Want the lowdown on Michigan wines? Try these.
Kathleen Lavey
With 127 wineries scattered from the southwest corner of the state all the way into the Upper Peninsula, Michigan makes a staggering variety of wine.
Don't worry if you don't know what to choose. Cortney Casey is here to help, and just in time.
May is Wine Month in Michigan, and it's also a beautiful time of year to visit vineyards or simply drink a glass of wine outside.
Casey, 36, and her husband, Shannon, both certified sommeliers, run the website michiganbythebottle.com, which celebrates and promotes Michigan wines. They also operate three tasting rooms in the suburban Detroit communities of Shelby Township, Royal Oak and Auburn Hills.
The first thing to do if you haven't tried Michigan wines in a while: Clear your head to start over.
"There are a lot of people who tried Michigan wines maybe 20 years ago, when it was a really fledgling industry, and they got the impression that all Michigan can do is sweet white wines," Casey said.
Although sweet white wines such as a late-harvest riesling remain crowd favorites, the industry has evolved fast in two decades.
"There are plenty of wonderful dry white wines, plenty of rosé from dry to sweet, sparkling wines," Casey said. "There are dry reds, and that is something that people don't know about."
Here are her tips and recommendations for appreciating what the state's wineries have to offer:
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--Go beyond sweet riesling. "Riesling is probably Michigan's No. 1 signature grape," she said. "The wonderful thing about riesling is it's really versatile and can be done in a wide variety of styles." if you're used to drinking the sweet, late-harvest riesling, move into a semi-dry or dry offering to expand your taste a bit.
--Try a pinot blanc or a vidal blanc. The pinot blanc grape produces a light and refreshing white wine; the vidal blanc is a hybrid. "There are a lot of good pinot blancs in Michigan," she said. One that stands out is made by Left Foot Charley Wine and Cider in Traverse City. She also likes vidal blancs from Sandhill Crane Vineyards near Jackson and from Verterra Winery near Leland.
--Auxerrois is up-and-coming. This white grape has qualities similar to chardonnay and pinot blanc. "A lot of times, it has some tropical notes," Casey said. Several wineries are producing their own Michigan-grown versions of it, including Chateau Fontaine near Lake Leelanau, Bel Lago Vineyards near Cedar and Hawthorne Vineyards on Old Mission Peninsula.
--A nice rosé​ is perfect for summer. "It's a great wine for this time of year when it's starting to get warm, and it's refreshing," she said. She likes to put down red wines when the weather is warm — "It feels like you're drinking soup" — and choose something lighter. One she recommends: the signature rosé from Brys Estate on Old Mission Peninsula, a blend of cabernet franc, merlot and pinot noir grapes.
--Drink more sparkling wine. "A lot of people associate sparkling wine only with celebrations like New Year's Eve and weddings," Casey said. "I'll drink it on a Tuesday night. I'll drink it at party. I'll drink it anytime." The place to check out if you like sparkling wine: L Mawby.
"They do exclusively sparkling wine from bone dry up to very sweet at a range of prices," Casey said.
--A red blend may be just the ticket. The Caseys just got back from a wine trip to Bordeaux, France, famous for its red wines that blend several different types of grapes. A Michigan blend she likes: Aviatrix Crimson from Chateau Aeronautique near Jackson. lt blends red merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon grapes.
"It's one of the main ones I use as an example for people who claim they don't like Michigan reds," Casey said. "It's definitely bold. It has a lot of body to it. There's a lot of complexity to it."
--There might be merit in a meritage. That's a North American Bordeaux-style blend, and several Michigan wineries make great ones, Casey said. Try a meritage from Fenn Valley, St. Julian and a wine produced by St. Ambrose Cellars called Crescendo. "I just discovered that one a few months ago, and I keep ordering bottles," Casey said.
--Have you ever heard of a lemberger? If you haven't, you should. This type of red grape is not widely known -- in fact, one article about it is titled "Lemberger's Long Slide Into Oblivion." Casey said some people might associate it with the similarly-named Limburger cheese, which is too strong for most people. But lemberger isn't like that at all.
"It's kind of like a rustic wine, and it has a spice to it," she said. A lemberger she likes comes from Domaine Berrien Cellars near Berrien Springs. Other wineries may produce a lemberger under a proprietary name, so ask. For example, Shady Lane Cellars near Sutton's Bay calls its version "Blue Franc."
Her parting shot on red wines: "Whenever people say to me they can't find a red wine they like in Michigan, I think people just aren't looking very hard," she said.
Contact Kathleen Lavey at (517) 377-1251 or klavey@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @kathleenlavey.
Check out the Caseys' recommendations at michiganbythebottle.com.
Learn more about Michigan wine at www.michiganwines.com.