Michigan Grapevine

Brys Estate Old Mission Peninsula

Cherry and apple blossoms have peaked on Old Mission Peninsula, as shown in the background of this photo, taken May 20 from Brys Estate. Meanwhile, regional vineyards are just starting to show some green.

And for something completely different, read this New York Times story on a Sonoma County winery willing to pay $10,000 per month to a “lifestyle correspondent” to post on Twitter and Facebook. Wow.

A random roundup of news that’s been accumulating:

• Domaine Berrien Cellars and Winery in Berrien Springs has become the first Michigan vineyard to complete the comprehensive Grape*A*Syst risk assessment that pinpoints best practices in land, water, fertilizer and pesticide use, and become verified by the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP). The program was created by MSU Extension, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the National Grape Cooperative and gives consumers a benchmark reference point of the vineyard’s sustainability efforts and practices. Eight other southwest vineyards are pursing the verification.
• Lake Effect Winery opened its tasting room in downtown Grand Haven this past weekend. Grand opening events continue through Memorial Day weekend. The winery itself is located in Muskegon County, and part of a growing “central coast” wine production region in the state. Lake Effect’s fruit wines are sold in about 200 locations in Michigan, according to a news release.
• The Traverse City Record-Eagle reported earlier this month that the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa is exploring starting a winery near M-72 and Bates Road in eastern Grand Traverse County, near its two other properties, the Grand Traverse Resort and Turtle Creek Casino Resort. Consultants, rather than the Band itself, were the source. It’ll be fascinating to see what happens if a player of that size and resources enters the industry.
• My May Crain’s column on getting Michigan wines sold by the glass got the attention of Jeff Siegel, author of the Wine Curmudgeon blog and wine writer at the Fort Worth Star Telegram and, with Washington Post wine writer Dave McIntyre, the founder of DrinkLocalWine.com. The pair are planning their first conference this August in Dallas and want to move it around in the future. They say there’s interest in holding it in New York, Virginia and Colorado, and wonder if there’s any in Michigan. If you are, contact Seigel at jeff.siegel <<at>> att.net.
• Still no action on Senate Bill 427, which would allow small distillers to sell their products at tasting rooms separate from the distilling site. The first committee hearing’s been canceled twice now.

Michigan winery and distillery industry representatives are expected in Lansing next Wednesday for a hearing on SB 427, which would allow holders of Michigan’s new small distiller license to sell samples of their distilled products at tasting sites separate from the distilling site.

The hearing was originally scheduled for May 6, but was rescheduled.