| Michigan (Wine Region) | |
 A vineyard on Michigan's Old Mission Peninsula |
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| Official name | State of Michigan |
|---|---|
| Appellation type | U.S. state |
| Year established | 1837 |
| Years of wine industry | 1933-present |
| Country | USA |
| Sub-regions | Fennville AVA, Lake Michigan Shore AVA, Leelanau Peninsula AVA, Old Mission Peninsula AVA |
| Total area | 97,990 square miles (253,793 km²) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 1,500 acres (6 km²)[1] |
| Grapes produced | Baco Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Cayuga, Chambourcin, Chancellor, Chardonnay, Concord, Gamay Noir, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Lemberger, Leon Millot, Marechal Foch, Merlot, Niagara, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Syrah, Traminette, Valiant, Vidal Blanc, Vignoles[2] |
| No. Peninsula Township is a Civil township of Grand Traverse County in the U Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Fennville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Allegan County, Michigan. Lake Michigan Shore AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southwest Michigan. The Leelanau Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Leelanau County, Michigan. The Old Mission Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan known for its fine Michigan wine Baco noir (pronounced BA-koh NWAHR Baco noir is also called Baco 1) is a hybrid red Wine Grape variety produced from a cross of Vitis Cabernet Franc is one of the major varieties of red Wine Grape in Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red Wine grape varieties. Catawba grapes were introduced to Wine -growers in the 1800s by Major John Adlum of Georgetown, D Cayuga White is a Wine Grape was developed from crosses of the hybrids Schuyler and Seyval Blanc done at Cornell University 's New York State Chambourcin is a French - American interspecific hybrid grape variety used for making Wine. Chancellor is a hybrid Wine Grape variety produced by Albert Seibel circa 1860. Chardonnay is a green-skinned Grape variety used to make white Wine. Concord grapes are a Cultivar derived from the Grape species Vitis labrusca (a Gamay is a purple-colored Grape variety used to make Red wines most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours Gewürztraminer (ɡəˈvʏrtstraˈminɚ guh-VURTS-trah-MEE-ner in English is an aromatic Wine Grape variety that performs best in cooler climates The Kerner grape is an aromatic white Grape variety It was bred in 1929 by August Herold by crossing Trollinger (a red variety also known as Schiava Blaufränkisch ( German for blue "Frankish") is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used for red Wine. Marechal Foch (pronounced "mar-esh-shall-fosh" is an inter-specific hybrid red Wine Grape variety Merlot ('MERL-oh' in British English mer-LOH in American English and standard French is a red Wine Grape that is used as both a blending grape and for Niagara grapes are a variety of the North American Grape species Vitis labrusca and are used as Table grapes and for Wines Pinot blanc is a white Wine Grape. It is a Genetic mutation of Pinot gris, which is itself a mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Riesling is a white Grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned Grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. Seyval Blanc (aka Seyve-villard 5276) is a hybrid Wine Grape variety used to make white wines Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used in Wine. Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful Red wines which enjoy Traminette is a cross of the French American hybrid Joannes Seyve 23 Vidal Blanc is an inter-specific hybrid variety of white Wine Grape, a cross of Ugni Blanc and Rayon d'Or (Seibel 4986 Vignoles (aka Ravat 51) is a complex hybrid Wine Grape variety produced from a cross made by J of wineries | 50 |
Michigan wine refers to any wine that is made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of Michigan. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. As of 2007, there were 1,500 acres (6 km²) under wine-grape cultivation and 50 commercial wineries in Michigan, producing 375,000 cases of wine. Wine and wine tourism were estimated in 2007 to be a $100 million industry. [1] Most of the quality bottled wine of Michigan is produced in the four listed American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of Fennville AVA, Lake Michigan Shore AVA, Leelanau Peninsula AVA, and the Old Mission Peninsula AVA. An American Viticultural Area is a designated Wine Grape -growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features with boundaries The Fennville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Allegan County, Michigan. Lake Michigan Shore AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southwest Michigan. The Leelanau Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Leelanau County, Michigan. The Old Mission Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan known for its fine Michigan wine
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Grape varieties
Most of the grapes grown in Michigan are grown for "table" uses, not wine. Of 100,000 tons of grapes produced in 2005, only 4,600 tons were used for wine-making. Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of Wine, starting with selection of the Grapes and ending with bottling the finished wine However, the proportion of vinifera grapes used in fine winemaking is increasing. Vitis vinifera ( Common Grape Vine) is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and In 2005, the wine industry pressed 2,640 tons of European vinifera grapes, 1,660 tons of hybrid varieties, and 300 tons of American varieties. Hybrid grapes refer commonly to those Grape varieties which are the product of a crossing between two or more different Vitis Species European grapes grown include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. Cabernet Franc is one of the major varieties of red Wine Grape in Bordeaux Chardonnay is a green-skinned Grape variety used to make white Wine. Gewürztraminer (ɡəˈvʏrtstraˈminɚ guh-VURTS-trah-MEE-ner in English is an aromatic Wine Grape variety that performs best in cooler climates Pinot noir ('pino nwar is a red Wine Grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Merlot ('MERL-oh' in British English mer-LOH in American English and standard French is a red Wine Grape that is used as both a blending grape and for Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used in Wine. Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful Red wines which enjoy Riesling is a white Grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. [3]
History
The traditional wines of Michigan were sweet wines, often made from grape varieties native to North America, such as the Catawba, Concord, and Niagara, or from hybrid grapes partly descended from these varieties. The sweetness of a Wine is defined by the level of residual sugar (or RS in the fermentation proces Catawba grapes were introduced to Wine -growers in the 1800s by Major John Adlum of Georgetown, D Concord grapes are a Cultivar derived from the Grape species Vitis labrusca (a Niagara grapes are a variety of the North American Grape species Vitis labrusca and are used as Table grapes and for Wines North American native grapes bore (and continue to bear) the advantage of being adapted to local growing conditions, with consequent high fruit yield. In addition, local growers could switch back and forth between the production of sweet wine and grape juice. Of Michigan's 13,500 acres (55 km²) under grape cultivation, only 11%, 1,500 acres (6 km²), were devoted to wine grapes as of 2006.
Michigan's wine industry dates from after the repeal of Prohibition. Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, also known as Noble Experiment, refers to a Sumptuary law which prohibits Alcohol With large plantings of Concord in the southwest, mostly for the Welch Grape Juice Company, the state was well positioned to enter wine production. Welch Foods Inc (Welch's is an American company headquartered in Concord Massachusetts. Four large wineries (out of eleven wineries established by 1946) came to produce almost all Michigan wine: La Salle Wine and Champagne Company which was established in Windsor, Ontario and moved to Farmington, Michigan, the Bronte Champagne and Wine Company of Hartford, Michigan Wineries (now Tabor Hill Winery) of Buchanan, and St. Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and lies at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. Farmington is a city in Oakland County of the US state of Michigan. Hartford is a city in Van Buren County in the US state of Michigan. Buchanan is a city in Berrien County in the US state of Michigan. Julian Winery, which was also established in Windsor, Ontario on the Canadian shore across from Detroit during Prohibition and moved to Paw Paw after repeal. Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and lies at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City-Windsor Corridor.
Michigan law in the mid-20th century placed a tax of 4 cents a gallon on Michigan wine while other wine was taxed at 50 cents a gallon to promote the local industry. Michigan wine of that era was, primarily, fermented to dryness, giving about 9% alcohol, and then fortified with California brandy to 16% alcohol. State laws considered this natural wine and allowed it to be sold in grocery and drug stores while fortified wines from out-of-state at 18-20% could only be sold from state liquor stores. Fortified wine is Wine to which alcohol (usually Brandy) has been added [4]
The wineries of Michigan specialized in sweet wine and fruit wine well into the 1970s. With the growth in demand, starting in the latter half of the 20th century, for locally-grown and locally-labeled U. S. fine wines, several existing Michigan makers of sweet wine experimented with upgrading their production, and new vintners entered the scene. Tabor Hill Winery in southwest Michigan, opened in 1971 as the first Michigan winery specializing in vinifera wines. Only a few years later in 1974, Chateau Grand Traverse opened in the Traverse Bay region of Northern Michigan. Northern Michigan - or more properly Northern Lower Michigan - is a region of the U A slow growth in the number of wineries and continued trial of different vinifera varieties continued well into the 2000s. [4]
Regions
Michigan contains four American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) known for the production of quality wine: Fennville, Lake Michigan Shore, Leelanau Peninsula, and Old Mission Peninsula. All four of these regions are located in proximity to Lake Michigan, and almost all of Michigan's wine grapes are grown within 25 miles (40 km) of the lake. Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. The lake effect provides a favorable microclimate compared to interior regions of the state. Lake-effect snow is produced in the winter when cold Arctic winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water providing energy and picking up Water vapor which freezes A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the Climate differs from the surrounding area The northern wine regions have a 145-day growing season while the southern ones have a 160-day season.
The Greater Traverse City area, which includes the peninsulas of Leelanau and Old Mission, is one of the primary wine regions of Michigan. Traverse City is a City in the US state of Michigan. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region The soil is sandy, with good drainage, and a lake-dominated climate allows a longer growing season than in most of the U. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of S. Midwest. 51% of Michigan's wine grapes, including much of the state's vinifera grapes, are grown in this area.
The same advantages exist, to a slightly lesser degree, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan south of Grand Rapids in the Fennville and Lake Michigan Shore regions. Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. 45% of Michigan's wine grapes are grown in this area.
Speciality wines
Ice wine
The climate of Greater Traverse City allows for the production of ice wine, which requires an early hard freeze so the fruit still on the vine can be harvested while frozen. Ice wine (or icewine, as one word or in German, Eiswein) is a type of Dessert wine produced from Grapes that have been frozen while A small number of wineries produce this style; although it is not possible every year. In 2002, for example, 6 Michigan wineries produced over 13,000 half-bottles of ice wine, a record at that time. [5]
Fruit wine
Michigan may be the foremost U. S. state in the production of diverse varieties of bottled, fermented fruit wine. "Elderberry Wine" redirects here For the Elton John song of the same name see Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. Fruit wine has a long and honorable history in Europe, especially in regions such as Poland and the Baltic states where grapes do not easily grow. In Michigan, apple wine and cherry wine are produced in the highest volume, but almost any fruit juice can be fermented with novel results. Michigan is a North American leader in the production of fortified fruit wines and eau-de-vie (fruit brandy).
Ongoing issues
State support
The wine industry in Michigan is supported by an agricultural research program at Michigan State University which began experimental vineyards around the state in 1970 and established a winery on campus in 1972. Michigan State University ( MSU) is a co-educational public Research university in East Lansing, Michigan USA. The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is a state agency established in 1985 to promote and support Michigan wineries. [4]
Future prospects
A warming trend in the climate of the Great Lakes region could increase Michigan vinifera productivity and lead to a higher profile for Michigan wines. However, Michigan vineyards, particularly vinifera vineyards, remain vulnerable to cold snaps and other weather catastrophes, such as the killing frost of March 2003. The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council has set a goal of 10,000 acres (40 km²) of wine grape production and 3 million cases of Michigan-produced wines annually by 2024, about 10 times current production. [6] Consumption of Michigan wine has risen from 1. 5% of all wine consumed in Michigan in 1997 to 5. 2% in 2006 with the number of wineries rising from about 16 to 50 in the same period. [7] Michigan liquor laws were changed in 2005 to allow wineries to directly ship wines, allowing sales outside of the tasting rooms and state-controlled wholesalers.
References
- ^ a b Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council (2007). "Michigan Wines Fast Facts". Retrieved Aug. 26, 2007.
- ^ Appellation America (2007). "Michigan: Appellation Description". Retrieved Nov. 16, 2007.
- ^ Fruit Production 2005, U. S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Michigan Field Office, January 25, 2006, [1], accessed July 20, 2006
- ^ a b c Pinney, Thomas (2005). A History of Wine in America: From Prohibition to the Present. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-24176-2.
- ^ Record number of Michigan wineries make ice wine in 2002 vintage, (January 2, 2003), Sandra Silfven, Detroit News, accessed July 18, 2006. The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the US [2]
- ^ Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council Research and Education Advisory Committee: Funding Priorities, 22 May 2006, David P. Miller, accessed July 18, 2006. [3]
- ^ "Michigan Grapevine: Business aims to convert Michigan wine skeptics into buyers", Traverse City Business News, Cari Noga, July 2007, Vol. 13 Number 12, accessed August 24, 2007
External links
- Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council
- MichWine Consumer Guide to Michigan Wines and Wine Country
- Michigan wine history
- Wineries of Old Mission
- Leelanau Peninsula Vinters
- Southwest Michigan Wine Trail
- Pioneer Wine Trail (Southeast Michigan)
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