TN: Some Northern Michigan Wine Notes

Paul_Miller · April 23, 2021, 2:43am

Ok, since you brought it up, go to Cherry Republic for all things cherry. But especially, get the cherry maple syrup. Makes the best Maple Manhattan.

Jim_Brennan · April 23, 2021, 12:02pm

Great thread. I’m very familiar with the better MI wineries, but was not aware of the changes going on with cherry production.

Thanks for the thanks on Wyncroft Greg.

JeffK · April 26, 2021, 4:05pm

Definitely recommend Wyncroft if you are in SW Michigan. I posted a few notes on his wines last October.

I’ll likely be stopping in to see Jim again in the next month as he let me harvest some apples from his estate last year to make cider and I have some bottles for him. Also used some of his Semillon to make a Piquette last year.

VM

James_G_Lester · April 28, 2021, 1:43pm

Thanks so much for the Wyncroft mentions. I haven’t been on Wine Berserkers for a number of years! I’ll be posting more soon

GregT · April 29, 2021, 3:30am

Please do. Your wines deserve to be better known. Excellent and surprising to people who don’t think of Michigan as a fine wine producing state.

James_G_Lester · April 29, 2021, 1:29pm

Thanks Greg T.,
As many of you may know, (or not) my life was turned upside down by the loss of my partner and wife, Rae Lee in 2009. I can’t remember much about 2010- 2012 other than some wonderful people helped me make it through. I met Daun Page in 2012 and we married in the vineyard in 2013. Then more big changes. We brought in the excellent 2013 vintage together, then bought the new 93 acre estate in winter of 2014 and moved into the very fine home at 1055 64th Street, Pullman, MI, 49450. We refurbished the two level garage and moved the winery into it. So yes I’m a “garagiste”. We then planted another 6 acres of grapes, 8 clones of Sauvignon Blanc, 2 clones of Semillon, 5 clones of Merlot, clone 214 Cabernet Franc from the Loire, and more Pinot Noir, Dijon clones 943, 115, Wadenswil 02A, Calera, and a Rhys suitcase clone. We named this vineyard “LePage Estate”. We are in the Fennville AVA just North of South Haven, MI, about two hours drive from Chicago. (much closer than Traverse City) We’ve been busy with the estate and seeing visitors here. I get out in the market much less than I used to, and we are distributed by Cream Wine Company in Chicago and IMPERIAL beverage in Michigan. So you can acquire my wines in the Chicagoland area more easily. In addition I now make a “Village” series of wines called “Marland” which is made from Michigan grown fruit from grower friends who will abide by my standards. These wines are around $19.00 per bottle and are also patterned after French classical styles. In the Marland line I make a Graves style Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, Spatlese style Riesling, stainless steel Chardonnay, Bourgogne style Pinot Noir, Loire style Cabernet Franc, dryish to dry Rose of Cabernet Franc, and a Petite Chateau style Bordeaux blend called “Magenta”. We’ve added “Shou Blanc” to the Wyncroft line which is my Michigan version of a Pessac-Leognan, 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon, a “Anti-Sideways” Merlot inspired by a trip to Pomerol and St. Emilion, and a “LePage Estate Pinot Noir. We ar putting in a new block of Chardonnay in just two weeks composed of Dijon clones 1066, 548, 95, and Hyde clone 112.1, and Prosser clone UCD15. This block will produce a partial malo-lactic Puligny- Montrachet style hopefully within the next two to three years. I have a profound respect for the classical French tradition, so do not compare my efforts to these lightly. I hope some on this board will visit.

Jim_Brennan · April 29, 2021, 2:50pm

Thanks Greg T.,
As many of you may know, (or not) my life was turned upside down by the loss of my partner and wife, Rae Lee in 2009. I can’t remember much about 2010- 2012 other than some wonderful people helped me make it through. I met Daun Page in 2012 and we married in the vineyard in 2013. Then more big changes. We brought in the excellent 2013 vintage together, then bought the new 93 acre estate in winter of 2014 and moved into the very fine home at 1055 64th Street, Pullman, MI, 49450. We refurbished the two level garage and moved the winery into it. So yes I’m a “garagiste”. We then planted another 6 acres of grapes, 8 clones of Sauvignon Blanc, 2 clones of Semillon, 5 clones of Merlot, clone 214 Cabernet Franc from the Loire, and more Pinot Noir, Dijon clones 943, 115, Wadenswil 02A, Calera, and a Rhys suitcase clone. We named this vineyard “LePage Estate”. We are in the Fennville AVA just North of South Haven, MI, about two hours drive from Chicago. (much closer than Traverse City) We’ve been busy with the estate and seeing visitors here. I get out in the market much less than I used to, and we are distributed by Cream Wine Company in Chicago and IMPERIAL beverage in Michigan. So you can acquire my wines in the Chicagoland area more easily. In addition I now make a “Village” series of wines called “Marland” which is made from Michigan grown fruit from grower friends who will abide by my standards. These wines are around $19.00 per bottle and are also patterned after French classical styles. In the Marland line I make a Graves style Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, Spatlese style Riesling, stainless steel Chardonnay, Bourgogne style Pinot Noir, Loire style Cabernet Franc, dryish to dry Rose of Cabernet Franc, and a Petite Chateau style Bordeaux blend called “Magenta”. We’ve added “Shou Blanc” to the Wyncroft line which is my Michigan version of a Pessac-Leognan, 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon, a “Anti-Sideways” Merlot inspired by a trip to Pomerol and St. Emilion, and a “LePage Estate Pinot Noir. We ar putting in a new block of Chardonnay in just two weeks composed of Dijon clones 1066, 548, 95, and Hyde clone 112.1, and Prosser clone UCD15. This block will produce a partial malo-lactic Puligny- Montrachet style hopefully within the next two to three years. I have a profound respect for the classical French tradition, so do not compare my efforts to these lightly. I hope some on this board will visit.

Good to see you online Jim. I moved from Detroit to Chicago during the 2010-2012 period. I continue to pick up bottles when I visit MI from the various Michigan by the Bottle stores (I still have some Chardonnays from the early-mid 2000s and a few other various bottles such as Riesling, Pinot, etc). Fwiw, my daughter just decided to enroll in Hope College for college which is in your proverbial back yard, so I expect I’ll finally be visiting you in person in the near future.

James_G_Lester · April 30, 2021, 2:12am

Excellent Jim. I’d love to reconnect! I fondly remember that Chateau Lafon-Rochet we shared!