Michigan Wine Month brings dollars to northwest Michigan

April is normally a pretty slow month at the wineries of the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. The snow might be gone (hopefully), but the area's growing season really doesn't get going until the end of the month. And harvest time, which the region's late-blooming vines can stretch into November, is still months off. For the next few weeks, walks through local vineyards will be nothing but a recipe for muddy shoes and cold fingers.

But this in-between month is actually an ace in the hole for northwest Michigan's winemakers--and the businesses that support them. April is Michigan Wine Month, arguably the most important time of year for the industry's brand (and visibility). According to a Michigan State University survey, the state's wineries get about two million annual visits, and the state is number four or five in wine grape production, depending on how it's measured. For folks in northwest Michigan, these stats shouldn't be surprising--but since they're not common knowledge outside the region, even in other parts of the state, Wine Month offers a critical opportunity for local wineries to promote themselves.

"Northwest Michigan is an emerging winery cluster that's being watched at a national level," says Linda Jones, program manager for the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. Michigan is among the top six or seven states for recognized wine quality, but other states are gaining ground. "We need to keep tooting our own horn," she says.

What better way than a month-long, statewide celebration? While Michigan Wine Month doesn't have a ton of high-level programming, most individual wineries, especially those under the auspices of the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association, run promotions and partnerships with local restaurants. On April 5, for instance, Traverse City's Boathouse pulled off a classic wine dinner with Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery. Even Michigan's biggest retailers are getting in on the action: According to Jones, Sam's Club will prominently feature "Michigan wines" displays throughout the month, and Meijer plans wine tastings--with special pricing--for select vintages. (If you're heading downstate, many Kroger locations will be doing the same.)

Outside of northwest Michigan, wine enthusiasts without access to the state's best vineyards consoled themselves at the Michigan Wine Showcase, a high-profile event at Detroit's RattleSnake Club. This year's April 7 gathering, which included about 30 wineries from the western part of the state, featured wine and food pairings from the restaurant's award-winning chef and two of Southeast Michigan's most prominent sommeliers.

There's hope for those who missed the Detroit edition of the Michigan Wine Showcase. As Michigan Wine Month's profile grows, Northwest Michigan's winemakers are getting valuable press in some of the country's largest cities.

"We've really gained steam over the past six or seven years," says Jones.

Thanks to Good Harbor Vineyards' Taylor and Sam Simpson, who helped with initial organization and promotion for the event, Chicago's City Winery is hosting the Windy City edition of the Michigan Wine Showcase. According to the event's website, 20 wineries are already on board, and more may sign up before the big day.

"It's important for [Northwest Michigan winemakers'] reputation to be seen in major markets," says Jones, noting such exposure lends legitimacy, visibility and even cachet--certain cold-weather grape varietals grow better on the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas than just about anywhere else--to what was once a highly regionalized industry.

At the moment, there aren't any additional plans to bring iterations of MWS to other big cities, but that's likely to change as the rest of the world learns what we've known for years--it's hard to beat northwest Michigan wines.