Corkscrew Chronicles: Ohio wines stand the test of time

One of the criteria for judging quality in wines is their ability to age gracefully. The Late Arnie Esterer was a major visionary and quality pioneer of Ohio wine producers. He and partner Tim Hubbard founded Markko Vineyard in 1968, establishing the state's first estate-grown Vinifera vineyards near Conneaut. On April 30, 2022, Markko Vineyard celebrated Founder's Day with vertical tastings of a variety of vintages of both Chardonnay and Cabernet. It was an ideal time to compare wines side by side and also see how well they had held up in bottle over the years. Current winemaker Lauren Fiala's recent releases could also be benchmarked with Arnie's style and quality traditions. White wines Chardonnay 2021 (barrel) — This wine had just finished fermenting, still showing some effervesce. A big, rich, toasty, creamy Chardonnay with expansive oak notes, good acidity and long finish. Very nice with precise flavors and nutty oak overtones. Chardonnay 2019 (barrel) — Much more oak presence and American oak character showing (Arnie used American Oak since it was an American product). Good body, acidity and texture, still rich and complex. Chardonnay 2018 — Oak is starting to integrate with the other components nicely. Good acid structure and textures with rich flavors. Homage Chardonnay Select 2016 — Pretty, lightly toasted oak notes with a long and smooth style. Some tartrates evident (the winery doesn't cold stabilize). Homage Chardonnay 2015 — More fruit and acidity shining through the nose and palate with evident oak. This wine was fresh and vibrant. Chardonnay Select Reserve 2015 — Subtle oak evident with the classic American oak dill notes showing. Long and gently creamy in style, showing decent acidity with a hint of Burgundian earthiness. Reflections 2012 — Quite Burgundian in style with earth and mineral nuances. Smooth with still ample acidity, round textures, well-integrated oak. Quite lovely and holding well. Red Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (barrel) — Deep purple hue, firm tannins and acidity with pretty oak aromas and flavors. Showing very youthful at this point. Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (barrel) — Deeper flavors of very ripe, dark fruit. Good acidity and tannin. More extraction, promises to be a very fine wine. Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (barrel) — Red fruit mélange in the nose and palate with drying tannins and good acidity. A really pretty wine with hints of cranberry. Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 — A very pale red hue with a subdued nose. Hints of tar, warm red fruit, toasty oak and tart acidity. A very pretty wine that is quite good. A lighter vintage — consume near term. Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 — Dark hue with a subdued nose, probably due to its big tannins and firm acidity with lots of extract. Showing quite well at this point but with great aging potential. Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 — Showing the effects of bottle age with integration of subdued red fruit and complexity of flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon 1991 — Color has lightened and shows some bricking in the rim. Red fruit and hints of leather in the nose with warm, dark red fruit on the palate. Still showing structure of tannin and acidity with some tart cherry flavors and mouthwatering. Moderate length. Good shape for a 31-year-old Cabernet. Cabernet Sauvignon 1983 — Very pale brick red hue. This wine has moved entirely into bottle bouquet with a nose of earth, mushrooms, leather and red fruit. Long and elegant flavors and the tannins have integrated. Still alive — a lovely 39-year-old Cabernet. This tasting proved the potential for quality Vinifera wine production in Ohio, in particular, the Lake Erie region and Conneaut Creek Viticultural District. Arnie's quality vision is being deftly continued by his next generation and the new grape growing/winemaking team. Gary Twining is a certified wine educator who worked 34 years in the wholesale fine wine industry. E-mail him at winingwithtwining@hotmail.com.