Inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson's saying “Don't go the beaten path, make your own path and leave a trail,” dark-skinned André Hueston Mack decided to give up his lucrative job as a broker at Citicorp Investment Services to pursue his passion for wine. A few years and wine seminars later, André was awarded the Best Young Sommelier in America by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs in 2003. Notabene, he was the first dark-skinned person to achieve this award. But that wasn't enough for André. He wanted more. Thomas Keller, owner of the famous restaurant “The French Laundry” (*** Michelin) in Yountville in the Napa Valley, also became aware of him and offered him a first position as a sommelier. Just one year later, he was appointed as the new head sommelier in Keller's top restaurant “Per Se” (*** Michelin) in New York. For many sommeliers, this would have been a job during their lifetime, but not for André. He had been dreaming of making wine himself for a long time. Unfortunately, the first attempt with a partner failed, but the second attempt worked, and how: Back on the west coast, André founded his small business called Maison Noir Wines. His preference for Burgundy wines didn't make him choose the Napa Valley as his location, but he went to the Oregon wine region north of California. And it was here that he found the perfect grapes for his wines. In the USA, “horseshoes and handgrenades” means something like “almost” or “almost.” For us, however, Maison Noir producer André Hueston Mack has hit the mark with this wine. The grapes come from two different appellations, Oregon and Washington, and therefore no vintage can be officially stated. A small note on this on the back label provides a little more information: The number of hand grenades increases with every change of year. Courageous what André has put together here! The result can be seen and, above all, enjoyed wonderfully. Great cherry aromas on the nose, paired with a fine, almost sweet spice note. Very dense on the palate, yet supple and with concentrated fruit - really tangible and explosive.
