured another Rose’ wine and wrote about Provence and our visit there in this recent blogpost - BYOB Fine Wines and Live Jazz at Suzette’s Creperie Wheaton.

This Château d’Aqueria wine is from the village of Tavel, in the Southern Rhône River valley and wine region. Tavel sits just 20 minutes, ten miles, west, across the river, from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the wines that make up a large holding in our cellar, and wine region we’ve fondly visited over the years, both found throughout these pages.

A few examples of posts from our visits to the region: 

Four days in Provence - Aix - Meyrargues 

La Presqu'Ile Restaurant à Bédarrides Vaucluse France 

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. Châteauneuf-du-Pape 

A visit to Château La Nerthe

Château d’Aqueria Tavel Southern Côtes du Rhône Rose’ 2024

This classic southern jewel is from the well known producer Marcel and Philippe Guigal. The historic estate, Château d’Aqueria actually sits between Tavel and Lirac, two appellations representing two growths of three colours produced at the domain.

Tavel was the first rosé in France to be classified, designated In 1936 when the first Appellations of Controlled Origin were established. Since then, it has become an iconic gastronomic rosé and today it is THE rosé of ‘terroir’.

The adjacent Lirac appellation lies on the right bank of the Rhône and is another jewel of the Southern Côtes du Rhône and has also been producing hugely expressive wines since ancient times.

The estate dates all the way back to 1595, when Louis Joseph d’Aqueria purchased an area in Tavel called ‘Puy Sablonneux’ from the monks of the Abbey of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, which was particularly suited to the cultivation of vines. His son Robert d’Aqueria, a hereditary Count palatine, built a home which, in the 18th century, became the Château as we know it today. After the Count d’Aqueria, the estate pass through several families who took possession of the Château modifying it and constructing buildings as well as developing its vineyards. 

In 1919, the estate was purchased by a doctor of law, Jean Olivier, who eventually passed it on to his daughters, Mireille de Bez and Nicole Boccon-Gibod. His son in law, Paul de Bez took over management followed by his grandsons Vincent and Bruno - three generations put this historically significant place on the map as a stand out property of the Tavel and Lirac appellations.

In May 2022, the well known Guigal family took over the reins from the de Bez family to become next in line of owners of the Aqueria estate who continue to preserve the history and the legacy of the people of Aqueria.

The Château’s 250 acres are planted two thirds to vineyards in the Tavel and Lirac appellations with the remainder preserved in woodland and garrique.

Château d’Aqueria Tavel is made mainly from Grenache, Syrah, Clairette and Mourvèdre, with Cinsault and Bourboulenc completing this harmonious blend of varieties.

The Lirac red wines are dominated by Grenache bolstered up by Syrah and Mourvèdre with a touch of Cinsault.

The light sandy, clay soils situated around the Château, and the Mediterranean climate produce extraordinary complex robust yet elegant full flavored wines.

The vines are an average age of 40 years old with some 70 year old plots.

The wines are aged 6 months in inox and concrete vats.

This was a fabulous pairing with a flight of artisan cheeses - Brie, Landmark Creamery, Belleville, Wisconsin Gouda Duet - pasteurized cow and sheep milk cheese, and Grand Cru from Roth Cheese, from Monroe, WI, with fresh sourdough bread. 

. 

This release is a blend of the classic designated Rhône grape varieties - 50% Grenache Noir, 20% Syrah, 10% Clairette, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Bourboulenc, 5% Cinsault. 

Intense blood orange ruby coloured, medium bodied, dry, firm structured, bold, full and round, complex yet elegant, bright vibrant raspberry, cherry, strawberry and pomegranate fruits with a layer of spice notes on a long acidic expressive finish. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5336525

https://www.aqueria.com/en/

https://www.aqueria.com/en/vins/tavel/