Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
EQUAL FOOTING FOR MICHIGAN WINES
How Northern vintners can turn skeptics into believers
by Cari Noga
Traverse City, Mich. -- Michigan wineries could be ideally positioned to capitalize on the locavore trend--but they might have to be a little sneaky about it at first. That paradox emerged at the second annual Northern Michigan Wine Summit on April 28, a promotional and tasting gathering of 20 wineries from the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas in northwest Michigan.
Locavores--the growing ranks of the environmentally and edibility-conscious who deliberately seek out food and drink produced locally--would seem ideal prospective customers for regional wineries. But these still fight skepticism about Michigan wine, despite increasing critical acclaim and a flourishing industry, now up to nearly 60 wineries.
"I almost have to trick them," executive chef John State of the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids, said of convincing guests in his hotel in Michigan's second-largest city to try Michigan wines as well as foods. Heads of the nearly 100 winery representatives and restaurateurs in attendance nodded in agreement.
"What is it about our culture that says it must be better if it's from somewhere else? That drives me crazy," said moderator Eric Villegas, chef and host of the PBS food show "Fork in the Road."
But once they do taste it, customers are believers--or, more to the point, buyers. Sales of Michigan wines were up 14% last year, according to industry figures, while wine sales overall rose just 3%.
Master sommelier Claudia Tyagi, an independent wine consultant in metro Detroit, told winemakers she doesn't necessarily sell--nor need they--their wines as customer-worthy just because they're from Michigan. Rather, they should pitch their wines as equals to other standouts of the same varietal.
"You don't have to try it as a Michigan wine," she said. "If it performs in the glass, that's what's important."
Winemaker Adam Satchwell of Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay, told of attending a recent wine dinner in Boston, part of a trip to tout his wines there. At the dinner, he found his wines labeled "exotic." After initially laughing, he said he realized that description had a positive connotation, too."
This was something new, something different, something exciting," said Satchwell, who's also president of the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association. "This is all about discovery"--which appeals to locavores.
Some winemakers said they don't get a chance to have their wine discovered, however. Winemaker Tony Ciccone of Ciccone Vineyard and Winery in Suttons Bay said he feels "shooed away" when he tries to sell his wine to restaurants. "Get a thicker skin," panelists responded."
The burden's on you, to a degree," said sommelier Madeline Triffon of Detroit's Matt Prentice restaurant group. "If we're not putting a little bit of sweat equity into finding a couple (Michigan) wines to list, shame on us. But you're making it too hard for us," she said, noting that Monday's summit took place 250 miles away from Detroit, where Michigan wine consumers are concentrated. "Why don't you have an event like this in metro Detroit?"Besides how to best position Michigan wines in the marketplace, Monday's summit included:
- Some cautionary words about pricing, given Michigan's slumping, auto-dependent economy. "This is hardball," Triffon said.
- Both blind and winery-sponsored tasting tables open to an expected 200 restaurant servers attending to learn how to sell Michigan wines to the vacation crowds that flock to Traverse City every summer.
- Journalist Richard Leahy noting that Riesling sales were up 27% last year, the fastest-growing white variety in the U.S. "Michigan is fortunate, especially northwest Michigan, in having a natural terroir for Riesling," Leahy said.
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=55199#
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
TRAVERSE CITY RECORD EAGLE ARTICLE: Summit offers taste of area wine
Event showcases and promotes local offerings
TRAVERSE CITY -- Skip Telgard remembers when suggesting a Michigan wine with dinner to customers at his Leland restaurant might prompt a quizzical look or a furrowed brow.
"It used to be a kind of adventure to recommend Michigan wines," he said.
That's no longer the case. More than half the wine sales at The Bluebird restaurant are Michigan-made selections, a figure that's doubled in the past five years, Telgard said. Many of his customers now ask for locally made wines, and he sees a growing public awareness about the quality of Michigan wines among both northern Michigan residents and visitors.
That's no longer the case. More than half the wine sales at The Bluebird restaurant are Michigan-made selections, a figure that's doubled in the past five years, Telgard said. Many of his customers now ask for locally made wines, and he sees a growing public awareness about the quality of Michigan wines among both northern Michigan residents and visitors.
"If there wasn't quality wine in the bottle, that wouldn't be happening," he said.
Telgard was among dozens from the area's hospitality businesses who took part in a second annual "Northern Michigan Wine Summit" held Monday at the Park Place Hotel downtown.
Telgard was among dozens from the area's hospitality businesses who took part in a second annual "Northern Michigan Wine Summit" held Monday at the Park Place Hotel downtown.
Some of the state's top wine and food experts were among the speakers in an event that aims to showcase and promote northern Michigan wines to area restaurants, hotels and retail outlets.
Kristin Kitely, food and beverage director for Crystal Mountain Resort near Thompsonville, said her resort found success teaming area wines with locally produced foods to create a dining experience that's unique to northern Michigan.
"It just makes sense," she said. "I think Michigan has so many things to offer to our customers to make for those special moments."
Sales of Michigan-made wines increased 14 percent in 2007 and the region's wine industry continues to expand, with almost two dozen wineries now operating in northern Michigan.
One national wine author said a key to growing the region's wine market is to highlight the spectacular views and venues for wineries on the Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau County, surroundings that other wine-making regions find hard to match.
"The way to sell Michigan wines is to sell it as part of the experience of Michigan's wine country," Richard Leahy said. He's the East Coast editor for California-based Vineyard Winery & Management magazine and among the event's guest speakers.
Area wineries also offered up samples of some of their top selections to hospitality managers and employees at the summit, co-sponsored by the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association and Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula.
TRAVERSE CITY RECORD EAGLE:
TV 7/4: Area wine summit held in Traverse City
Posted: Monday, April 28, 2008 at 5:22 p.m.
Nearly 20 Northern Michigan vintners are working to spread the word about Northern Michigan's wine industry.
The Second Annual Northern Michigan Wine Summit took place Monday at the Park Place Hotel in Traverse City.
Winemakers from Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas came together to promote the growing and award winning industry.
"There's a strong movement for local foods," explains organizer Kristin Karam, "why not pair these local foods with local wines? It only makes sense. People don't go to Tuscany and order a german wine, we want them to come to Northern Michigan and order Northern Michigan wine."
Wine industry analysts say sales of Michigan wines were up more than 3 percent last year and contribute nearly $790 million a year to the state's economy.
Monday, April 28, 2008
John State Speaks on Michigan Wines in the Restaurant Industry
JW Marriott's Executive Chef John State discusses Michigan's wine impact on the restaurant industry.
Richard Leahy Speaks on Michigan Riesling
Richard Leahy, East Coast Editor and Director of Programs for Vineyard Winery & Management.
Interlochen Public Radio's Tom Kramer interviews Linda Jones, Michigan Grape & Wine Industry Council
INTERLOCHEN PUBLIC RADIO 2008-04-28 Northern Michigan wineries will be making the case that their wines deserve the attention of retailers, restaurants and distributors across the state. The 2nd annual Northern Michigan Wine Summit is taking place today. Linda Jones is Director of the Michigan Grape & Wine Industry Council. She says with wine now being produced in all 50 states, the popularity of wines from smaller wineries continues to increase. Tom Kramer reports.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
