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64 WINES&VINES June 2017 GRAPEGROWING WINE EAST i n g r i s k s . T h e s e p a t h s a r e different in the concentration of total vinifera and resistant culti- vars (see "Change in Popular Cul- tivars"). In northwest Michigan, the top five cultivars for total acreage have comprised the bulk of wine grape acreage growth since 2000, particularly Riesling, and demonstrates that success- fully growing these cultivars has been the focus of this region. In southwest Michigan, the top five wine grape cultivars for total acreage saw a steady decrease from 1990 to 2010. The expand- ing number of cultivars during that time suggests that the goal for the southwest Michigan region was experimentation with a vari- ety of plantings. The slight in- crease from 2010 to 2014 signals that the search for the most suit- able wine grape cultivars for southwest Michigan growing con- ditions may be coming to a close. Despite the current difference in vinifera acreage between the two regions, northwest Michigan's ability to grow significant acreage of red vinifera cultivars such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Merlot reveal the added potential for successful expansion of red vinifera acreage in southwest Michigan, in addition to the num- ber of red vinifera cultivars cur- rently occupying small acreage. Total wine grape acreage and number of wineries Growth of Michigan's wine grape industry is often related to the number of wineries located throughout the state, which have increased significantly since the mid-1990s. While expansion in both total wine grape acreage and the number of wineries should im- plicate industry growth, the ratio between these two values over time should be considered a more accurate method. When Michigan's total wine grape acreage is divided by the number of wineries approved by the TTB, an intriguing figure is produced. In 1970, there were 13.0 acres of wine grapes for each win- ery, and as acreage saw a large surge in the 1990s (largely attrib- uted to vinifera in the northwest AVAs), this value reached 43.0 acres per winery. However, in 2014, this ratio had decreased to 19.0, indicating that the rate of acreage increase was much lower than that of the wineries. While the figure presented in this section relates to certain eco- nomic principles, we have no train- ing in this field and cannot speculate about the most appropriate ratio of wine grape acres to wineries for the state. Therefore, we must come to conclusions from the point of view of a viticulturist. First, from its be- ginnings, the focus of viticulture in northwest Michigan has been to limit the negative impact of variable environmental conditions that lead to low heat accumulation and in- consistent ripening of vinifera culti- vars from year to year. Despite the challenges this brings, northwest Michigan has seen rapid expansive growth in both the number of wineries and wine grape acreage. This indicates that viticulture and winemaking have learned from and success- fully adapted to Mother Nature in these two AVAs. This is especially true when considering white vinif- era cultivars such as Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, which are consistently recognized across the country for their quality. Sec- ond, southwest Michigan has shown growing conditions suit- able to consistently ripen red vi- nifera cultivars since the inception of vinifera plantings in the state. As a region with 30% more GDDs on a yearly basis, southwest Mich- igan has the capacity for a greater number of red vinifera plantings such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Conclusion A consumer's knowledge of wine can be greatly enhanced through their local tasting room experi- ence. However, it has repeatedly been shown that these consumers are more likely to purchase wine made with classic vinifera culti- vars such as Chardonnay and Mer- lot. It is important then that tasting rooms can offer these wines. The increasing acreage of vinifera cultivars in Michigan has made this task easier and will con- tinue to improve the tasting room experience throughout the state. While growing a large number of cultivars can be important for con- tinuous experimentation due to changing consumer preferences and environmental conditions, there is an advantage to recogniz- ing and concentrating on the cul- tivars that best reflect a growing region. A contrast exists in this regard between the northwest and southwest Michigan growing re- gions. In northwest Michigan, new and existing acreage is continu- ously being devoted to fewer cul- tivars, and this has allowed this region to establish an identity in cultivars such as Riesling, Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio. While simi- lar trends indicate that southwest Michigan is heading in this direc- tion, their identity through vari- ous cultivars is not as established as the northwest part of the state. Finally, the increasing disparity between the number of wineries and the availability of "Michigan- grown" wine grape acreage to supply those wineries solidifies the need for growth in wine grape acreage. Due to the challenges as- sociated with growing more mar- ketable cultivars in cool climates, this acreage growth may not come as quickly as desired. These condi- tions hindering growth must be the primary focus of viticulturists and researchers in Michigan so that future growth and patterns may continue to be assessed over the next 50 years. Josh Vanderweide is a graduate student of horticulture at Michigan State Univer- sity, Paolo Sabbatini is an associate professor of horticulture at Michigan State University, and G. Stanley Howell is professor emeritus of viticulture and enology at Michigan State University. Natural Corks Champagne Corks Twinline Corks Bartops VISION Synthetic Corks G-Cap® Screw Caps Sales Representatives: Chris & Liz Stamp info@lakewoodcork.com lakewoodcork.com 4024 State Route 14 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 607-535-9252 607-535-6656 Fax PIONEER INNOVATOR PARTNER There is an advantage to recognizing and concentrating on the cultivars that best reflect a growing region.