May 2021 Newsletter

Read the official MI Wine Month Proclamation, access the MWC MI Wine Month promotional materials, participate in or nominate for our MI Wine Month Showcase, Learn about the Judgement of MI event, read the newest issue of MI Wine Country & MI Uncorked, Listen to the first episode of Music in the Bottle’s MI Wine Series, and more!

It’s Officially MI Wine Month!

The Michigan Wine Collaborative (MWC) is thankful to Governor Gretchen Whitmer for the opportunity to officially announce May 2021 as Michigan Wine Month.

The theme of 2021 Michigan Wine Month is “Michigan Wine For All”. The Michigan wine industry has an economic impact totaling $5.4 billion in the state of Michigan, including providing 47,000-plus jobs equaling $1.8 billion in wages, according to a 2017 study conducted by John Dunham & Associates. MWC is committed to increasing inclusion and expanding those numbers and our industry.
In addition to uniting the entire MI wine industry, Michigan Wine Month is dedicated to educating consumers across Michigan and beyond about the quality and variety of world-class Michigan wines and the potential of our industry. We also strive to inspire MI wine consumers to consider careers in the MI wine industry.

Support your local farmers, winemakers, hospitality workers, and our local wine industry by drinking and sharing Michigan wine all month long, and beyond.

This is a time we celebrate the return of MI Wine Country season. Make sure to visit your favorite Michigan tasting rooms…and maybe some new favorites too, but please do it safely, social distanced, and masked up…remember to be kind too! We are up to 170 wineries in Michigan with something to offer to every kind of wine drinker. Help our tasting rooms #StaySafeStayOpen by supporting your local tasting rooms and those across the state!

Happy Michigan Wine Month!

Click Here to Read the Official Proclamation!

Access the MI Wine Month Promotional Materials!

MI Wine Month Professional Showcase

As an extension of promoting available MI wine jobs we will be showcasing MI wine professionals across the state. Please forward the form below to nominate or fill it out to be considered for this campaign. We will be featuring those specializing in Marketing on Mondays, Tasting Room Professionals, Winemakers on Wednesdays, Thursdays are for Retail and Restaurant and Viticulture professionals on Fridays. To participate fill out the Google form below.

Click Here to Nominate or Participate!

Judgement of MI Evaluation

MWC and Lake MI College will be hosting a wine evaluation on August 3rd featuring national wine writers and local wine buyers offering opportunities on their wine lists for MI wine. This evaluation, the Judgement of Michigan, will include interactive components for consumers of Michigan wine to join in as well as benefits tailored for large wineries looking to increase their product placements and for small wineries looking to increase tasting room traffic, and everyone in between.

Our vision for the Judgement of Michigan is to bring relevant, experienced, and diverse wine professionals and palates to taste, evaluate, and promote the wines of the Michigan wine industry. We have selected active wine professionals from media, retail, restaurant, wholesalers, and more to descend upon the Lake MI Shore AVA and share the MI wine message: Michigan wine is for everyone.

We will be releasing our brief press kit and press release later this month and full press kit and winery packets in early June.

Our planning committee will begin meeting in June. Please email Emily to volunteer!

New MI Wine Issues Out Now!

This Michigan Wine Month we are able to indulge in new issues of both Michigan Wine Country and Michigan Uncorked. Both publications are packed with Michigan wine news. Help us promote these MWC members and the Michigan wine industry by sharing these new issues!

Click here to read MI Wine Country

Click here to read Michigan Uncorked

MWC & MI Wine Podcast Partnerships

The MWC Inclusion & Expansion Committee has been developing relationships with local podcasts to produce episodes featuring MI Wine Collaborative members. Currently Music in the Bottle is wrapping up their SW MI inaugural series. Their episodes will feature Twine Urban Winery, Modales, GRNoir, and wrapping up with a collaboration and hand off episode with Red Wine & Chaos who will begin recording their SW MI wine in June.

The first episode of Music in the Bottle’s MI Wine Series dropped last week and features the state’s first and only Black Woman Commercial Winemaker, Nicole Roche Triplett. Learn how Nicole of Twine built a winery in the midst of a pandemic, found a midwestern wine mentor, went from carboys to placements in every Meijer, and more!

Stay tuned on more information on our upcoming Red Wine & Chaos series. Following the conclusion of our SW MI tour we would love to extend the series to NW and SE Michigan. Please contact Emily to learn more or participate!

Click here to listen to Music in the Bottle

May is Michigan Wine Month! We look forward each year to the opportunity to share the story of Michigan wine through promotions, sales and activities aimed at getting guests to visit wineries and experience the beautiful vineyards, countryside and delicious wines everyone is making. We remind old friends to come back and encourage others to become new friends. 2021 is particularly special as we emerge from the COVID pandemic. This May is not only a new season and a new vintage, it is a new beginning. We encourage all Michigan wineries to continue to follow MDHHS guidelines for COVID and be cautious, while at the same time sharing our optimism for the year ahead.

The vineyards are in good condition after a relatively mild winter with little to no bud damage from low winter temperatures. A series of frost events during April might have damaged some vineyards but it is too early to tell. As always is the case with frost events, damage is dependent on the specific site and variety. Overall, it does not appear that there is extensive damage. Now we need to get through a couple of more weeks of frost risk and then move on into the growing season. I am always optimistic that a great vintage is in the making!

The Judgement of Michigan wine judging plans are coming together for August 3rd at Lake Michigan College. A press release and invitations to enter are coming soon so keep an eye on your inbox.

Enjoy Michigan Wine Month and #staysafestayopen!

Michigan Wine in the News

Check out notable mentions in the media featuring Michigan Wine Collaborative members and promoting the Michigan Wine Industry

Keep Reading

The Michigan Wine Collaborative appreciates support from the following supplier/vendor members, sponsors, and donors:

2020 MWC Sponsors & Donors

Individual Donors:
Gordon Wenk
Mary Certa
Gretchen Townshend

Thank you for your support!

MWC May 2021 Newsletter