2009 Fireside Winery, Frontenac, Iowa
A few years ago I was discussing with my brother a concept taught in B-School, that was the, "unfair competitive advantage". An unfair competitive advantage is a business situation where a company has a product which was so superior or so different that it was seen as having an unfair advantage over its competitors. As an example, a few years ago the brand Soft Soap was the first to market with soap dispensed from a bottle via a pump.
For those of you under thirty trust me on this one - it was a big deal. The unfair competitive advantage held by Soft Soap was that the pump device which was necessary to patented and the Soft Soap brand bought exclusive use rights over the pump mechanism for three years. This unfair competitive advantage allowed Soft Soap to firmly establish itself as the premier product and immune from competition for three full years.
Now to Iowa wine. What is the unfair competitive advantage which Iowa holds over France, California, Australia, Oregon, Washington or any other wine producing region? Could it be Frontenac? I am not sure. I think when things settle out, it is my opinion that Brianna will provide that unfair competitive advantage for Iowa grape growers.
My impressions:
Garnet in the glass.
Not much on the nose. With a lot of sloshing and more effort than should be necessary I could detect tart cherries.
One dimensional fruit with a brief acidic finish. Warming. Perhaps some added alcohol??
It paired satisfactorily with the Mother's Day prime rib I prepared for my bride of thirty-seven years. Food friendly thanks to the acidity. A good but not great dining companion.
Disclaimer: It is perhaps not fair to be writing about a 2009 Frontenac in 2014. Five years in the bottle may be too much to expect from any Frontenac.
Recommended. If for no other reason than I really want Iowa wines to succeed. Will buy a more recent vintage the next time I make the trip West.
$15ish at the Winery
~ Terry
