Michigan’s wine industry matures

Snyder declares April ‘Michigan Wine Month’; wine sales soar this year

Michigan famously produces a lot of certain products — cherries, cars and white rappers, to name a few. But most people don't know Michigan for its wine.

By declaring April Michigan Wine Month, Governor Rick Snyder hopes to change that. Michigan's 81 wineries, ten of which opened last year, contribute $800 million to the state's economy every year. This year, sales of Michigan wine in the state increased at nearly three times the rate of total wine sales.

Yvonne Fredrick, the manager of Dave's Dolce Vita, said Michigan produces a broad variety of wine.

"It runs the spectrum," she said. "There's so much out there for beginning wine drinkers or somebody that has a more educated palette."

Because Michigan and Germany have similar climates, they produce many of the same wines, though Michigan's wines tend to be sweeter, Fredrick said.

"Even if it's not sweet, there's going to be a nice acidic crispness," she said.

The region around Traverse City produces especially good wines, said Diane Matako, the manager of Broad Street Market.

"The region is perfect for growing grapes because of the way the water is, the way the sun hits the peninsula and the length of the growing season. Those are getting better and better every single year now that vintners have learned to shear the leaves off of the grapes," she said.

Removing the leaves helps the red grapes grow better because they get more sunlight to help them fully ripen in Michigan's short growing season.

Most of Michigan's grapes are grown within 25 miles of Lake Michigan because the snow cover helps protect vines from early frost and warm air helps keep them from freezing too early. As a result, Michigan grows many grapes other states can't, producing some unique wines, according to Karel Bush from the Michigan Wine Council.

Riesling is the most widely planted grape. Pinot Noir comes in second as the most widely planted red, followed by Gewurtzraminer and Cabernet Franc.

Michigan produces a wide variety of Riesling styles, which run from very dry to very sweet.

"There are some really wonderful dry Rieslings," Bush said.

John Burtka, who owns three area wineries, produces a Riesling. Cherry Creek Winery on US 12, run byBurtka, has hosted a Megan Moss concert and a Delta Tau Delta date party. It offers free wine tastings and won the most awards of any area winery at the Michigan wine competition last year. The wines span from a dry cabernet sauvignon –– which President Obama drank with Oprah –– to a sweet cranberry wine.

Dave's, Broad Street Market, Market House and Kroger all carry Michigan wines, including Riesling.