Glad to see this! The Cab Franc/Merlot blends are wonderful too! There are even some single varietal Merlots that are starting to shine. You should try the Blaufränkisch, Gamay, Auxerrois and Gruner Veltliner too! All do very well in Michigan. Michigan wines keep improving, and have some really talented wine makers. What is interesting is that the wineries, wine makers and vineyards cooperate and collaborate with each other. They recognize that working together is in everyone's best interest. Also, since it's Women's History Month, I have to mention Kasey Wierzba at Shady Lane who is producing excellent wines!
Dablon Vineyards in the SW Michigan region has some surprisingly good reds. The grapes are grown there, in a step terraced hilly winery in Baroda, just inland from St. Joseph, Michigan. Look them up!
I grew up next to the apple haus, and went to school with the Robinette kids both well into adulthood now mind you. Their wine isn't honestly that great. It's okay, but it's an afterthought buisness expansion to their business as a whole as an apple orchard.
I avoided riesling for a long time because I expected it to be sweet. After spending time in Traverse City, I now love a good riesling (Arcturos is really good) or gewurztraminer (Bry's Estate). They also have a really good sparkling wine vineyard: Mawby. Shady Lane Cellars also has a hearty red blaufrankisch, which I didn't expect. Oh and they are Lee-la-naw and Pon-shar-train, though it's now pronounced Ponch-a-train.
It's great to see Wine Folly showcasing Michigan wine, as it offers great quality and value. These trends, lower alcohol, greater freshness and higher aromatics are gathering pace in the wine world. Let's hope that Michigan can increase plantings and production, as atm I think you have to be in Michigan to buy their wines. They certainly aren't available on international markets. 😢Cheers and another great video!
I actually just this past weekend had a vine-to-wine tour at the Modales Vineyard. And had their Pinot Noir and some whites they made. They were in the middle of pressing Reisling and got to try some of the fresh juice too. Every wine was surprisingly great. They know the land and the climate and many of the guys working there are experimentally inclined individuals who left California and the market thats been pushing for Cab and Chardonnay lock-in because that's were the money is. They want something new. And they are really pushing it to the limits. They're super passionate and trying out grapes I never even heard of to find new grapes that might thrive in Michigan.
The ‘21 vintage is outstanding. Some of the older library wines (‘16 for one) are aromatic and diesel AF. Just incredible. Vladi at Old Mission has been crushing it with that dry Riesling for years. He and Lee really know what they’re doing.
Wines from the 8 Mile Road AVA have always been a favorite of mine amongst the offerings from Michigan. Notes of concrete, rubber, gun powder, and iodine have historically been their distinctive, principle characteristics. Delish!
I am a big follower of you and I own a book of yours. However, I was disappointed in this video when you talked about the Cab Franc. Many wineries get their juice from other places. How do you know the cab sauv didn’t come from California. Especially since you said, I don’t know how they grow cab sauv grapes there?
There are a couple wineries in Leelanau that import some grape juice. Breggaman brothers, soul squeeze, bluestone for example. But Cab Franc does grow here, with the caveat that it does not always grow well, and when it does you pay through the nose for it. In general the red yields are so low that it is hard to justify the price. That said. Leelanau white rock. Beyond Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, we also grow Grunner, sauv Blanc, and Pinot blanc well.
They can grow cab sauv in the SW but up in the Leelanau peninsula AVA and Old Mission AVA you would be insane to try to ripen it. Cab franc on the other hand along with merlot ripens fine, except for absolute horrific vintages (‘14, ‘15). There are some incredible Right Bank style blends being done up here, usually in 100% new French oak. You can't believe how rich and delicious they are esp from so far north, even with the lakes tempering the weather.
That's the power of the climate changing effects of "lake effect". Notice how ALL of the AVAs are bunched up to the lakes? They aren't by any means the best, but they do a decent job. The Pinot Noir is really really iffy but the Riesling which is the main wine in general by liter production in Michigan, actually stands up decently to German and Alsace wines. I don't like Michigan Pinot Noir, because I don't like my Pinot to taste very green. Climate change is doing strange things to the world of wine. Places that didn't grow wine really much at all are exploding in production and coming onto the scene. Two great examples being the UK and Sweden. As climate continues to change, the latitudinal range keeps getting shifting futher and futher toward the poles. Probably by 2050 Pinot Noir from Fennville will have much of the beauty you'd find from the Russian river valley in California, and Napa will no longer be able to produce wine pretty much at all without serious manipulation in production. End of rant.
Every one I have tasted ranged from mediocre to awful. Better than Illinois wines, though. Illinois wines range from awful to OMG, who could drink this?
You've got to come back and hit the Old Mission AVA and Leelanau AVA wineries. Black Star, Shady Lane, Left Foot Charlie, Mari, Verterra, all have incredible wines to offer. There are over 25 wineries on Leelanau and at least 15 on Old Mission.@@daver8521
So it's "lee-luh-naa" not Leelanau and "Old Mission Peninsula" not Old Michigan Peninsula!
Come visit us sometime
So thrilled to see Michigan represented with Wine Folly! We are truly something special in wine.
Thank you for finally noticing Michigan wine. Check out the Meritage blends. They are outstanding
Glad to see this! The Cab Franc/Merlot blends are wonderful too! There are even some single varietal Merlots that are starting to shine. You should try the Blaufränkisch, Gamay, Auxerrois and Gruner Veltliner too! All do very well in Michigan. Michigan wines keep improving, and have some really talented wine makers. What is interesting is that the wineries, wine makers and vineyards cooperate and collaborate with each other. They recognize that working together is in everyone's best interest. Also, since it's Women's History Month, I have to mention Kasey Wierzba at Shady Lane who is producing excellent wines!
Kasey and Maddie are killing it at Shady.
Omg, I’m so excited to see you do an episode on this region. In my backyard :) definitely more reasons to explore this beautiful area!
Well, this has been immediately added to my bucket list of wine regions to visit! Thank you for unpacking this!
New Jersey is apparently an up-and-coming wine region, and I'm moving there in a couple months. Would love to see a video on it!
Dablon Vineyards in the SW Michigan region has some surprisingly good reds. The grapes are grown there, in a step terraced hilly winery in Baroda, just inland from St. Joseph, Michigan. Look them up!
Michigander here, you have to try Robinette's wine!! The apple, Spumante, and cherry wine are marvelous!
I grew up next to the apple haus, and went to school with the Robinette kids both well into adulthood now mind you. Their wine isn't honestly that great. It's okay, but it's an afterthought buisness expansion to their business as a whole as an apple orchard.
I avoided riesling for a long time because I expected it to be sweet. After spending time in Traverse City, I now love a good riesling (Arcturos is really good) or gewurztraminer (Bry's Estate). They also have a really good sparkling wine vineyard: Mawby. Shady Lane Cellars also has a hearty red blaufrankisch, which I didn't expect.
Oh and they are Lee-la-naw and Pon-shar-train, though it's now pronounced Ponch-a-train.
It's great to see Wine Folly showcasing Michigan wine, as it offers great quality and value. These trends, lower alcohol, greater freshness and higher aromatics are gathering pace in the wine world. Let's hope that Michigan can increase plantings and production, as atm I think you have to be in Michigan to buy their wines. They certainly aren't available on international markets. 😢Cheers and another great video!
Indeed!
I actually just this past weekend had a vine-to-wine tour at the Modales Vineyard. And had their Pinot Noir and some whites they made. They were in the middle of pressing Reisling and got to try some of the fresh juice too.
Every wine was surprisingly great. They know the land and the climate and many of the guys working there are experimentally inclined individuals who left California and the market thats been pushing for Cab and Chardonnay lock-in because that's were the money is. They want something new. And they are really pushing it to the limits.
They're super passionate and trying out grapes I never even heard of to find new grapes that might thrive in Michigan.
AWESOME!!!
A few of my favs in this video. Cheers 🥂
Verterra Winery (Chardonnay) has the best cider I have ever tasted.
Black Star FTW. It's been a few years since I've had it, but that Riesling is a stand-out for the region. Many good tasting experiences on Leelenau
The ‘21 vintage is outstanding. Some of the older library wines (‘16 for one) are aromatic and diesel AF. Just incredible. Vladi at Old Mission has been crushing it with that dry Riesling for years. He and Lee really know what they’re doing.
Love that you sincerely featured Michigan wines. Small note, it's LEE-luu-nah (you know, for when you make more videos about Michigan wine!) Cheers!
Love TC wines. Need some Chateau Chantal and Chateau Grand Traverse represented.
We all have our favs. Mine is Mari. Over the last 15 years or so Michigan reds have improved tremendously (imo).
Try some hybrid wines throughout the Midwest if you’re feeling adventurous. You just might be surprised the gems you’ll find!
They make wine in all 50 states.
I've had some good Michigan Wines when I lived there.
Wines from the 8 Mile Road AVA have always been a favorite of mine amongst the offerings from Michigan.
Notes of concrete, rubber, gun powder, and iodine have historically been their distinctive, principle characteristics.
Delish!
Pretty soon Wine I got to tell us that there have been some great wines made at this person’s garage
We like Otis .
❤
I am a big follower of you and I own a book of yours. However, I was disappointed in this video when you talked about the Cab Franc. Many wineries get their juice from other places. How do you know the cab sauv didn’t come from California. Especially since you said, I don’t know how they grow cab sauv grapes there?
There are a couple wineries in Leelanau that import some grape juice. Breggaman brothers, soul squeeze, bluestone for example.
But Cab Franc does grow here, with the caveat that it does not always grow well, and when it does you pay through the nose for it. In general the red yields are so low that it is hard to justify the price.
That said. Leelanau white rock. Beyond Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, we also grow Grunner, sauv Blanc, and Pinot blanc well.
They can grow cab sauv in the SW but up in the Leelanau peninsula AVA and Old Mission AVA you would be insane to try to ripen it. Cab franc on the other hand along with merlot ripens fine, except for absolute horrific vintages (‘14, ‘15). There are some incredible Right Bank style blends being done up here, usually in 100% new French oak. You can't believe how rich and delicious they are esp from so far north, even with the lakes tempering the weather.
Don't forget about Cherry Republic cherry wine lol
No way. Michigan is too cold to grow anything
…..Michigan has had wineries since the 1600’s
That's the power of the climate changing effects of "lake effect".
Notice how ALL of the AVAs are bunched up to the lakes?
They aren't by any means the best, but they do a decent job. The Pinot Noir is really really iffy but the Riesling which is the main wine in general by liter production in Michigan, actually stands up decently to German and Alsace wines.
I don't like Michigan Pinot Noir, because I don't like my Pinot to taste very green.
Climate change is doing strange things to the world of wine. Places that didn't grow wine really much at all are exploding in production and coming onto the scene. Two great examples being the UK and Sweden. As climate continues to change, the latitudinal range keeps getting shifting futher and futher toward the poles.
Probably by 2050 Pinot Noir from Fennville will have much of the beauty you'd find from the Russian river valley in California, and Napa will no longer be able to produce wine pretty much at all without serious manipulation in production.
End of rant.
Way COOL ! Go BLUE ! :D
I remember my first Michigan made wine... Solera Sherry by St Julian Winery, mid 80's ! Man, they've come a LONG way !
Every one I have tasted ranged from mediocre to awful. Better than Illinois wines, though. Illinois wines range from awful to OMG, who could drink this?
From where?
@@blakebarrilleaux8073 Anywhere in Illinois. Wines are mostly grown in the southern part of the state. They are awful.
You've got to come back and hit the Old Mission AVA and Leelanau AVA wineries. Black Star, Shady Lane, Left Foot Charlie, Mari, Verterra, all have incredible wines to offer. There are over 25 wineries on Leelanau and at least 15 on Old Mission.@@daver8521