Roundtable Meetings January 29 and February 12
Two industry roundtable meetings are planned to discuss preliminary results of the online survey and plans for continuing work on this USDA funded project:
January 29, 9:00 am, Northwest Horticulture Station on Leelanau Peninsula
February 12, 9:00 am, Southwest Michigan Research and Education Center in Benton Harbor
Background: Work is underway on a research project to consider the design, development and implementation of a sustainability certification program for Michigan wineries and vineyards. The consulting firm, 5 Lakes Energy, is leading the project and will submit their final report with recommendations in summer 2015.
Industry Survey
An industry survey is an important component of this research. Wineries, growers and allied partners are invited to contribute their information and perspective to shape the direction of the project via an online survey that should take 10-15 minutes to complete.
Click here to begin the survey
Contact Cam Brown at cbrown@5lakesenergy.com for more information about the roundtable meetings or survey.
 March 4-6, 2015
Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, East Lansing
www.michiganwines.com/conference
January 31 - Deadline to reserve your hotel room and receive the conference rate
February 13 - Discount for early registration ends
Big Ten Banquet:
Join us for a specially designed meal featuring the top wines from the 2014 Michigan Wine Competition. Our keynote speaker, Dr. G. Stanley Howell, is professor emeritus of viticulture and enology at Michigan State University. After arriving at MSU in 1969, Howell focused on cool-climate viticulture with the goal of assessing which cultivars were compatible with Michigan’s climate and evaluating the wines from those cultivars. Since he retired, he has been working with the VESTA (Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance) program to develop viticulture and enology courses. We're finalizing an amazing menu and will have it available by Feb. 3. Tickets are $80 and attendance is limited to 120 people. The fee increases to $100 on February 14.
A recent media story featured one of our speakers, Michigan native Michael Wangbickler from Balzac Communications, a leading PR firm for the wine industry, based in California.
Information about wines for social events at the conference will be posted to the website in mid-February and sent to those already registered.
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Thank you to our generous sponsors!
Dinner and Keynote Speaker Sponsor:
Reserve Sponsor:
Reserve Sponsor:
Vintage Sponsor:
Vintage Sponsor:
Vintage Sponsor:
February 3 - Lake Michigan Shore AVA Wine Evaluation
February 4-5 - Southwest Michigan Horticulture Days
February 5-7 - Cold Climate Conference, Minneapolis
February 10, March 10 - Northern Grapes Project Webinars
Check the Council's web calendar for details on these and other industry and consumer events.
Comparing and Contrasting Vertical Shoot Positioning and Top Wire Cordon Training Systems
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
12:00 Noon Eastern (11:00 am Central)
7:00 pm Eastern (6:00 pm Central)
Join Bob Utter of Flying Otter Vineyard and Winery, John Thull of the University of Minnesota, and Tim Martinson of Cornell University as they discuss the pros and cons of Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) and Top Wire Cordon (TWC) training systems.
Bob will discuss TWC, including the advantages (including reduced labor, frost protection, and varmint predation), disadvantages, and how to convert from VSP to TWC. John will cover how the narrow canopies created on VSP trellises allow for great sunlight interception and lower disease pressure, and the control that VSP gives the grower in the way of canopy management and what mechanized practices can be implemented. Tim will talk about the training system trials in New York on Marquette and Frontenac, and the differences observed between them, including yield and fruit composition.
Register online
Registration will close at 8 am on Friday, February 6.
Registering for one Northern Grapes Webinar will place you on the mailing list, and you will receive announcements and connection instruction for all further Northern Grapes Webinars.
 The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council is partnering with the Michigan Pork Producers Association and the Michigan Allied Poultry Producers on a legislative reception event at the Lansing Center on February 19 from 3:00-6:30 pm. Winery representatives are invited to attend. For more information, contact Linda Jones at jonesl9@michigan.gov.
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Mark your calendar for the Michigan Wine Showcase, April 20 at the Rattlesnake Club in Detroit. Details will be sent in February to all wineries that participated last year. The number of winery tables is limited to 30. Contact Karel Bush at bushk9@michigan.gov for more information.
 The mission of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's International Marketing Program is to assist Michigan food and agriculture businesses in developing trade opportunities to effectively export their products and achieve economic growth. The program helps Michigan producers and processors in developing trade opportunities by entering new markets or expanding existing markets to increase international market reach.
Read the January/February 2015 newsletter.
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You may be interested in viewing this informative short video regarding the approach to judging wines by winemaking consultant Darryl Groom at a consensus wine judging competition last year. This process closely parallels the process at the Michigan Wine Competition.
Members of the Michigan wine industry may find it interesting to serve as a judge at two wine competitions that occur in Michigan each year: Tasters Guild International (contact Joe Borrello joeb@tastersguild.com) and the Great Lakes Wine Competition (Darlene Levinson dmlevins@oaklandcc.edu). These competition organizers are frequently looking for new judges.
The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council and Dr. Paolo Sabbatini frequently receive inquiries from experienced wine industry members in other regions of the world who are seeking internships and permanent positions in the Michigan wine industry. If you are recruiting staff for your winery, contact Linda Jones jonesl9@michigan.gov or Dr. Sabbatini sabbatin@msu.edu to see if there are any recent communications from qualified individuals.
Bonobo Winery, on Old Mission Peninsula, is the latest winery to be recognized as a “producer of Michigan wine” by the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. The winery, which opened to the public in November, is already attracting significant media attention due to celebrity owners Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart and cuisine connections with Mario Batali.
A new issue of Appellation Cornell was posted at the end of December, with articles on leaf roll virus and winter injury.
Cornell University has updated its Cost of Production models for vinifera grapes and created a new model for hybrid grapes. View these and other articles in the Michigan State University December Digest for the Grape and Wine Industry.
Three mistakes every small winery makes when dealing with retailers, and how to correct them for more sales into the channel
Michigan Agrability is a joint partnership between Michigan State University Extension and Easter Seals to provide direct services to farmers with injuries, illnesses or aging conditions so that they can continue to work in their chosen occupation. Agrability conducts research and provides consulting services to people who may need assistance in adjusting to changing abilities. For more information, visit www.MichiganAgrAbility.org.
 Greenstone Farm Credit (MI) is partnering with Farm Credit East (NY) to initiate a winery financial benchmarking service in Michigan. This program, which originated in New York, allows wineries the ability to confidentially evaluate how their financial performance compares to peer averages. Such a comparison may be helpful to a business in improving their operations and obtaining loans or grants to help grow the business.
Experience from New York indicates that owners enter the program with questions such as ...
• How can I decrease labor expenses?
• How do my wine pricing and varieties compare with others in my region?
• How effective is my retail staff?
• How efficient is my production staff?
• Am I carrying too much inventory?
• How does my business measure up to other top wineries?
• How do I know when it’s time to expand my business?
• Is my compensation package competitive?
… and they walk away with answers.
For more information about this program, visit www.farmcrediteast.com/winerybenchmarks and contact Tyson Lemon at Greenstone Farm Credit Services, tyson.lemon@greenstonefcs.com, 269-471-9329.
Tyson will be at the Michigan Grape and Wine Conference in March and looks forward to discussing this program at the Greenstone booth in the Exhibit Hall.
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DriftWatch is a Specialty Crop Site Registry with more than 6,000 specialty crop and apiary sites mapped to provide information to the agricultural communities to minimize the damaging effects of off target drift. DriftWatch is FREE to use!
Now is the time to register for DriftWatch (www.driftwatch.org) and add your vineyards to the registry. The organization is looking to add several thousand new sites in 2015 and it begins with you and your neighbors. For more information, contact Bob Walters at 317-997-6726.
... Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery for being named to Wine Business Monthly’s list of the Top 10 Hot Brands of 2014. Representatives of Brys Estate will be on hand in Sacramento this week when their wines will be served to winemakers, grape growers and industry members at Wine Business Monthly’s annual "Bottle Bash" during Unified Symposium.
... Chateau Grand Traverse for being named one of the 101 Best Wineries in America by The Daily Meal on MSN.
... 45 North Vineyard & Winery for Best of Class honors at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their 2013 Pinot Gris; and wineries receiving Double Gold awards - Blustone Vineyards for 2013 Riesling, Bowers Harbor Vineyards for 2013 Pinot Noir Rose, Brengman Brothers for 2013 Riesling Spatlese, and Chateau Grand Traverse for 2013 Lot 49 Riesling and 2013 Etcetera White.
Sparkling Wine for the Holidays (mlive.com)
Old Mission's Next Winery Lands A Neighbor (Traverse Ticker)
Agriculturally speaking…Michigan’s food and agriculture system hits the mark in 2014, but there is still much work to do - by Jamie Clover Adams, director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits Buys Wicksall (Traverse City Record-Eagle)
Ten Facts You Might Not Have Known About Michigan Ice Wine (Michigan.org)
To marry in Michigan: Pick a destination wedding spot (Lansing State Journal)
Your Tuesday wines: St. Julian Braganini Reserve Merlot, Reserve Riesling (Detroit News)
Your Thursday wine: Michigan's Brengman Brothers Unoaked Chardonnay (Detroit News)
Grand Traverse Winery to Expand Popular Cherry Wine Export in China (dBusiness)
Round Barn Best in Show (moodyonthemarket.com)
Michigan by the Bottle opens Royal Oak location (WXYZ-TV Detroit)
The Perfect Venue for Alison and Paul's Wedding (Michigan Wedding Guide - p. 22-23)
Traverse City's emerging foodie culture (Michigan Radio)
Vander Mill Ciders eyes Grand Rapids tap room (mlive.com)
Michigan’s Thumbs Up Wine Trail Formally Launches in May (dBusiness)
Visit www.michiganwines.com/news to view media releases relevant to the Michigan wine industry.
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