A Different Harvest: A Winemaker Buds In Michigan

A Different Harvest wine tasting with Josh Kessler, left, and partner Chuck Bierman, right.

What’s it take to leap from winemaking hobbyist to running your own vineyard? We catch up with a friend who is an IT manager for a health care system for his day job, but is pursuing his winemaking dream.

A Different Harvest red blend

From Backyard Vines To Micro-Winery

Josh Kessler is a friend from our old stomping grounds in Northwest Ohio. Before we relocated from the Toledo area to North Carolina, Josh, who resides with his wife, Casey, in Swanton, Ohio, was part of our blog tasting team. Josh would contribute articles from his winery visits to Michigan, and we’d gather with friends to raise a glass and empty some bottles.

During one visit, Josh took me behind his house to show off his vines of Riesling. He liked to make wine and wanted to grow his own grapes. During one Open That Bottle Night, we sampled Kessler Cellars Cherry Port.

Recently, Josh sent me a couple of bottles from A Different Harvest, his micro-winery. We had a chance to sample his red blend and a single varietal Marquette. The blend includes DeChaunac, Frontenac, and smaller amounts of Chelois, Foch, 

and Chancellor. We enjoyed the silky texture and tart cherry flavors. The Marquette is for those who enjoy a bolder taste and fuller body. 

“When my wife and I were dating, she invited me to her family’s annual vacation on the western Michigan lakeshore," said Josh. “One rainy day in 2008, we were looking for something to do and happened upon a nearby winery. 

A Corner Lot Grows Vines

“This left us yearning to try more and more wines. I had an instant love for wine, so naturally, I wanted to know more about how it is produced. I read countless books and magazines. It didn’t take long to place my first mail order for the types of grapes I wanted to grow in my small backyard in the city.”

Years later, Josh met someone at the gym who farms in Michigan. “As we got to know one another, I took him some of my wine and jokingly mentioned that if he had a corner lot where I could put some vines in the ground, to let me know,” said Josh. The next winter, we are having a conversation in the locker room, and he says, “Do you want to grow some grapes?”

"Of course, I said, Yes!' " Two acres were planted to start, then another two. Today, there are 2,400 vines. 

The first wine he made was a blueberry wine with fruit from the annual vacation spot. Even before his skills improved, this was everyone’s favorite bottle. Friends and family continue to request it. Josh’s family has grown (he and Casey now have two daughters), and his winemaking operation and skill have certainly grown, too.

From Small Beginnings

His business partner is Chuck Bierman, a multi-generational farmer. His son Shane is also part of the endeavor. Currently, Josh has dedicated space on Chuck’s property. This includes tanks ranging from 10-125 gallons, a crusher/destemmer, a press, bottling equipment, a cooler, and more. There is a building that will be converted into a production and tasting area.

The size of the operation is very small, with approximately 100 cases annually from their estate vineyard. Plans include sourcing more grapes from other growers in Michigan. 

Right now, the wine is only made for family and friends. In the next year or two, Josh plans to be selling the wine in Michigan, not far from downtown Sylvania, Ohio. 

He grows mainly French-American and other non-specific hybrids. The emphasis is on being cold-hardy. Chambourcin is among the grapes he grows. Reds, whites, rosé, and wines of varying sweetness have all been made from his grapes.

He is most proud of his Marquette. Says Josh, “Dry red wines are what I enjoy most, and Marquette seems to bear the closest resemblance to a vinifera wine.”

Winemaking Life Has Its Rewards

Challenges have come along the way. “I made the common amateur mistake of planting too many varieties rather than concentrating on a few," he said. "Working with several smaller lots, however, has allowed me to experiment with many different styles and blends."

The annual task of pruning is demanding, taking 80 or more hours a year. Some people can lend a hand, but pruning requires skill that is not easily learned. So the burden falls on Josh, who has to make it happen in a relatively short window while maintaining a full-time day job. That hard work is worth it, though.

"Tasting the end result of countless hours of labor growing your own fruit is very rewarding," said Josh. "We can control many aspects of the grape quality that you can't when buying them from someone else."