Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/830382
June 2017 WINES&VINES 61 WINE EAST GRAPEGROWING B y looking back at history, we can track our origins and com- pare past patterns to better understand our current state. Modern technology can teach us new ways to do things, but it is history that tells us why we do them. Ap- plying this model can help to analyze any in- dustry—in this case the Michigan wine grape industry, one of the growing sectors of agricul- tural commodities in the state. In 1970, Michigan was home to eight win- eries and had less than 50 acres planted to wine grapes. During the next 45 years, a sub- stantial expansion in wine grape plantings allowed this figure to reach 2,800 acres in 2014, and now, more than 164 bonded and virtual wineries are located across the state, according to Wines Vines Analytics. During this time, many changes have occurred in Michigan's two primary growing regions. Ex- amining these patterns will offer a reflection on the history and environment of both grow- ing areas as well as a prediction for their con- tinued potential as premier wine grape growing regions. Currently, Michigan has five American Viti- cultural Areas (AVAs), which are established by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Two of these AVAs are situated in southwest (S.W.) Michigan: Fennville AVA (established 1981) and Lake Michigan Shore AVA (estab- lished 1983), and two are in northwest (N.W.) Michigan: Leelanau Peninsula AVA (established 1982) and Old Mission Peninsula AVA (estab- lished 1987). The fifth AVA, Tip of the Mitt AVA, was created in north central Michigan in 2016. Michigan ranks fourth among all 50 states for total grapevine acreage. However, approxi- mately 80% of this acreage is planted with Vitis labrusca (primarily Concord and Niag- ara), which are utilized by the grape juice industry. When only wine grape acreage is counted, Michigan places 10th in the United States. For this combination, along with sig- nificant pest- and disease-resistant cultivars, Michigan viticulture is considered "mixed viticulture," a situation often seen in Midwest grapegrowing states. Data for this article was obtained from the 1991 and 1995 USDA Michigan Fruit Rota- tional Surveys and the 2000, 2003, 2006, 2011 and 2014 USDA Michigan Fruit Inventory. Be- cause of its recent formation, Tip of the Mitt AVA acreage data was not included. The term "wine grapes" in this article refers to vinifera and resistant cultivars. Vitis labrusca cultivar acreage was excluded in this report, as their utilization for juice or wine production could not be distinguished. Industry growth and vinifera acreage There are distinct differences in the evolution of wine grape acreage and cultivars between the northwest and southwest AVAs. This is best high- lighted during the decade between 1990 and 2000. In 1970, true wine grapes were introduced to Michigan vineyards as alternatives to labrusca cultivars. Wine grape acreage in the state has continued to increase steadily since 1970, and this growth is generally reflected by the total acreage in S.W. Michigan leading up to 1990, Back to the Future A historical viticulture perspective on the Michigan grape industry By Josh Vanderweide, Paolo Sabbatini and G. Stanley Howell KEY POINTS Michigan has two main grapegrowing regions: the southwest around Fennville and along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and the northwest including the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas. In 1970, the grape industry in southwest Michigan was based primarily on Vitis labrusca varieties including Concord and Niagara, and wine grapes were just being introduced to the area. In the decades between 1970 and 1990, pest- and disease-resistant wine grape cultivars were planted in both regions in Michigan. After 1990, plantings of Vitis vinifera vines in the northwest region grew rapidly, while plantings in southwest Michigan included both the resistant wine grapes and vinifera varieties. Riesling is the most planted wine grape cultivar in Michigan, and 80% of the state's total Riesling acreage is planted in northwest Michigan. RESISTANT CULTIVARS, AKA HYBRIDS T here is increasing interest among grape breeders worldwide in the development of cultivars that are more resistant to pests and disease, even in areas where the public is skeptical of hybrid varieties. In this article, the term "resistant" is introduced to describe French hybrids, interspecific hybrids or any other resistant cultivars of both European and North American origins. In many ways, resistant cultivars were a key to the rapid changes that took place in the Great Lakes region and paved the way for the current mixed viticulture there that includes both Vitis vinifera and the new interspecific hybrid varieties.