Detroit wine? Belle Isle Vineyard idea grows

DETROIT -- There's an idea growing on Belle Isle for a vineyard and winery.

Randal Charlton runs Tech Town at Wayne State University, a program designed to bring innovative projects, beauty and jobs to the area. He said putting a vineyard on the island that sits on the Detroit River is one idea that has the potential to have several different outcomes.

"It would change people's perceptions of what this city is all about. So, it's jobs, image and tourism," he said. "People who visit Belle Isle, and they will in the thousands, will be able to walk around the vineyards."

He said the soil on the island is ideal, and although the city's winters can pack a punch, they're not deal killers.

"When the French settled here originally, they made a point that there were grapes growing wild," he said.

He said Detroit City Cellars would use 10 acres of vacant space near the island's lighthouse to build their winery.

If Detroit's Parks and Recreation Department approves the project, planting could begin this spring.