Michigan wine
Encyclopedia
Michigan wine refers to any wine that is made in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of 2007, there were 2000 acres (809.4 ha) under wine-grape cultivation and 64 commercial wineries in Michigan, producing 425,000 cases of wine (1 million USgals (3,785.4 m³)). According to another count there were 112 operating wineries in Michigan in 2007.
Wine and wine tourism were estimated in 2007 to be a $100 million industry. Most of the quality bottled wine of Michigan is produced in the four listed American Viticultural Area
s (AVAs) of Fennville AVA
, Lake Michigan Shore AVA, Leelanau Peninsula AVA
, and the Old Mission Peninsula AVA
. Besides grape wine, Michigan is a leader in the production of fruit wine
s such as cherry wine.
, Concord, and Niagara, or from hybrid grapes partly developed by crossing native species with vinifera grapes. North American native grapes have the advantage of being adapted to local growing conditions, with consequent high fruit yield. In addition, growers can switch back and forth between the production of sweet wine and grape juice. Of Michigan's 14600 acres (5,908.4 ha) under grape cultivation, only 12%, 1800 acres (728.4 ha), were devoted to wine grapes as of 2007.
Michigan's wine industry dates from after the repeal of Prohibition
. With large plantings of Concord in the southwest, mostly for the Welch Grape Juice Company
, the state was well positioned to enter wine production. 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 Wines Company of Hartford
, Michigan Wineries (now Tabor Hill Winery) of Buchanan
, and St. 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.
To promote the local industry, Michigan law in the mid-20th century placed a tax of 4 cents per U.S. gallon on Michigan wine while other wine was taxed at 50 cents per U.S. gallon. 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 wine
s from out-of-state, produced to 18-20% alcohol, could only be sold from state liquor stores.
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
. A slow growth in the number of wineries and continued trials of different vinifera varieties continued well into the 2000s.
Michigan contains four American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), regions whose wines share similar and distinct characteristics: Fennville, Lake Michigan Shore, Leelanau Peninsula, and Old Mission Peninsula. All four 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. The lake effect provides a favorable microclimate compared to interior regions of the state. 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. The soil is sandy, with good drainage, and a lake-dominated climate
allows a longer growing season than in most of the U.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. 45% of Michigan's wine grapes are grown in this area.
s of grapes produced in 2005, only 4,600 tons were used for wine-making. However, the proportion of vinifera
grapes used in winemaking is increasing. 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. European grapes grown include Cabernet Franc
, Chardonnay
, Gewürztraminer
, Pinot Noir
, Merlot
, Syrah, Pinot Gris
, and Riesling
.
, which requires an early hard freeze so the fruit still on the vine can be harvested while frozen. 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.
Ice wine was first produced in Michigan in 1983 by Mark Johnson, who at the time, was working at Chateau Grand Traverse
and is currently the head winemaker at Chateau Chantal
. Northern Michigan wineries follow some of the German practices that govern what wine qualifies as ice wine
. German law dictates that ice wine must be picked only when the grapes are frozen on the vine, while United States law allows for wine to be sold as ice wine if the grapes are picked and then artificially frozen. Because of the impossibility of predicting nature, making ice wine requires a great deal of luck. The grapes are generally picked in December after prolonged below freezing temperatures, to ensure they are frozen all the way through. But in warmer years the grapes cannot be picked until late into January. It can also be difficult to protect the grapes from birds and wind as they stay on the vine until after they are very ripe.
. 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 the leading state for tart cherry production and much of the Traverse City vineyard land was formerly cherry orchards. A number of Michigan wineries produce cherry wine, spice cherry wine and cherry-grape blends. Michigan is a North American leader in the production of fortified fruit wines and eau-de-vie (fruit brandy).
and is supported by tourists. More than 800,000 tourists visited Michigan wineries in 2005.
which began experimental vineyards around the state in 1970 and established a winery on campus in 1972. The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is a state agency established in 1985 to promote and support Michigan wineries.
, Chateau de Leelanau, Chateau Fontaine, Chateau Grand Traverse
, Cherry Republic Winery, Ciccone Vineyard and Winery, Circa Estate Winery, Douglas Valley Organic Vineyards, Forty-Five North, Vineyard & Winery, Fox Barn Market and Winery, Gill's Pier Vineyard and Winery, Good Harbor Vineyards, Jomagrha Vineyards and Winery, Krolczyk Cellars, L. Mawby Vineyards, Leelanau Cellars, Left Foot Charley, Longview Winery, Northern Natural Winery, Peninsula Cellars, Pleasantview Vineyards, Raftshol Vineyards, Shady Lane Cellars, Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery, Tartan Hill Winery, Willow Vineyards
began in 1925 as the Blessing of the Blossoms Festival. This Festival was originally an event held in early May to attract tourists to Northern Michigan to view the cherry blossoms. In 1931 the Michigan Legislature renamed the festival the National Cherry Festival, and moved the event to the summer. The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula restarted this tradition in 2004 by hosting the Blossom Days Festival. The festival is a two day event with a non-denominational ceremony taking place to bless the cherry and grape blossoms for the coming growing season. The 2011 Blossom days event took place on May 14th and 15th and the Blessing of the Blossoms was performed by Bishop Bernard Hedba and took place at Chateau Chantal.
has hosted the annual Great Lakes Wine Festival. In 2011, 25 Michigan wineries and 17 breweries attended this event. The 2011 Great Lakes Wine Festival was a three day event beginning Friday May 20th until Sunday May 22nd. The festival offers people to opportunity to taste Michigan wine from all over the state and gives them the chance for wineries to demonstrate food pairings. MIS has camping available for festival goers to spend the entire weekend.
.
named Traverse City one the Top Ten Places for Local Wine.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. As of 2007, there were 2000 acres (809.4 ha) under wine-grape cultivation and 64 commercial wineries in Michigan, producing 425,000 cases of wine (1 million USgals (3,785.4 m³)). According to another count there were 112 operating wineries in Michigan in 2007.
Wine and wine tourism were estimated in 2007 to be a $100 million industry. Most of the quality bottled wine of Michigan is produced in the four listed American Viticultural Area
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
s (AVAs) of Fennville AVA
Fennville AVA
The Fennville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Allegan County, Michigan. Entirely contained within the larger Lake Michigan Shore AVA, the Fennville AVA borders Lake Michigan on the west, the Kalamazoo River on the north, a game reserve to the east, and the Black River on the south...
, Lake Michigan Shore AVA, Leelanau Peninsula AVA
Leelanau Peninsula AVA
The Leelanau Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Leelanau County, Michigan.This Michigan wine region includes all of Leelanau County, which forms a peninsula between Lake Michigan on the west and Grand Traverse Bay on the east. Being surrounded by water helps to moderate the...
, and the Old Mission Peninsula AVA
Old Mission Peninsula AVA
The Old Mission Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan known for well-regarded Michigan wine. The Old Mission Peninsula extends northward from Traverse City into the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan, ending at Old Mission Point. The peninsula...
. Besides grape wine, Michigan is a leader in the production of fruit wine
Fruit wine
Fruit wines are fermented alcoholic beverages made from a variety of base ingredients ; they may also have additional flavours taken from fruits, flowers, and herbs. This definition is sometimes broadened to include any fermented alcoholic beverage except beer...
s such as cherry wine.
History
The traditional wines of Michigan were sweet wines, often made from grape varieties native to North America, such as the CatawbaCatawba (grape)
Catawba is a red hybrid grape variety used for wine as well as juice, jams and jellies. The grape can have a pronounced musky or "foxy" flavor. Grown predominantly on the East Coast of the United States, this purplish-red grape is a likely cross of the native American Vitis labrusca and another...
, Concord, and Niagara, or from hybrid grapes partly developed by crossing native species with vinifera grapes. North American native grapes have the advantage of being adapted to local growing conditions, with consequent high fruit yield. In addition, growers can switch back and forth between the production of sweet wine and grape juice. Of Michigan's 14600 acres (5,908.4 ha) under grape cultivation, only 12%, 1800 acres (728.4 ha), were devoted to wine grapes as of 2007.
Michigan's wine industry dates from after the repeal of Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. With large plantings of Concord in the southwest, mostly for the Welch Grape Juice Company
Welch's
Welch Foods Inc. is an American company, headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts. It is owned by the National Grape Cooperative Association, a co-op of grape growers....
, the state was well positioned to enter wine production. 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
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
and moved to Farmington, Michigan
Farmington, Michigan
Farmington is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,372. It is fully surrounded by Farmington Hills, except for a small portion bordered by Livonia to the...
, the Bronte Champagne and Wines Company of Hartford
Hartford, Michigan
Hartford is a city in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,476 at the 2000 census. The city is located within Hartford Township, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
, Michigan Wineries (now Tabor Hill Winery) of Buchanan
Buchanan, Michigan
Buchanan is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,681 at the 2000 census. The city is located at the southeast corner of Buchanan Township, about 5 miles west of Niles. It was named after James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States...
, and St. Julian Winery, which was also established in Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
on the Canadian shore across from Detroit during Prohibition and moved to Paw Paw after repeal.
Fortified wine
Fortified wine is wine to which a distilled beverage has been added. Fortified wine is distinguished from spirits made from wine in that spirits are produced by means of distillation, while fortified wine is simply wine that has had a spirit added to it...
s from out-of-state, produced to 18-20% alcohol, could only be sold from state liquor stores.
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
Chateau Grand Traverse
Chateau Grand Traverse is a Michigan winery located in the Old Mission Peninsula AVA around Traverse City. The winery was founded by Edward O’Keefe Jr. and is notable for having the first large-scale planting of Vitis vinifera in Michigan...
opened in the Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
region of Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
. A slow growth in the number of wineries and continued trials of different vinifera varieties continued well into the 2000s.
Regions
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
, and almost all of Michigan's wine grapes are grown within 25 miles (40 km) of the lake. The lake effect provides a favorable microclimate compared to interior regions of the state. The northern wine regions have a 145-day growing season while the southern ones have a 160-day season.
The Greater Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
area, which includes the peninsulas of Leelanau and Old Mission, is one of the primary wine regions of Michigan. The soil is sandy, with good drainage, and a lake-dominated climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
allows a longer growing season than in most of the U.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
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
south of Grand Rapids in the Fennville and Lake Michigan Shore regions. 45% of Michigan's wine grapes are grown in this area.
Grape varieties
Most of the grapes grown in Michigan are grown for "table" uses (like jelly and grape juice), not wine. Of 100,000 short tonShort ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
s of grapes produced in 2005, only 4,600 tons were used for wine-making. However, the proportion of vinifera
Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
grapes used in winemaking is increasing. In 2005, the wine industry pressed 2,640 tons of European vinifera grapes, 1,660 tons of hybrid varieties
Hybrid grapes
Hybrid grapes are grape varieties that are the product of a crossing of two or more Vitis species. This is in contrast to crossings between grape varieties of the same species, typically Vitis vinifera, the European grapevine. Hybrid grapes are also referred to as inter-specific crossings...
, and 300 tons of American varieties. European grapes grown include Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
, Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Syrah, Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
, and Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
.
Ice wine
The climate of Greater Traverse City allows for the production of ice wineIce wine
Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing a more concentrated grape must to be pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more...
, which requires an early hard freeze so the fruit still on the vine can be harvested while frozen. 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.
Ice wine was first produced in Michigan in 1983 by Mark Johnson, who at the time, was working at Chateau Grand Traverse
Chateau Grand Traverse
Chateau Grand Traverse is a Michigan winery located in the Old Mission Peninsula AVA around Traverse City. The winery was founded by Edward O’Keefe Jr. and is notable for having the first large-scale planting of Vitis vinifera in Michigan...
and is currently the head winemaker at Chateau Chantal
Chateau Chantal
Chateau Chantal is a winery located on the Old Mission Peninsula, only a few miles north of Traverse City, in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The chateau sits atop one of the highest points on the Old Mission Peninsula and has stunning views of both East and West arms of Grand Traverse Bay. The...
. Northern Michigan wineries follow some of the German practices that govern what wine qualifies as ice wine
Ice wine
Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing a more concentrated grape must to be pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more...
. German law dictates that ice wine must be picked only when the grapes are frozen on the vine, while United States law allows for wine to be sold as ice wine if the grapes are picked and then artificially frozen. Because of the impossibility of predicting nature, making ice wine requires a great deal of luck. The grapes are generally picked in December after prolonged below freezing temperatures, to ensure they are frozen all the way through. But in warmer years the grapes cannot be picked until late into January. It can also be difficult to protect the grapes from birds and wind as they stay on the vine until after they are very ripe.
Fruit wine
Michigan may be the foremost U.S. state in the production of diverse varieties of bottled, fermented fruit wineFruit wine
Fruit wines are fermented alcoholic beverages made from a variety of base ingredients ; they may also have additional flavours taken from fruits, flowers, and herbs. This definition is sometimes broadened to include any fermented alcoholic beverage except beer...
. 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 the leading state for tart cherry production and much of the Traverse City vineyard land was formerly cherry orchards. A number of Michigan wineries produce cherry wine, spice cherry wine and cherry-grape blends. Michigan is a North American leader in the production of fortified fruit wines and eau-de-vie (fruit brandy).
Tourism synergy
As with other states, the Michigan wine industry is seen as an attractive example of regional cuisineSlow Food
Slow Food is an international movement founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. It was the first established part of...
and is supported by tourists. More than 800,000 tourists visited Michigan wineries in 2005.
State support
The wine industry in Michigan is supported by an agricultural research program at Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
which began experimental vineyards around the state in 1970 and established a winery on campus in 1972. The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is a state agency established in 1985 to promote and support Michigan wineries.
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 late spring and early fall cold snaps, such as the killing frost of March, 2003, insufficient growing season heat to fully ripen the grapes, and rot or mildew originating from rainfall while the grapes are maturing. The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council has set a goal of 10000 acres (4,046.9 ha) of wine grape production and 3 million cases of Michigan-produced wines annually by 2024, about 10 times current production. 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. Michigan liquor law revisions in 2005 affirmed the right of wineries to sell from their tasting rooms, ship wine directly to consumers, and sell directly to licensed retailers and restaurants, bypassing wholesale distributors.Michigan Wineries
As of 2011 there were 81 Wineries operating in Michigan. A large number of these wineries operate within the 4 Viticultaral areas of Michigan.Northeast
Dizzy Daisy Winery and Vineyard, Nicholas's Black River Vineyard and Winery, Rose Valley Winery, Inc., Stoney Acres Winery, Valley Mist VineyardsNorthwest
2 Lads Winery, Bel Lago Vineyard & Winery, Black Star Farms, Black Star Farms Old Mission, Boskydel Vineyards, Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery, Chateau Chantal Winery & InnChateau Chantal
Chateau Chantal is a winery located on the Old Mission Peninsula, only a few miles north of Traverse City, in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The chateau sits atop one of the highest points on the Old Mission Peninsula and has stunning views of both East and West arms of Grand Traverse Bay. The...
, Chateau de Leelanau, Chateau Fontaine, Chateau Grand Traverse
Chateau Grand Traverse
Chateau Grand Traverse is a Michigan winery located in the Old Mission Peninsula AVA around Traverse City. The winery was founded by Edward O’Keefe Jr. and is notable for having the first large-scale planting of Vitis vinifera in Michigan...
, Cherry Republic Winery, Ciccone Vineyard and Winery, Circa Estate Winery, Douglas Valley Organic Vineyards, Forty-Five North, Vineyard & Winery, Fox Barn Market and Winery, Gill's Pier Vineyard and Winery, Good Harbor Vineyards, Jomagrha Vineyards and Winery, Krolczyk Cellars, L. Mawby Vineyards, Leelanau Cellars, Left Foot Charley, Longview Winery, Northern Natural Winery, Peninsula Cellars, Pleasantview Vineyards, Raftshol Vineyards, Shady Lane Cellars, Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery, Tartan Hill Winery, Willow Vineyards
Southeast
Blue Water Winery and Vineyard, Burgdorf's Winery, Carriage House Cellars, Chateau Aeronautique Winery, Cherry Creek Cellars, Cherry Creek, Old Schoolhouse Winery, J. Trees Cellars, Lone Oak Vineyard Estate, Old Town Hall Winery, Pentamere Winery, Sandhill Crane Vineyards, Sandy Shores Winery,Sleeping Bear Winery, Uncle John's Fruit House Winery, Wolcott WinerySouthwest
Cascade Winery,Clay Avenue Cellars, Cody Kresta Vineyard and Winery, Contessa Wine Cellars, Country Mill Winery, Domaine Berrien Cellars, Fenn Valley Vineyards, Founders Wine Cellar, Free Run Cellars, Hickory Creek Winery, Karma Vista Vineyards, Lake Effect Winery, Lehman's Orchard, Lawton Ridge Winery, Lemon Creek Winery, McIntosh Apple Orchards & Winery, Old Shore Vineyards, Peterson & Sons Winery, Robinette Cellars, Round Barn Winery and Distillery, St. Julian Wine Company, Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant, Warner Vineyards, White Pine Winery and Vineyards, WyncroftBlossom Days
The Original Traverse City Cherry FestivalNational Cherry Festival
The National Cherry Festival is a festival in Traverse City, Michigan. The Original National Cherry Festival began in 1925 as the Blessing of the Blossoms Festival. This Festival was originally an event held in early May to attract tourists to Northern Michigan to view the booming cherry blossoms...
began in 1925 as the Blessing of the Blossoms Festival. This Festival was originally an event held in early May to attract tourists to Northern Michigan to view the cherry blossoms. In 1931 the Michigan Legislature renamed the festival the National Cherry Festival, and moved the event to the summer. The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula restarted this tradition in 2004 by hosting the Blossom Days Festival. The festival is a two day event with a non-denominational ceremony taking place to bless the cherry and grape blossoms for the coming growing season. The 2011 Blossom days event took place on May 14th and 15th and the Blessing of the Blossoms was performed by Bishop Bernard Hedba and took place at Chateau Chantal.
Great Lakes Wine Festival
Starting in 2010, Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
has hosted the annual Great Lakes Wine Festival. In 2011, 25 Michigan wineries and 17 breweries attended this event. The 2011 Great Lakes Wine Festival was a three day event beginning Friday May 20th until Sunday May 22nd. The festival offers people to opportunity to taste Michigan wine from all over the state and gives them the chance for wineries to demonstrate food pairings. MIS has camping available for festival goers to spend the entire weekend.
Paw Paw Wine and Harvest Festival
The Paw Paw Wine and Harvest Festival is a three-day event held on the second weekend of September in Paw Paw, MichiganPaw Paw, Michigan
Paw Paw is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 3,363. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-Overview:...
.
Awards and Recognition
In 2010, USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
named Traverse City one the Top Ten Places for Local Wine.