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07/19/2007Group aims to expand state industryCouncil also hopes to boost Mich. economy
Joe Herman, 52, who co-owns Karma Vista Vineyards and Winery with his wife, Sue, looks over his new plantings in Coloma Township. About half of the new grape plants are of the Pinot Gris variety and the other half are of the Syrah variety. COLOMA TOWNSHIP (AP) — Passing through some areas of extreme southwestern Michigan, it's easy for travelers to forget — briefly, at least — that they're not in California's Napa Valley or the Tuscany region of Italy. Vistas featuring rows of grapevines and fruit trees rise and fall with the gently rolling hills of northern Berrien County and western Van Buren county. With its growing number of wineries, the region is successfully combining two of the state's three largest industries: agriculture and tourism. Manufacturing remains No. 1, even with numerous high-profile layoffs and plant closings in recent years, particularly among domestic automakers and auto parts companies. The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council wants to increase the number of acres within the state devoted to growing wine grapes. Its members hope that raising Michigan's wine and wine-grape production will provide a bit of a boost to the state's sluggish economy. The council has set a goal of increasing wine-grape acreage more than six-fold, to 10,000 acres, by 2024. Last year, the state handed out more than $265,000 in grants as incentives to expansion-minded producers and winery owners. Some of the money was spent on new equipment, such as machines that prune vines. One grant went toward the development of a premium vodka distilled from grapes. Mike DiBernardo, who manages the grant for the Michigan Department of Agriculture, says he is trying to obtain another, similar grant from state lawmakers, but there's not much money to go around. Joe Herman, co-owner of Karma Vista Vineyards and Winery in Berrien County's Coloma Township, added seven new acres of wine grapes in May, for a total of 50. He also is preparing to help others interested in getting involved in wine production. He and Dave Miller, a winemaker at St. Julian Winery in Paw Paw, received one of the state grants to start up a consulting and management firm. They will advise clients on choosing property for vineyards, planting vines and building wineries, and will offer to manage the new operations. Herman says he backs the council's plans for growing the industry but cautions that such efforts elsewhere, including Australia, backfired because they overestimated the demand for their wines. "There's this huge potential (for success) but there's also this potential to overdo it,” says Herman, 52, a lifelong farmer. "Can we sell that much? That will be the key.” At his winery about 75 miles east of Chicago, he not only sells his wines — varieties include Cha Cha Chardonnay, Starry Starry White and Stone Temple Pinot — but also wine glasses, corkscrews, T-shirts and other items. California is by far the nation's leading wine-producing state. From July 2005 through June 2006, it produced 713.5 million gallons. New York was a distant second with 28.7 million while Michigan ranked 10th with 961,459. Even though Michigan will never be able to compete with California, it still has a lot of potential, Herman says. "We have a lot more natural gifts going for us with this enormous lake next to us,” he says. Michigan's wine industry has been growing steadily since the mid-1970s, says Linda Jones, executive director of the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. The Legislature created the council in 1985 to promote the industry. Choosing their sites carefully and aided by Michigan State University researchers, growers started planting the traditional European varieties of grapes used in nearly all the world's wines. Several varieties thrived, including chardonnay, Riesling, pinot noir and merlot. By 1995, 17 wineries had opened in Michigan and about 1,000 acres of wine grapes were being grown in the state. Michigan now boasts 50 wineries and 1,500 wine-grape acres. Between 4 percent and 5 percent of the wine consumed in Michigan is from the state. The sandy soil and temperate climate of the shoreline along Lake Michigan led to the development of wine regions in both the northwestern and southwestern portions of the Lower Peninsula. The council wants to see more wine grapes being grown in the coastal area in-between. Part of the challenge of expanding the industry is the cost of growing the grapes: about $15,000 per acre to plant grapes, excluding the cost of the land. "It's very expensive to put in an acre of grapes,” Jones says. "This is not a get-rich-quick business.” ——— On the Net: Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council: www.michiganwines.com
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