Northern Michigan Wine Summit on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmrdIJFqArQ

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#

TRAVERSE CITY RECORD EAGLE ARTICLE: Summit offers taste of area wine

Event showcases and promotes local offerings

BY BILL O'BRIEN

bobrien@record-eagle.com

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.

"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.

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:

http://www.record-eagle.com/business/local_story_120095539.html

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.

TV 7/4: http://tv7-4.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=127391

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.

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wiaa/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1267317&sectionID=1

Northern Michigan Wine Summit - 2008

The 2nd Annual Northern Michigan Wine Summit returns to Traverse City on Monday, April 28 at the Park Place Hotel as the wineries of both Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsula collaborate to increase the awareness and quality of their award-winning industry.

Some 150 industry VIPs – including restaurant & wine shop owners, educators, area wine distributors, tourism partners and the media – will gather throughout the day to be informed of the benefits of selling and supporting the local wine industry.

“This event allows us to identify and educate those in the service industry who are ambassadors for local wines,” says Liz Berger from Chateau Chantal Winery on Old Mission Peninsula. “We’ll give them the tools they need to inform their staff and ultimately their customers about the quality wines that we are producing this region.

Throughout the morning, a group of distinguished panelists will offer an outsiders perspective of the Northern Michigan wine region, addressing not only the quality of the wines but the impression the industry has throughout the state, and the impact that the wine industry has on the local, regional and state tourism economy.

Chef Eric Villages, host of the PBS Show “Fork in the Road” and author of the Michigan Notable Cookbook of the same name, will serve as moderator for the day’s activities. Panelists include:

• Kristin Kitely – Food and Beverage Director for Crystal Mountain Resort
  
  
• Richard Leahy – East Coast Editor and Director of Programs for Vineyard Winery & Management
  
  
• John State – Executive Chef for the Grand Rapids JW Marriott

• Madelline Triffon – Master Sommelier and beverage director for Matt Prentice Restaurant Group



• Claudia Tyagi – Master Sommelier and private wine consultant

At noon the panelists will focus on their special table that will then be featured at the trade tasting portion of the rest of the day. Each panelist will offer an educational table highlighting for example the difference between the various sweetness levels of Riesling, confidently selling Northern Michigan Red wines, or white Pinots. These wines will be “brown-bagged” to highlight the style, sweetness level, or varietal focus rather than the brand. Each participating winery will also have a tasting table and information about their wines.

From 1-4pm, service and retail staff from throughout the region will be asked to join in the tasting activities, getting a first hand introduction to the wines that are being produced in Northern Michigan.

Summit Timeline

10:00am Welcome & Opening Remarks

10:25am Richard Leahy – discussion of “Range of Riesling”

10:35am Madelline Triffon – White Pinots

10:45am Claudia Tyagi – Selling Michigan Red with Confidence

10:55am John State – Dessert wines, Fruit wines

11:05am Kristin Kitely – pairing Regional Food with Regional Wines

11:05am Luncheon is served

11:20am Q&A session begins

11:45am Session Ends (Group moves to the Top of the Park)

12:00pm Panelists educational brown bag tables are open and VIP tasting begins

12:00pm Winery tables open and VIP tasting begins

1:00pm General Admittance to the service and retail staff throughout the region and state