I recently got to spend a beautiful spring weekend in Michigan and enjoy a day tasting wine in the Lake Michigan Shore AVA (American Viticultural Area), one of the five designated and recognized wine regions of Michigan. I was bracing myself to enjoy one or two wines and be a little disappointed by many so I went in with low expectations, just hoping for a great Riesling at least. To my surprise, we drank exceptional wines one after another (with a few duds, but that is to be expected). We stopped at 3 wineries (St. Julian, Warner Vineyards, and Cody Kresta) and I tried about 20 different wines, searching for the best ones to bring back to my wine group in Philadelphia (The Cork Dorks).

Michigan has a cool to moderate climate while offering hot humid summers in the southern half of the state, and if you know anything about Michigan, it is entirely effected by the surrounding Great Lakes. I am particularly proud of the southwest corner of Michigan for the wines they are putting out (also where I was born and raised) but I wanted to share a few fun facts about Michigan wine country, and then some of the favorite wines we enjoyed with the wine group in Philly.

5 Fun Facts about Michigan Wine

1. Michigan is ranked 5th in wine production in the USA (Behind California, New York, Washington & Oregon)
2. The 45the parallel runs through the top of the “mitt” of Michigan right through three of the five AVAs. The 45th parallel also runs right through Bordeaux, France, and the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
3. Michigan has 148 wineries and the vineyard area has doubled over the past decade. Michigan wine is on the rise!
4. The top grapes planted in Michigan are: Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Riesling.
5. Lake Effect Weather is a big deal in Michigan! The great freshwater lakes and glacial soils contribute to five of the AVAs in Michigan. The lakes regulate the air along the shore which protects crops from frost in the fall and the lake effect snow insulates the vines from the extreme temperatures in the winter. Here is a photo below of a Michigan lighthouse covered in ice after a storm on Lake Michigan. (Photo courtesy of PureMichigan.com).

5 Michigan Wines Worth Trying

We did a Michigan wine night with my wine group in Philadelphia and tried 8 different wines. Overall, the sparkling wines won our hearts. There is a strong mineral note in many of the wines and also sort of “funkiness” to a lot of them that was unexpected (and complained about by some members of the group). Here are some of the wines you should consider if you’re wanting to taste what is going on in the GREAT, Great Lakes State!

Warner Vineyards Sparkling Riesling

This was the groups top favorite wine of the night. The bubbles are nicely aggressive and the wine is well balanced, high acid, with notes of crisp green apples. Fun fact about Warner Vineyards is that President Gerald R. Ford used to serve their sparkling wines in the White House during his presidency. If it’s good enough for the White House I guess it’s good enough for me 🙂

Cody Kresta TriVina (Bordeaux style red blend)

I got to visit Cody Kresta in Mattawan Michigan and was just so thrilled with everything I tried here! This Bordeaux style came in second in our groups ratings but the winery is doing some great things. If you are wine trailing through the Lake Michigan Shore AVA (southwest), Cody Kresta needs to be a stop on your map.

Aurora Cellars Brut Rosé

The sparkling wines really won the night for Michigan at our tasting and everyone really enjoyed this rosé. A favorite tasting note on this was the subtle Michigan Cherry with a lovely dry finish. Direct from the Leelanau Penninsula AVA (up north), this bottle has won multiple somm awards around the country and I’m proud to claim it as a great Michigan wine.

La Esperanza Modales Pinot Noir

100% Pinot Noir from the Fennville AVA (southwest). This is a wine for fans of “vonlay”. The vineyard also uses exclusively organic techniques to produce the wine. Lovely notes of: Allspice, mushrooms, and red cherry.

12 Corners Vidal Blanc Ice Wine

If you are a fan of dessert wines, this is one to get your hands on! Tasting this with a group there were many mentions of similarities to Sauternes from Bordeaux. The notes of ripe, syrupy peach reminded me of the Michigan peaches my mom used to can and we would eat them all winter (I loved to sip the sugary syrupy juice the peaches sat in). Adding to the peach and honey goodness is a strong mineral note of slate. I think that is Michigan’s glacial soils coming through in this fabulous dessert wine. 12 Corners Vineyards is located in the Lake Michigan Shore AVA.

The last sip…

As a Michigander, I absolutely loved diving into these wines and am so excited about the wine industry and the moves they are making there. 20 years ago the New York Finger Lakes region was hardly on the map and now it’s a major player. I can’t wait to see where Michigan is in another 5, 10, or 20 years. Michigan is such a beautiful state and I can’t help being proud of what it has to offer in terms of wines (among other great things).

Just to peak your interest in Michigan overall, I have to share a few pictures of my past travels in the Mitten state. And yes, I can show you where I’m from using my hand ✋