Michigan Wines Continue To Surprise With Quality Offerings

Are you wine-curious? Check out the exciting wines coming from Michigan.

That wines from Michigan continue to land top awards is surprising to many. In a domestic wine scene dominated by the Big Three of California, Oregon and Washington, Michigan isn’t top of mind when fine wine is discussed. As the quality and recognition continues to ascend, that will change.

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We’ve been tasting and enjoying wines from Michigan for decades. We spent more than 20 years in the Toledo, Ohio, area and enjoyed short drives into Michigan to take in the scenery and visit wineries. That drive is a lot longer now that we’ve relocated to the Raleigh area. We were, however, able to savor the greatness of Michigan wine during a recent webinar hosted by the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association that featured the Michigan Wine Collaborative.

Yes, There Is Life Beyond California

Michigan is the fourth largest grape-growing state in the country and its wineries attract more than 800,000 visitors annually (in non-pandemic years, that is!). While you can find delicious fruit wines and great bottles using hybrid grapes, 70% of grapes grown are Vitus Vinifera, these are the noble, well-known international varieties.

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Top Michigan grapes are Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. How does a state with temperatures that can freeze your toes manage to grow grapes for fine wine? Most of the vineyards are within 25 miles of a Great Lake, most notably Lake Michigan. On a smaller scale, the lake provides to Michigan what the Pacific Ocean does for California. The large body of water moderates the temperature – keeping it warmer during the cold winter months. Michigan’s wine region is between the 42nd and 48th parallel, sharing the zone with other great wine regions around the world like Burgundy and Willamette Valley.

Riesling To The Rescue

Wow. All these facts and figures can make a person thirsty.

We sampled a Michigan red and white in order to see what the excitement is all about. The wineries covered the spectrum, from St. Julian Winery, the oldest in the state, to Rove Estate, a relatively new winery in the Traverse City area.

St. Julian has been run by the same family for four generations and has been producing wines for almost 100 years. Their line encompasses spirits, cider, and wine that ranges from budget-friendly quaffers to reserve wines to please the aficionado. We opened the 2019 Braganini Reserve Mountain Road Vineyard Riesling with a meal of grilled teriyaki shrimp.

I love bone-dry Riesling, but have come to appreciate off-dry Riesling since it allows a fuller spectrum of flavors. The St. Julian Riesling has notes of peach and green apple with a puff of sweetness. The sweetness is balanced by crisp acidity. This is a single-vineyard wine.

The ABV is 12%, nice and low, which means food-friendly. The residual sugar is 0.5% – just enough to provide a round, balanced flavor. St. Julian has wines that will delight any taste, but we’ve always focused on the Braganini Reserve range. We also hope to sample the BLK line at some point in the future.

Grace And Beauty From A Michigan Pinot Noir

I must admit I missed this trend completely. I never really thought of Michigan as a producer of top-notch Pinot Noir. The next bottle caused me to do some recalibration.

Rove Estate is located on Leelanau Peninsula, up in one of the most beautiful areas of Michigan Traverse City. You can combine hiking, off-road adventures, jet skiing, and a climb up Sleeping Bear Dune with a visit to the Rove tasting room.

Creighton and McKenzie Gallagher established Rove Estate to preserve their family’s farming legacy. The Gallagher farm has been part of Traverse City history for nearly 130 years. The highest point in Leelanau County at 1,165 feet, the site has slopes with southern exposure and perfect conditions for premium estate-grown grapes.

We opened the Rove 2018 Pinot Noir, Leelanau Peninsula, to go with some scrumptious pork chops that I grilled to perfection. The wine gets 18 months of aging in French oak, that lends complexity you might not expect. There are flavors of candied cherries, vanilla and herbal notes.

It simply is the best Michigan Pinot Noir we’ve tasted and surpasses the lower-tier California Pinot by a mile. We were delighted with this wine.

Don’t be fenced in. We encourage you to explore beyond your wine boundaries by opening a bottle of Michigan wine. If you can’t find any at your local wine shop, it is readily available online.

Mackinaw Trail Winery And Michigan By The Bottle Team Up For “Crowdsourced” Riesling

Crowdsourcing helps get things done by harnessing the power of large groups of people, especially online communities. It’s benefitted wide ranging fields such as publishing, scientific research and venture capital funding. Now our friends in Michigan are using it to make a new wine.

Project Is A First For Michigan

Mackinaw Trail Winery and MichiganByTheBottle.com are teaming up for a “crowdsourced” wine project that will give consumers a direct role in the winemaking process — a first for Michigan.
Using web-based surveying tools, the public will determine various characteristics of Mackinaw Trail’s new Synergy Riesling over a six- to nine-month period. 
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You Can Pick Stylistic Nuances of Synergy Riesling

“We wanted to bring the consumers into an active role in our winemaking process, as our customers’ feedback has always been very important to us,” said Dustin Stabile, Mackinaw Trail Winery’s winemaker. “We anticipate the voting to begin in late August, running from harvest to bottle. We want consumers to be part of every major decision.” 
Consumers will weigh in via multiple choice questions, voting on whether the grapes will be hand-picked or machine-picked, destemmed or whole cluster pressed, etc. Participants’ choices will influence nearly every aspect of the final outcome, including the sweetness level, stylistic nuances, price point and more. There also will be a contest to select artwork for the wine’s label. 

 

Consumers Get A Behind The Scenes Peak At “Their” Wine

Throughout the project, consumers can learn more about the winemaking process, get behind-the-scenes glimpses of the wine in various stages of production and discuss the various options on Mackinaw Trail’s and MBTB’s Facebook pages. Stabile anticipates Synergy Riesling being available for purchase in late winter or early spring of 2016.
Mackinaw Trail Winery sits on 30 acres of rolling hills in Petoskey, Michigan. As one of the fastest growing wineries in the state, Mackinaw Trail has tasting rooms in Mackinaw City, Petoskey and Manistique. Their wines range from Pinot Gris and Gerwurztraminer to berry and ice wines.

“We wanted to team up with a group that shares as much passion as we do about Michigan wines.” -- Dustin Stabile, Mackinaw Trail winemaker.

“Michigan By The Bottle was established for the purpose of uniting Michigan wine lovers online and encouraging them to talk about Michigan wine,” said Cortney Casey, the website’s co-founder. “We loved the idea of working with Mackinaw Trail to not only get wine lovers talking, but also actually involve them in all stages of the winemaking process.” Updates on the Synergy Riesling Project will be available at MackinawTrailWinery.com and MichiganByTheBottle.com.
Photo Credit: bjmccray via Compfight cc

Technorati Tags: Michigan wine,Riesling,wine

Michigan By The Bottle Tasting Room Opens Second Location in Royal Oak

The founders of Michigan By The Bottle, a website/online community promoting the Michigan wine industry, have teamed up with eight wineries from throughout the state to establish a second collaborative wine tasting room in Royal Oak.
Located on Woodward Ave., just south of Webster, Michigan By The Bottle Tasting Room-Royal Oak opened its doors on Wednesday, Dec. 10. The tasting room offers tasting flights paired with small bites for a nominal fee, plus take-home wine sales by the bottle and case. The facility also carries various Michigan-made snacks and products, and will host events like winemaker meet-and-greets, art exhibits, food and wine pairing sessions, wine education classes and more.
While the tasting room opened for business Dec. 10, an official Grand Opening Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015.
With the opening of the original location in Shelby Township in December 2012, MBTB Tasting Room became the first such establishment in the state to embrace this collaborative concept, which links multiple previously unaffiliated wineries under a single roof. The Shelby location has been extremely successful and warmly welcomed by the community, prompting the expansion into Oakland County.

At the Royal Oak location, MBTB is welcoming two additional partner wineries to the six already involved in the Shelby Township site. The eight partner wineries are excellent examples of Michigan viticulture and viniculture, all using estate-grown and/or locally sourced fruit. They are:

• 2 Lads Winery (Traverse City)
• Chateau Aeronautique (Jackson)
• Chateau de Leelanau (Suttons Bay)
• Domaine Berrien Cellars (Berrien Springs)
• Gill's Pier Vineyard & Winery (Northport)
• Peninsula Cellars (Traverse City)
• Sandhill Crane Vineyards (Jackson)
• Verterra Winery (Leland)

Cortney and Shannon Casey of Michigan By The Bottle are available for interviews, as are representatives from the partner wineries and representatives from the Michigan Grape & Wine Industry Council, who can speak about the Michigan wine industry as a whole and MBTB’s involvement in it. For more information, please contact Cortney at (586) 567-3033 or cort@michiganbythebottle.com.

Chateau de Leelanau 2012 Hawkins Red, Leelanau Peninsula

Each year our neighbors venture up to Traverse City to take part in one of the many festivals in this great wine-producing region of Michigan. This year they brought back a red to sample.
While their taste runs a bit sweeter than ours, they brought back a real winner: Chateau de Leelanau Hawkins Red. It is our first sampling of this wine, and we hope it isn’t our last.
The wine is made from the Regent grape – and that’s a first for us. It is a cool-weather red grape that is disease resistant. It was introduced in the late ‘90s. The wine is inky black in the glass and silky smooth on the tongue.
This has become a trademark wine for CDL and we can see why. It has delicious flavors of blackberry juice and strawberries. There is a kick of Sweet Tart and a hit of toffee.
It retails for $17 and is an anytime wine that is sure to please the wine novice as well as the wine expert who probably has never tasted Regent grapes.
Rating: 3 of 5  Value: 3.5 of 5

Technorati Tags: Michigan wine,wine

Fenn Valley Winery: Southwest Michigan Winery Visit

Winery report by TWAV Tasting Team Member Dr. J
Another favorite winery stop of my wife and I is Fenn Valley.  This is truly our favorite winery; the one that really got us into wine back in 2008.  We learned of a tour through the vineyard where you get to stop alongside various grape varieties and taste the wine that comes from those grapes.  These tours are very popular and sell out most of the time.  This was the case on our very first visit so we learned to book ahead of time.  We had no idea this would become a tradition to look forward to every year.

A group of 21 of us gather onto a canopied wagon with bench seating as we are pulled through the vineyard by a tractor.  We were led by Brian for a very in-depth look into the winemaking process and the grapes as they make their way from the vine into wine. 
The first stop of the tour is next to the Pinot Grigio.  This wine is super clean and crisp with stone fruit notes.  Looking to the other side of the path, one sees the Sauvignon Blanc.  This is a newer varietal to Fenn Valley and not a common find in Michigan.  The cooler region Sauvignon Blancs tend to have more of a grapefruit character over the warmer weather “grassy” examples and this one follows suit.  I liked this one even more so than last year’s so they are really starting to dial it in.  The third wine of the stop is the Edelzwicker or “Noble blend” consisting of Riesling and Traminette.  An annual favorite of ours and anyone we share the wine with, Edelzwicker is wonderfully fruity and floral and will pair well with spicy foods or simply on its own.

The next stop involved getting out of the wagon to experience two different Rieslings between the vineyard rows.  First is the dry Riesling with peach, apricot, and a nice clean finish.  Dry versions of this wine are becoming more and more popular in Michigan.  The dry Riesling was followed up by a semi-sweet offering.  While I tend to find myself preferring the dry versions, this one was my favorite of the two.  With a residual sugar of 2.01%, the alcohol is slightly less due to stopping the fermentation process in order to capture this hint of sweetness.  The perfectly balanced acidity keeps the sugar in line for a wonderful summer sipper.
The third stop got us into the reds.  Cabaret Rosé was the first pour and is a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  Crisp and fruity strawberry notes make for a refreshing patio wine on a hot day.  Now it was time to get into bolder, dry red wines; the Merlot and Meritage.  The Merlot is a reserve version meaning “of high quality”.  The oak is apparent with smokiness and cherry.  The Meritage is another favorite of mine and contains a blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc and Merlot.  These three varieties meld together for notes of fruit, spice, and earthiness all in one.

The last and final stop was the hybrid section of the vineyard.  Yet another favorite, the Capriccio was passed around.  This non-vintage wine is a blend dominated by Chambourcin with small portions of Cab Franc and Merlot.  Whether you prefer dry or slightly off dry reds, this is a perfect middle of the road wine that both sides can agree on.  And for those that like the sweet wines, we finished with two excellent examples that most anyone can enjoy. 
The Late Harvest Vignoles happened due to perfect weather conditions favorable to Botrytis “Noble rot” in 2012.  There is pronounced apricot flavor as expected with a Botrytis wine and notes of pineapple and butterscotch.  At about 5.5% residual sugar, the sweetness is once again kept in check with nicely balanced acidity.  The grand finale was the Vidal 42 Ice Wine, which recently won a double gold medal.  A rich, almost syrupy character leads to fruit cocktail in a glass and a nice long finish.  You don’t have to like sweet wines to truly appreciate this gem.
For $8, you get all of this, a logo glass, and a $5 off coupon towards the purchase of four bottles of fine Michigan wine.  There isn’t anywhere else you can get the up-close and personal experience for the price, which is close to the tasting fee that many wineries charge in the tasting room alone.  Tours can be booked online.  Fenn Valley is where it all started for me, and there isn’t anyone in the state who does it better!

Technorati Tags: wine,Michigan wine,winery

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Hickory Creek: Southwest Michigan Winery Visit

Winery Review By TWAV Tasting Team Member Dr. J
It has become an annual tradition for my wife (Casey) and I to take our girls to South Haven, Michigan to stay with her side of the family for a week of fun.  This is right near the heart of the Lake Michigan Shore AVA.  Casey, myself, and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law take a day to visit the wineries of southwest Michigan in the Berrien Springs and Buchanan areas. 

We started our trip at Hickory Creek.  This winery is one of the farthest south of the tour and we had only been there once before.   We were instantly greeted by our wonderful, friendly hostess, Linsay.  She was quick to tell us that there is a $5 fee for five tastes but “I usually serve more than that.”  I knew immediately that it was going to be a great visit. 
The first wine was the 2011 Pinot Gris.  This wine has been highly awarded.  With a nose of flowers, fresh spring, and lots of fruit, this Pinot Gris ranks right with the best of the Pacific Northwest.   
Next was the 2012 Gruner Veltliner.  This is an Austrian grape that you won’t find too many examples of in the Midwest.  It was very pleasing with notes of hay and white pepper.
There were two offerings of Chardonnay; the 2010 Zero Oak and the 2011 Oaked.  The 2010 was more acidic with passion fruit while the 2011 was smooth and creamy with stone fruit, honey, and hints of the oak.  The group unanimously voted for the buttery, oaky version.
Moving on to the reds, the 2012 Cab Franc Rosé was poured.  This had much more body than your typical rosé.  It was a little darker in color and very flavorful, noting vanilla and strawberry.
Two Pinot Noirs followed with a 2009 and a 2010.  What a difference one vintage can make!  The 2009 was fruity and peppery.  The 2010 was more earthy and smoky.  Both were very fine examples and the group chose the 2009 as their favorite.
We finished with a pair of Cab Francs.  The 2008 is the epitome of this varietal as a standalone; nose of cherry and coffee with smoke and pepper on the palate and soft tannins.  This grape is so good, I don’t know why there aren’t more single varietal bottlings outside of the Midwest.  The last wine is a non-vintage lightly sweetened Cab Franc called Rouge Doux.  It brings loads of blackberries with balanced sweetness and acidity. 
Hickory Creek offers an extensive list of quality wines, some of which I did not have a chance to mention.  This is certainly a must-stop winery if you are in the area or want to make a special visit.  Come see Linsay.  She makes Hickory Creek Winery what a wine tasting experience is all about!

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Lone Oak Vineyard Estate Hosts Pedal & Whine Bike Tour August 3

Lone cyclist on a country road. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Area cycling fans are in for a treat. The Pedal & Whine Bike Tour, an event started and ending at Lone Oak Vineyard Estate and sponsored by the Cascades Cycling Club, will be held Saturday, August 3.

There are four different routes to choose from, each starting and ending at Lone Oake Vineyard Estate, 8400 Ann Arbor, Grass Lake, Michigan. For beginners, a 7 mile route travels to Sandhill Crane Vineyards, returning to Lone Oak. There are also 15, 36 and 65 mile routes. Enjoy beautiful country roads with light traffic.

Terrain is flat to rolling, shaded and well marked.  Lunch will be served at Lone Oak between 11:00 AM and 3:30 PM. Nutritious snacks, fruit and drinks will be enjoyed by all riders at Lone Oak and all official rest stops. Additional food and drinks can be purchased along the routes in Leslie and at both wineries.

Registration on or before July 21 is $25 per adult and $10 per child (ages 17 and under). After July 21 and the day of registration, the cost is $30 per adult. (A scrumptious lunch and beverage are included with pre-registration only.)  Lone Oak Vineyard Estate will be open for free wine tasting, plus a vineyard talk at 12:30 and 2:30. 

Further details and registration for this event are available at: www.cascadescyclingclub.org 

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Michigan Wine Celebration Slated April 20-21 On SE Michigan Pioneer Wine Trail

Grapes and leaves of the grape variety Cabernet Franc. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Pioneer Wine Trail in Southeast Michigan invites you to a special "Michigan Wine Celebration" on Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21. Each winery along the trail will feature an appetizer or dessert prepared by a local chef and paired with their featured wine. The ticket price also includes one tasting glass. A recipe card with the featured recipe will be given out to ticket holders at each winery.

Tickets for this self-driven tour with nine food and wine pairings are $30. Planned food and wine pairings include:

Burgdorf's Winery, Chicken rumaki with Thai chili sauce, Morton's Fine Catering - 2011 Chancellor

Chateau Aeronautique Winery, Mediterranean Lamb Lettuce Wrap, Vegetarian option available, Catering by Meredith - 2010 Cabernet Franc

Cherry Creek - Old Schoolhouse Winery, Mushrooms stuffed with crab meat, Jerry's Pub - Pinot Grigio

Flying Otter Winery, Gorgonzola Honey Bruschetta with a choice of prosciutto or granny smith garnish and balsamic Starboard drizzle, Hooligans Restaurant - 2011 Frontenac

J. Trees Cellars, Strawberry & rhubarb pastry with Meyer lemon curd, Frizzle

Lone Oak Vineyard Estate, Asparagus Wraps with Prosciutto & Marinated Mozzarella, Bone Island Grille – Chardonnay

Pentamere Winery, White wine Asian stir-fry, Chef Lisa, LG Meals - 2012 White Swan (Traminette)

Sandhill Crane Vineyards, Michigan salad (& Zingerman's roll), SCV Café - 2012 Blushing Crane

Sleeping Bear Winery, Corned beef & cabbage, Sleeping Bear Winery - 5 O'clock Somewhere

There are a limited number of tickets available, ticket sales will end on Wednesday, April 17 at midnight (or when sold out), and tickets will not be available the day of the event.

Ticket holders are welcome to visit each location over the two-day event, or they may choose to limit their visits (as time permits). The Wine Trail encourages ticket holders to bring a designated driver. Hours of the event are Saturday, April 20, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday, April 21, from noon to 6:00 PM.

For more information call (517) 592-4663 or (517) 531-3080. Please note: Ticket holders are welcome to visit each location over the two-day event, or they may choose to limit their visits (as time permits). Purchase your tickets at :  www.pioneerwinetrail.com

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Peninsula Cellars 2011 Dry Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan

A trip to Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown Farmers Market led to fruit of a very delicious kind. We stopped in at Everyday Wines which specializes in wines under $25. We were pleased to find this Michigan dry Riesling.
Peninsula Cellars is a family run winery on the Old Mission Peninsula just north of Traverse City. Michigan is establishing itself as a top producer of quality Riesling and so at $18 this was a “must buy” wine.
It took only one sip for Green Dragon to give me the thumbs up to let me know this vino received her seal of approval. The wine is crisp and refreshing and has its own unique character. Finger Lakes Riesling can have bone-rattling acidity. The Peninsula Cellars had mellowness and balance with very little minerality. There are apple notes with a smidge of lime.
This is a great food wine and, in fact, a nice sipper for just about any time. It has a full body without being heavy and at just 12% alcohol, it doesn’t wrestle with food – just nicely compliments it. This could go well with a nice ham or chicken dish.
Peninsula Cellars has produced a standout Michigan dry Riesling at a crazy good price.

Technorati Tags: wine,Riesling,Michigan wine

Rating: 3.5 of 5  Value: 4.5 of 5

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Lone Oak Vineyard Estates Offers New Winemaker Event

Lone Oak Vineyard Estate, Lone Oak Vineyard Estate, 8400 Ann Arbor Rd., Grass Lake, Michigan, has announced a new event to be held on the second Wednesday of each month - the "Winemaker's Candlelight Wine & Food Pairing"! This is your chance to partake in delicious wine and food pairings with our winemaker, Kip Barber.
Wines will be served with five gourmet food courses - this is a full meal, so come hungry. The first of monthly Winemaker's Candlelight Wine & Food Pairings will take place on Wednesday, March 13, at 6:00 PM. Reservations required. Please call  (517) 522-8167 to reserve your seats. $30 per person (tax and gratuity not included).

Tartan Hill, Piper’s Oceana White, Michigan

We picked up this non-vintage Riesling blend during a visit to the Tartan Hill Winery in New Era, Michigan. The winery was just a short distance from the Electric Forest music festival we were attending.
The label is beat up because we had iced this wine down for sipping during a cook out, but we turned to beer or something else and this wine never got opened. But the perfect occasion did eventually arise.
We had family in for Thanksgiving and decided we would play a game. Farkel, which is a “craps” type game with six dice, was the game of choice.  As we launched into the “tournament of champions” with a lot of hooting an hollering, we popped open this bottle.
The Piper’s Oceana White is a non-vintage wine that is primarily Riesling with some other unspecified white grapes. It is semi-sweet  with a light body. The sweetness is not overpowering and it was a good pick because we had a couple of wine drinkers who prefer sweeter wines and a couple of wine novices who aren’t yet into dry wines.
This is a soft wine with flavors of apple and citrus. It’s not complex, but was a very popular sipper throughout the evening.

Technorati Tags: Riesling,wine

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Michigan Grape Acreage Doubled Over Last Decade

Cranberry Dessert wine at Round Barn Winery, Distillery & Brewery in Baroda, Michigan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LANSING -- Michigan's wine grape acreage doubled over the past decade, according to a report recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service.

While acreage of Concord and Niagara grape varieties -- used primarily for juice, jams and jelly -- have remained steady at approximately 12,000 acres over the past 10 years, acreage of wine grapes increased from 1,300 to 2,650 acres.

"This data confirms the steady growth of the wine industry," said Gordon Wenk, Deputy Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, who also chairs the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. "Michigan's wineries are committed to the concept of regional identity by utilizing a high percentage of Michigan-grown fruit in their wines."

The USDA report is based on the 2011 Michigan Fruit Survey, which collected data from grape growers throughout the state. The complete results of the survey are available online and can be accessed from www.michiganwines.com/fastfacts.

Top five wine grape varieties (in acres): Riesling, from 204 acres in 2002 to 595 in 2011; Pinot Noir, from 93 to 235; Chardonnay, from 187 to 215; Pinot Gris, from 53 to 210; and Cabernet Franc, from 54 to 155.

Riesling is the most widely planted wine grape, with acreage nearly tripling in the past decade. Michigan producers are creating world-class Rieslings and earned more than 20 top awards in 2012 for Riesling wines in a variety of styles, from bone dry to sweet ice wine. The International Riesling Foundation lists Michigan among notable global producers.

But Riesling isn't the only star of the survey. Cabernet Franc acreage also tripled in the past decade. Pinot Gris increased nearly 300 percent. And Pinot Noir has replaced Chardonnay as the state's second most planted variety, with acreage increasing 150 percent in the last 10 years. More than 40 varieties of wine grapes with at least two acres of production were reported. Traditional European varieties (vinifera) account for two-thirds of Michigan's wine grape acreage. The balance is mainly comprised of hybrid varieties (crosses between European and native North American varieties).

Traditionally, the wine grape industry in Michigan was concentrated in four primary counties: Berrien, Van Buren, Grand Traverse and Leelanau. Due to winery expansion around the state, the survey shows vineyard land exceeding 10 acres in each of the following counties: Allegan, Antrim, Benzie, Cass, Charlevoix, Jackson, Lenawee, Oceana, Sanilac and Washtenaw.

Michigan ranked fourth in total grape production in the United States in 2011, behind California, Washington and New York, and ranked fifth in wine grape production. Michigan hovers between fifth and eighth place for wine grape production from year to year, depending on weather events that can severely influence regional production volumes in any given year.

According to the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council, there are 101 commercial wineries producing more than 1.3 million gallons of Michigan wine annually. That number has increased from 32 wineries in 2002 producing 400,000 gallons. For more information about the Michigan wine grape industry, visit the council's website, www.michiganwines.com.

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Michigan By The Bottle, Six Michigan Wineries Partner for Metro Detroit Tasting Room

View of Grand Traverse Bay from Old Mission Peninsula, Traverse City, MI. Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Publisher’s Note: Shannon and Cortney Casey are the founders of MichiganByTheBottle.com, a great blog that promotes the wonderful wines of Michigan. MBTB is the largest Michigan wine online community and it features articles, podcasts, events and more. We’re excited that they are launching a tasting room. Read on!

The founders of Michigan By The Bottle, a website/online community promoting the Michigan wine industry, are teaming up with six wineries from throughout the state to establish a joint wine tasting room in Shelby Township.

Located on Hayes, north of Hall, the Michigan By The Bottle Tasting Room will offer tasting flights paired with small bites for a nominal fee, plus wine sales by the bottle and case. The facility also will host events like winemaker meet-and-greets, art exhibits and interactive art sessions, book signings, catered wine tasting dinners and more.

This will be the first tasting room in Michigan under this concept, with multiple previously unaffiliated wineries teaming up under a single roof. The format has been used successfully by wineries on the West Coast. Build-out on the space began in early November, with anticipated opening in December.

The six partner wineries are excellent examples of Michigan viticulture and viniculture: family-owned operations with rich histories and unique backstories who are growing their own grapes and/or sourcing them locally from in-state growers. They are:

• Chateau Aeronautique (Jackson)

• Chateau de Leelanau (Suttons Bay)

• Domaine Berrien Cellars (Berrien Springs)

• Gill's Pier Vineyard & Winery (Northport)

• Peninsula Cellars (Traverse City)

• Sandhill Crane Vineyards (Jackson)

For more information call Cortney at (586) 567-3033 or cort@michiganbythebottle.com.

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Southeastern Michigan’s Pioneer Wine Trail Hosts Summer Solstice Wine Release Party June 23 and 24

Celebrate the Summer Solstice and the release of amazing new Michigan wines. The Summer Solstice Release Party is a self-driving tour of the wineries of the Pioneer Wine Trail featuring a new release wine pairing with food prepared by a local chef or restaurant.
This event now includes the newest Wine Trail Member, Flying Otter Winery located in Adrian. Tickets for this self-driven tour with nine delicious food and wine pairings are $25.
The wineries included in this event are:
• Burgdorf's Winery (Haslett)
• Chateau Aeronautique Winery (Jackson)
• Cherry Creek Cellars Old Schoolhouse Winery (Brooklyn)
• Flying Otter Winery (Adrian)
• J. Trees Cellars (Blissfield)
• Lone Oak Vineyard Estate (Grass Lake)
• Pentamere Winery (Tecumseh)
• Sandhill Crane Vineyards (Jackson)
• Sleeping Bear Winery & Brewpub (Parma)
Ticket holders are welcome to visit each location over the two-day event, or they may choose to limit their visits (as time permits). The Pioneer Wine Trail strongly recommends that you bring a designated driver with you.
Hours of the event are Saturday, June 23, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday, June 24, from noon to 6:00 PM. Tickets are available for reservation online at www.PioneerWineTrail.com. There are a limited number of tickets available, ticket sales will end on Wednesday, June 20, at midnight (or when sold out), and tickets will not be available the day of the event. For more information call (517) 531-3080
Click Here For Tickets!

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Finger Lakes, Ontario, Michigan and Germany Face Off In Blind Riesling Tasting

May is Riesling Month and for Toledo Wines and Vines, it is a festive time. We love Riesling – and any excuse to raise a glass of this wonderful wine is quite welcome.

The wineries of the Finger Lakes are hosting the Riesling Hour Twitter tasting tonight (May 31) from 6:00 to 9:00 PM EDT. (Pop open a bottle of Riesling and use #FLXwine to tweet.) Unfortunately this year a conflict with a league tennis match means I can’t  participate

(bummer!).

Have no fear – the TWAV tasting team got an early start and did a blind Riesling tasting to celebrate the wine we love – plus, it’s cool!

The wines were bagged in as blind a fashion as we could and our tasting team quickly assembled to enjoy the hospitality of Wine Chick and Sax Man. Eric and Linda (PsychDoc) joined Green Dragon and me to round out the tasting team.

The blind tasting bags have the letters “WINES” on them and so we began with the letter “W.” The wines were not revealed until all five had been tasted.

W – Light gold in color with a medium body. Starts with a burst of peach and citrus with a pinch of sweetness. Great balance. I would have been satisfied if this were the only wine I drank that evening. (Hermann J. Weimer 2009 Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes)

I – Light yellow in color with a massive fruit and floral bouquet with a hint of petrol. This wine has a full body and an unexpected sweetness. When I purchased this online, it called it an off-dry Riesling. Not hardly. But a sumptuous wine with the right food. Needs Gouda or some spicy food. (S.A. Prüm 2006 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Mosel)

N – Very pale in color, especially after “I,” and was pleasingly dry. A nice interplay of minerality and acidity. Citrus dominated the nose and flavor notes, but in an elegant way. (Ravines Vineyard 2009 Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes)

E – This wine was dancing on our tongues. The aroma was zesty, but it was closed on the palate. A smoother, lighter wine than the first three with the emphasis on minerality versus fruit. (Inniskillin 2009 Two Vineyards Dry Riesling, Niagara Penninsula, Ontario)

S – Lemon-lime swirls around this wine, which had lower acidity than the previous four. Tart and satisfying, but less complex than its alphabet brethren. (Lakewood Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes)

Bonus Wine – Ever eager to be comprehensive in our wine tasting so we can share this knowledge with our readers, we delved into the back-up stock of wine and brought out a J Trees Cellars 2008 Dry Riesling, Michigan. We’ve lauded this as the best within 150 miles of Toledo. It was enjoyable, but on this night fell short of the distinguished competitors (which were all outside that 150-mile radius).

And the winner is… First of all, props for Sax Man, who was able to correctly identify all the wines before they were revealed.

The favorite of all six of the tasting crew was... the Hermann J. Weimer 2009 Dry Riesling. This really is what great Riesling is all about, nuanced flavors, crisp acidity and perfect balance wrapped into a glorious package. Bravo!

Pulling into second place was another Finger Lakes favorite, Ravines Vineyard, with its 2009 Dry Riesling.

The S.A. Prum Auslese was the least favorite, but that’s because it was a sweeter Riesling against an array of crisp dry wines. This is a proud German vino that should be served as an aperitif or with a properly spicy dish.

Happy Riesling Hour and Riesling Month from the Tasting Team at TWAV.

Technorati Tags: Riesling Hour,Riesling,wine

Michigan Wine Showcase Set April 30 at Rattlesnake Club In Detroit

Detroit, MI -- The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is sponsoring the "Michigan Wine Showcase" on Monday, April 30, at The Rattlesnake Club in Detroit. Master Sommeliers Madeline Triffon and Claudia Tyagi are closely involved with this project and are excited to celebrate Michigan Wine Month with this event.
Winemakers and winery owners will be on hand during this fabulous walk-around tasting to share their new release wines from the exceptional 2011 vintage. From 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., guests can sample from more than 100 wines and order their favorites from Plum Market, the event's retail partner. Rattlesnake Chef Chris Franz will prepare an array of lavish appetizers to complement the wide variety of artisan wines.
Enjoy a variety of wines from these Michigan wineries:
Bel Lago ~ Black Star Farms ~ Bowers Harbor Vineyards ~ Brengman Brothers ~ Brys Estate ~ Burgdorf's Winery ~ Chateau Chantal ~ Chateau Fontaine ~ Chateau Grand Traverse ~ Circa Estate ~ Fenn Valley ~ Forty-Five North ~ Good Harbor Vineyards ~ l.mawby/m.lawrence ~ Left Foot Charley ~ Peninsula Cellars ~ Round Barn Winery ~ Sandhill Crane Vineyards ~ Verterra ~ Wyncroft ~ and more!
Admission to the Showcase is $40 per person in advance, or $45 at the door. The Rattlesnake Club is located in Rivertown neighborhood, at 300 River Place Drive, in Detroit. For more information, and to purchase tickets online, visit www.michiganwines.com/showcase; or contact Karel Bush at bushk9@michigan.gov or 517-241-4468.
The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is pleased to highlight the event's tie-in with April as Michigan Wine Month, which honors the state's wide selection of quality wines and the wine industry's significant contribution to the economy. Michigan's 93 wineries welcome more than 1 million visitors to their tasting rooms each year, and Michigan's wine and grape industries contribute nearly $800 million to the state's economy annually.
The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is an 11-member panel that supports the growth of the grape and wine industry in Michigan. It is housed in the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, which is the official state agency charged with serving, promoting and protecting the food, agriculture and agricultural economic interests of the people of the state of Michigan.
Photo by Andrew McFarlane

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Moscato Wine Trend Shows Growth, Michigan Winemakers Get On Board

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Plantings of Moscato grapes are expected to increase in the US more than 130% in the next three years.  This push for Moscato is driven by the Echoboomers and the Millennials, the generations born between 1980 and the mid-1990s, and wine grape growers are really happy because grape prices are up right now.

Moscato, the wine with the Italian name and long European heritage, is making its mark in the mid-priced sweet, aromatic wine category. Moscato is made from Muscat grapes, several varieties are grown commercially in Michigan for Moscato and other styles of Muscat wines. Michigan State University researchers are evaluating Muscat varieties for expansion of acreage in what is now a minor wine grape category.

Matt Moersch, southwest Michigan winemaker and owner of Free Run Cellars, felt the trend came on fast for Moscato. With three different Muscat varieties in the vineyard, Free Run Cellars already has Moscato. At Moersch family wineries, Free Run and Round Barn, they are always trying new grape varieties. “The beauty of the tasting room for the customer is to taste new wines such as Moscato at the winery,” Moersch said.

Reports of Muscat-based Moscato flying off the shelves of American retail winery shelves is not lost on Mike Merchant, Tabor Hill Winery winemaker. Tabor Hill Winery’s planting of Muscat varieties is probably one of the largest in Michigan from which they make a Muscat wine with a dry, off -dry flavor profile much different from Moscato. According to Merchant, if there is a place for Moscato, it will be considered.

Technorati Tags: wine,Michigan wines

Michigan State University Assistant Professor Paolo Sabbatini caught the Moscato wave five years ago while designing wine grape variety trials with colleague Tom Zabadal. Orange Muscat, Muscat Ottonel, Moscato Giallo, Moscato Canelli and Valvin Muscat were planted in a pilot testing vineyard.

“When we planted the new grape variety trial in Michigan few years ago, the national trend in consumer preference was a rapid increase in popularity for Moscato and dessert wines,” Sabbatini said. Sabbatini believed that this is a sweet spot for Michigan wine producers (aromatic Moscato wines and sweet dessert wines) and therefore was pivotal to evaluate the viticultural and enological performances of Moscato varieties in our climate.

Sabbatini describes Moscato as the, “perfect wine for the American sweet tooth. It’s simple and doesn’t scare the new wine drinker. Michigan is strategically placed in a viticultural region where Moscato could be a signature wine.”

Lone Oak Vineyard Estate To Celebrate 10th Anniversary on March 3

Lone Oak Vineyard Estate, 8400 Ann Arbor Rd., Grass Lake, Michigan, (517) 522-8167, is celebrating its 10th anniversary Saturday, March 3, 4:00 to 8:00 PM and all are invited.
No reservations are needed for this open house event hosted by owners Kip and Dennise Barber to thank everyone for the support over the years. Live music by Dr. Gunn will be featured from 4:00 to 8:00 plus free nibbles, wine tasting and more. The tasting room is being rearranged to give everyone a little boogie space. 
Chef Ken Veenstra will be on the deck, grilling Pesto Pizza, Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas, and Marinated Tenderloin of Beef Tips. These delicious plates will be available for a nominal charge of $5-6.
Take advantage of the spring-like weather to visit this great regional winery!

Technorati Tags: wine,winery,Michigan wine

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Lone Oak Vineyard Estate Schedules Wine and Chocolate Pairings

Image by J. Paxon Reyes via Flickr

Lone Oak Vineyard Estate, 8400 Ann Arbor, Grass Lake, Michigan, and Mindo Chocolate Makers want to sweeten up your Valentine celebration. On Sunday, February 12, at :00 and 3:00 PM, a special wine and chocolate presentation will be offered.

The event will feature wine and chocolate pairings and a demonstration on chocolate making by Mindo Chocolate Makers of Dexter, Michigan. Estate grown wines from Lone Oak with be paired with hand made chocolates from Mindo Chocolate Makers. You'll sample several different Mindo chocolates with selected wines.

Mindo makes their 67% and 77% cacao chocolate with only three ingredients: their own cocoa liquor, their own cocoa butter and organic evaporated cane juice. No additives. Mindo Chocolate Makers ferment, dry and roast the cocoa beans themselves at their place in Mindo, Ecuador. They ship the cocoa beans to Michigan and hand make the chocolate at their place in Dexter. They control the quality of their chocolate by following the process carefully from the moment the bean comes out of the pod.

In addition to their solid chocolate bars, Mindo also offers other flavors by adding ingredients like espresso coffee beans, cherries, hazel nuts, sea salt, blueberries, and almonds, to name a few.

There will be a sessions at 1:00 and 3:00 PM. Seating is limited and reservations are required. The cost is $10 per person. Call (517)522-8167.

Technorati Tags: wine,Michigan wine

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MSU Sparks Growth in Michigan Wine Industry

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Michigan has established itself as a wine destination, and Michigan State University has played a pivotal role in all aspects of the industry’s growth.

As Michigan’s leaves hit peak color, residents and tourists alike travel the state snapping photos of blazing trees and visiting the growing number of vineyards. Today, Michigan is ranked as the nation’s fourth-largest grape producer with a burgeoning industry of wine-grape growers and vineyards. But back in the 1970s, the majority of the state’s vineyards were dedicated to juice-grape production.

That changed when G. Stanley Howell, MSU professor emeritus of horticulture, conducted successful trials with French/American hybrids and vinifera grapes and identified varieties that could thrive in Michigan’s cold climate. According to an article in Vineyard and Winery Management, his work fueled the growth of Michigan’s wine industry and in establishing MSU as a viticulture research institution.

With assistance from MSU, the state’s wine industry:

• has seen wine grape growth increase by 500 percent since 1973.
• now comprises 14,600 acres of vineyards, 2,000 of which are dedicated to wine.
• has grown from less than 10 to 86 wineries, producing more than 1 million gallons of wine each year.
• sees 800,000 visitors annually.
• contributes $300 million to Michigan’s economy.
• increased the varieties grown in Michigan, including Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonel and more.

It was MSU’s reputation that enticed Paolo Sabbatini, MSU assistant professor of viticulture, to leave Italy and come to Michigan to study. He has moved from student to teacher, and is now the statewide research and extension viticulturist. He evaluates vine physiology under cool-climate conditions, environmental and cultural factors that limit vine growth, vine yield, canopy management and grape varieties.

Another way Sabbatini and MSU are helping fuel the industry’s growth is by educating future viticulturists. Through the horticulture department and MSU Extension, students gain classroom and field experience in the literal sense. A typical day during the fall harvest or the winter pruning involves driving to MSU’s vineyards in southwest or northwest Michigan – rain, snow or sun – and spending the day snipping clusters of grapes or trimming vines, respectively.

The work isn’t over when the bell rings, either; it’s when the fieldwork is complete. In fact, it’s these days that demonstrate students’ commitment to viticulture, Sabbatini said.

“There’s a romantic notion about being a wine connoisseur that draws some people to viticulture,” he said. “So I invite them to work the harvest, which can be 12-hour days. If they come after the first day, then I know that they are serious, and they want to be part of the program.”

Working outdoors and helping cultivate an important crop for his home state is what drew Jake Emling, an undergraduate student from Gladstone, to the program. His studies have allowed him to intern at Old Mission Peninsula’s Chateau Chantal as well as travel to southern France to learn more about plant physiology.

“I’ve always wanted to work in plant science, but I didn’t want to spend the majority of my time in a lab and sitting at a bench,” he said. “Growing up in the U.P., I was always outside. I got bitten by the wine bug at Michigan State, and the viticulture program allows me to exercise my science background but work hard outside.”

Technorati Tags: wine,Michigan wine

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