Tag Archives: Michigan wine

Saturday on North Wine Loop

11 Saturday Apr 2015

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Leland's historic Fishtown on Lake Michigan.

Leland’s historic Fishtown on Lake Michigan.

LELAND, MI. – Charming fishing village and wine country don’t always seem to go hand in hand but this small town along Lake Michigan achieves both.

Leland has a historic fishing village still intact and a very small charming downtown. It’s more summer home to the well off and summer vacation spot than fishing village but nonetheless still worth a visit.

Leland also is at the heart of Leelanau wine country. It’s my third visit to this far northwest corner of the state. I’m here as a guest of the Leelanau Northern Wine Loop. I’ll be visiting four or five wineries today and tasting the 2014 new releases. Tonight, I’ll confer with other visiting judges to pick the best of the best then join a big release party tonight at the small town’s historic Bluebird restaurant.

See photo album here from my Saturday visit.

Michigan wine? You’re not familiar? In short, particularly northern Michigan, produces white wines as good as any label you’ll find. Because of the short growing season, the area struggles in reaching a red wine identity. I expect to taste Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc,  and Merlot as the winemakers continue to search for a signature red. The Resiling and Pinot Blanc are outstanding usually.

My intent is to add a paragraph or two here throughout the day as I make those four or five stops. I’ll try to add an iPhone pic or two along the way but will add a full album later today or in the next day or so.

Paul Hamelin, owner of Verterra Winery in Leland, Michigan.

Paul Hamelin, owner of Verterra Winery in Leland, Michigan.

Verterra Winery, Leland Mi. – A great start to my day tasting Paul Hamelin’s wines at Verterra Winery. His dry Rose rocks. He sold out of his 2013 – 100 percent Pinot Noir – I bought six bottles last year. The big winner today was his killer Pinot Blanc – very pronounced fruit with big acidity in a tough growing year for Northern Michigan vintners.

Boathouse Vineyards, Lake Leelanau – Beautiful tasting room in a small village which – yes, indeed – looks a bit like a boathouse. Nice wines across the board. I really enjoyed the 2012 Pinot Noir. It was varietally correct, nice pinot taste – light on palate as you’d expect from cool climate red wine. But the real winner was Dry Dock Reisling, a dry and crisp citrus mouthful of goodness. This is type of white wine that puts Michigan on the map – at least for their whites.

Fresh carved roast beef, swiss and a very tasty cole slaw.

Fresh carved roast beef, swiss and a very tasty cole slaw.

Next on my day’s agenda was a quick sandwich in Lake Leelanau. I’m gobbling down a very nice roastbeef, swiss cheese Sammy with great cole slaw on top at The Thunderbird.

Blustone Vineyards, near Lake Leelanau – This was my second visit in two years to Blustone which is fast becoming one of my Michigan favorites. Owner Tom Knighton found a great hilltop piece of property and built a beautiful, modern tasing room in the midst of vineyard and cherry trees.

Like most others, they’re white wines are great. I tasted an unreleased Pinot Blanc that was among the three best wines I tasted all day. Blustone also is at or near the top of any Pinot Noir on the Northern Loop. They’re getting there. The vines are only 10 years old and they need age. But the Pinot is varietally correct and gaining a little bit of character each year.

The busy April 11 tasting room at 45 North.

The busy April 11 tasting room at 45 North.

45 North Vineyards – Apparently no one got hit harder from last growing season’s killer frost than 45 North. During my April 11 visit they were the only one of five stops not even pouring a red wine though there were a few on the shelves. Nonetheless, 45 did have one of the best wines I tasted all weekend and that was a Pinot Gris fermented in the now-popular cement egg. The cement egg – and that’s exactly what it looks like – gives the already outstanding wine a crazy creamy mid-palate. It’s unique and well worth the mid-$20 price point. It won’t be released until May.

Aurora Cellars – Just up the road, literally, from 45 north is an older winery under new management. Their standout bottles were the whites with a semi-sweet Reisling best of what I tasted. They’re not afraid of cooking up some unique blends and are on to something with a mid-teen red and white sure to please the masses.

Michigan Seeks a Red Identity

03 Saturday May 2014

Posted by in Midwestern States

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TRAVERSE CITY, Mi. – The idea of growing wine grapes in northern Michigan was unthinkable 30 years ago. But a few brave pioneers and many producers since have shown wine drinkers, skeptics, and wine competitions around the world the area can produce classy white wines.

Riesling is by far the most planted grape and the wine has turned heads across the country. Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula have more than 30 wineries. More vineyard is being planted as production soars. Wine production has increased 65 percent in the past eight years according to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.

Grape Sense LogoA mid-April visit, following a 2010 introduction to Michigan wine, yielding a surprising surge in red wine quality. The area is still hanging its hat on the Reisling, Pinot Blanc and plenty of fruit wine. But the three primary red wine grapes grown in the cool climate are starting to show enough vine age to produce really good wines. Cabernet Franc has been the best wine and best seller. But Pinot Noir has made great strides.

A tasting panel of two journalists, a sommelier and retailer sang the praises of four Leelanau 100 percent Merlots which were blind tasted for the Northern Michigan Wine Loop.

“We need red grapes here that mature a little bit earlier than varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon,” said Paul Hamelin, owner of Verterra Winery in picturesque Leland along Lake Michigan. “What fits here beautifully is Merlot. We can consistently get Merlot, as a Bordeaux wine grape, ripe here.

“We’re starting to see the expressions of it now. There are probably a half dozen wineries bottling 100 percent Merlot. You see the depth of the fruit and the character coming out in our Merlot.”

PaulHamelinLOThe beauty of numerous Merlots I tasted was the bright and fresh fruit without the muddled mid palate of California plonk. The upper-state Michigan Merlot had a nice silky mouthfeel and pleasant finish.

It’s hard to find agreement among winemakers about what the area’s red identity can become. But there is no question the Cab Franc, Pinot Noir, and the emergence of Merlot provides the area with three red wines of surprising quality.

The area has tremendous Pinot Noir possibilities. The 45th parallel runs through the area as it does through Oregon’s Willamette Valley. But Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay demand grapes which can thrive in a cool climate resulting in lighter bodied wines.

As the vines mature and more expertise finds its way to the two Peninsulas, the wines will continue to improve and stand up to other areas’ bottles. But northern Michigan will always struggle with its growing season. In 2010 I was tasting 2008 and 2009 vintages which were terrible growing seasons. The wines were thin, not much fruit, and lacking character.

During the visit just a few weeks ago, the reds were rich and interesting.

Leelanau and Old Mission is an area to consider for a weekend trip. Traverse City offers an exciting food scene and the wines will really surprise you. Not much Northern Michigan makes it to Indiana. But a weekend trip to Michigan’s northern wine country will surprise and delight you.

Reds Emerging in Northern Michigan?

12 Saturday Apr 2014

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TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan – Spending the better part of a day tasting and judging 21 wines from the latest vintage of Northern Michigan winemakers is enough to kill the palate. But the effort showed this quirky corner of the northern state is producing some world class wines with more to come.

I was one of four invited to preview the 2013 releases of the Leelanau Peninsula Northern Wine Loop wines before a major public event Saturday night.

Our tasting panel discussing a group of Michigan wines.

Our tasting panel discussing a group of Michigan wines.

It’s always a great and educational experience to taste with other wine enthusiasts to see where we agree and disagree. Our panel featured two wine writers, a restaurant sommelier, and a retail wine manager. And though we certainly were not lock-step on 21 wines we agreed far more than not. We even identified with more than a few quirky descriptions of particular wines.

Since my 2010 visit to this area the reputation of Northern Michigan wines, and the white ones in particular, has solidified. It’s widely accepted Michigan Riesling holds up against most of the great Reislings of the world. Riesling has become Michigan’s calling card and they get it right. It wins big in all sorts of wine competitions and is hailed as the state’s calling card in the industry.

Consumers have agreed buying up sweet, semi-sweet, late–harvest and bone-dry Riesling wines. Are they rivaling the Mosel River Valley from Germany? That’s probably another debate but Michigan Riesling is as good as any you can find in the Midwest.

The winemakers have capitalized on that knowledge and success with really good bottles of Pinot Gris, Grigio and Blanc. I tasted restrained Gewurztraminer that didn’t feel like someone was shoving a floral bouquet up my nose or down my throat.

Owner and Verterra winemaker Paul Hamelin led us through the 21 Northern Loop wines.

Owner and Verterra winemaker Paul Hamelin led us through the 21 Northern Loop wines.

Many also experiment with Chardonnay. You’d expect great unoaked Chard and Michigan has plenty to offer. But more winemakers are trying to produce traditionally oaked Chardonnay with mixed results. There are some great oaked versions, but it’s just not as consistent as the unoaked whites yet.

There is also a faction who believe Chardonnay can be big for the area. The grape does well with the shortened growing season.

Then there are the red wines and that’s been a past shortcoming that now looks like a bright future. In 2010, I tasted several Cab Francs and a few were decent. I tasted several Pinot Noirs and very few were varietally correct.

After one day of tasting, I liked the consistency of the Cab Francs I tasted. During the tasting event we blind-tasted four Pinot Noir wines and none were ready for prime time. But that being said, I had a couple of winery experiences later in the day where the 2011 Pinot was outstanding while 2012 remained unfocused and not ready to show.

But the surprise of the day – and many are saying it could be the dreaded ‘next big thing’ -was Merlot. We tasted three solid Merlot offerings during the morning and each panelist rated them with high marks. The wines were a tad lighter in style but varietally correct, rich fruit, and not as heavy, musty, and plodding like many California Merlots.

A couple of the winemakers agreed the growing conditions are perfect for good Merlot which can be a successful varietal with its growing season shorter than the widely planted Cab Franc.

On Saturday, I’m going to try to visit a handful of wineries I didn’t get to in 2010 and a few which were recommended today. Saturday night is the big public unveiling at the Bluebird Restaurant in the charming old fishing village of Leland on the Lake Michigan coast. Lots of Michigan wine, great food, and wine people – not a bad way to spend a Saturday night.

Looking into 2014 Crystal Ball

06 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by in Newspaper Column 2014

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crystal-ball

The only good thing about looking forward at the start of the year is no one remembers your predictions a week or so later. That said, there are lots of trends and movement in the wine world which will have an impact on the average wine drinker.

Grape Sense LogoFor the first Grape Sense of 2014, it makes sense to look ahead a bit.

Moscato – That sweet white wine that seems to be everywhere is exploding. But that’ s not news since it all started in 2012. Sales increased by a third in 2012 with little sign of letting up in 2013. The light alcohol and light fizz has proven wildly popular with younger consumers.

From hip-hop artists to long-time sweet wine lovers, Moscato has become the go-to beverage. California is providing most of the sweet white but look for other labels to join the band wagon. Furthermore, check out your local grocery, wine shop, or liquor store shelves and you’ll find major labels offering a variety of sweet wines.

Red wine blends are another area continuing to expand and grow. A good red wine blend can go from the inoffensive to nuanced and satisfying to even the most discerning wine drinker. Better yet, you can often get big bold flavors from a good California or Washington blend at a fraction of the cost of single variety wines. Red wine blends offer some of the best value options for better wine.

The biggest sales growth areas are Moscato, sweet red blends, and Malbec. Malbec is a great intro point for those trying to expand beyond Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Noir. It’s a great food wine and a wonderful way to start exploring beyond your normal tastes.

wineappMillenials and apps have been the talking points for much of the wine media over the last few years. Younger people are the fastest growing segment of the wine-buying population. They do drink sweeter wines but they are also very willing to try something new.

The younger section of the market is also driving wineries, marketers, and everyone else in the wine business to go more digital. There are smart-phone applications to find wine, rate wine, and journal your own wine drinking.

Packaging is another area where innovation continues to push the market. Wine is turning up on shelves, particularly value wine, in single servings, all shapes of paper and glass containers, and other new ways to supplant the 750ml bottle.

wine-celeb_ticketsand Indiana to get the world’s attention with its small production of wine. But the quality of the ‘other states’ wines continue to improve. Each year I visit quite a few Indiana wineries, and a few in surrounding states, the quality continues to show considerable improvement. It’s not just the top producers but some of the smaller state wineries have learned to focus on quality.

Wine travel is a great vacation and another industry that just grows and grow. I will be joining that trend in 2014 by leading a boutique-type experience in Oregon’s Willamette Valley in June. Whether it’s a trip you plan yourself or an organized wine adventure, the internet has really made it easy to plan a great wine vacation. Click here if you’d like information on the Oregon trip I’m hosting or simply to add your name to my mailing list for future trips.

Happy New Year to all. Thank you for reading Grape Sense!

Incredible Michigan Vineyard Views

30 Wednesday Oct 2013

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Friend Tony Lentych, GM at Leelanau Cellars Winery in Northern Michigan recently posted this video on Facebook. It’s a stunning aerial view of the winery’s vineyards atop a hill with views of the lake.

I visited Michigan wine country in 2010 and came away really impressed by the wine and winemakers. It’s also beautiful country to visit and vacation near even it wasn’t for the wine.

Here is a story I wrote for Palate Press about Michigan wine. And the link at the top of this page is an overview of a few of the wineries I visited during that trip.

Tony has invited me back up to Michigan for a spring tasting event of the latest vintage. I hope to make that trip and learn more about Michigan wine.

Big Sales, Michigan Thrives, Silly Labels

05 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by in Wine Education/News/Updates

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Every now and then I stumble across some interesting wine stories that I think even novice wine drinkers might enjoy. And sometimes a post of “odds and ends” offers up tidbits that aren’t enough for a newspaper column or blog entry.

So let’s get to a list of interesting stuff:

Sales Are Up

Despite the economy and all the bad news you read daily Americans still enjoy raising a glass of wine. As a matter of fact, early indications are wine sales increased in 2011 by 14 percent! U.S. wine consumption took off in the early 90s. A surprising number of people credit the 60 Minutes television show and a story they did on French wine consumption and perceived health benefits.

Some of the buzz about Reservatrol has been silenced by recent science. But there remains boosters and believers that red wine in moderation does have health benefits. So keep drinking! My goal, is to live to 100. Ha!

U.S. Biggest Seller

You’ve seen it in your stores and it might not be everyone’s first guess. But Barefoot wines are now the biggest selling brand in U.S. food stores. The brand, owned by E.& J. Gallo. The Barefoot wines were up 23 percent in sales last year. That is remarkable growth. It sells in most groceries for around $7.

Michigan Wine Boom Continues

I was really fascinated with the Michian wine industry when I made a three-day in the summer of 2010. I wrote this piece for Palate Press. The wines will really surprise first time visitors. I’m anixous to get back. The state’s wineries are still getting good press, like this story in the Lansing Journal.

Sassy Bitch, Toads, Frogs & Other Critters

The proliferation of wine and savvy marketers has all sorts of funny, sassy, and risque labels reaching wine shop shelves. I stumbled across this interesting story in California’s Santa Rosa Press-Democrat originally published in the New York Times. It’s fun and educational on all things concerning wine labels.

Coming Soon …

– I hate making promises because they don’t always come true! But here goes anyway. I have several video interviews I conducted last summer in Oregon’s Willamette Valley with some fantastic winemakers. The interviews were originally intended for a Palate Press video story that never came about. So I’m going to clip those down a bit and start posting them within a week or so. There is some really great stuff.

– I’ve been chatting with a number of people who have reached out to me with story ideas, including: A Michigan state professor who’s bringing a new cold-climate grape to the state and a nationally known wine writer about value wine. I’ve made contact with a couple of Hoosiers in recent months for stories as well. If you like wine, you’ve seen the wine art – paintings, melted bottles and nicknacks. I met a woman in Indianapolis doing some nice pieces I hadn’t seen before. And, I’m trying to arrange an interview with Indiana’s top selling wine retailer.

– Now this one is really a tease. I’m waiting on word about a possible trip to one of the most iconic wine producing nations in the world. If this one works out, it will provide a real bounty of story ideas for all the outlets where I write. Stay tuned!

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com