April 2025 Newsletter

Check out a Taste MI Invades MI Wine Month announcement, Participate in an Eastern Market MI Wine Tasting event, Be a part of The DREAM tasting room network, Read April’s Wine Law article, Get a preview of what’s coming up with If Vines Could Talk, Get an exclusive MWC member deal from Big O Smokehouse, Prepare for another round of Taste MI wholesale merch, Enroll in Vintage Michigan or adjust your listing, and more!

It’s Official! Taste MI Invades MI Wine Month!

The Michigan Wine Collaborative (MWC) is excited to announce Taste Michigan Invades Michigan Wine Month all May long from the Motor City to Grand Rapids..and beyond! Taste Michigan will be transforming the state’s largest metropolises into havens for wine enthusiasts and gastronomic aficionados alike. The month long extravaganza promises an unforgettable fusion of local flavors, exquisite wines, and unparalleled experiences.

This Michigan Wine Month embark on culinary journeys across the state as Michigan Wine Collaborative’s renowned winery members collaborate with restaurants and retailers, crafting exclusive Michigan wine-paired experiences at select locations. Immerse yourself in the art of wine and culinary perfection as each venue unveils a symphony of flavors curated to tantalize taste buds across Detroit and Grand Rapids. This is the premier chance to truly, Taste Michigan.

The official landing page is now LIVE and will be updated regularily as new events are confirmed. Plan your invasion using our interactive Detroit and Grand Rapids Invasion Maps. We will also be updating those with new events throughout April and May!
Want to be a part of Taste Michigan Invades programming? Join MWC Here or Contact Us!

Click Here to Check Out the Official Landing Page!

Be a Part of Taste Michigan Invades Eastern Market

MWC is coordinating Taste MI Invades the Eastern Market for our winery members to pour their wines in the iconic Eastern Market. This event is exclusive for MWC members. Taste MI Invades the Eastern Market takes place June 22nd in Shed 5 from 10am-4pm. We are excited to have our member wineries pour for Michigan wine consumers and the trade at this exciting event. If you are a MWC member and would like to participate please FILL OUT THIS FORM and purchase your booth space by April 22nd. There is VERY limited space so please sign up ASAP. CONTACT US HERE with any questions.

Are you a restaurant or retailer? Email us to get involved in the June installment of Taste MI Invades the D!

MWC’s The DREAM 2.0 Partnering with MI Tasting Rooms

For the launch of The DREAM 2.0 the Michigan Wine Collaborative will be partnering with MWC member tasting rooms across the state to sell the wine. This wine benefits the MWC Inclusion & Expansion Educational Fund by committing $1 of the profits from each bottle sold to provide educational awards to BIPOC wine professionals and aspiring wine professionals looking to advance their careers in Michigan wine from the areas of production to hospitality. The network of tasting rooms selling the wines will be included in an interactive map highlighting their support as well as promoting along side marketing efforts connecting to the MWC Inclusion & Expansion Committee and Educational Fund. We also ask our partners to consider matching the $1 profit donation via individual tasting room sales of the wine.

The DREAM 2.0 is a sparkling Riesling produced by St. Julian winery. The wine will be available for procurement via BOND-TO-BOND sales at $118/case. There will be convenient procurement spots where the wine can be picked up, they include St. Julian tasting rooms in the southern portion of the state and Chateau Chantal in Northern Michigan.

Please keep in mind the following per the MLCC:

Examples of donations deemed acceptable: A manufacturer manufactures a product with the express intent to donate all or a portion of the net profits from that product to an unlicensed non-profit entity.
Any promotion or advertising of the $1 per bottle should indicate that it is from the profits of the sale of the product.
The wine is sold as shiners to the participating wineries and they sell it only in their own tasting rooms and do not self-distribute it to retailers or sell it to a different wholesaler to distribute to retailers

If you are interested in supporting the wine in your tasting room please fill out the form below to participate. Once we begin building this network of tasting rooms each participating location will receive a packet with important information.

Click Here to Become a Part of The DREAM Network!

Wine Law with Howard & Howard

You have probably heard about the recent changes to Michigan’s employment laws via the Earned Sick Time Act (“ESTA”) that was approved by Michigan lawmakers. Especially with significant changes like these, it is crucial for you to stay informed and compliant. So, let’s dive into the key changes and what they mean for your winery business…

Click Here to Read the Full Article!

Click Here to Read the Full Wine Law Library!

If Vines Could Talk April & May Preview

May is Michigan Wine Month, and *If Vines Could Talk* is celebrating with a lineup of must-listen episodes! Among the mix:

Brian Lillie Returns: Our third and final interview with Brian Lillie, representing Brian Lillie and Company, as he shares insights into his business and Michigan’s wine industry.
Filkins Vineyards Unveiled: Winemaker Jason Johnson leads a deep dive into the newest releases from Filkins Vineyards.
Food and Wine Pairing Perfection: Veritas Estate winemaker Sherry Seston teams up with her husband, Chef Tim Schultz, for an unforgettable Michigan wine and culinary extravaganza.

And there is still some exciting episodes left to launch for the month of April! Tune in for:

Bottle Run Experience: Jason Menken, owner of The Bottle Run, Southwest Michigan’s premier luxury wine tour company, shares his approach to curating unforgettable tasting adventures, and more.
Michigan Wine Collaborative Insights: Executive Director Emily Dockery offers a deep dive into the vision, initiatives, and future of Michigan’s growing wine industry.

Tune in to *If Vines Could Talk*, available on all popular podcast platforms, as we toast to Michigan Wine Month!

Click Here to Listen!

MWC Welcomes Big O’ Smokehouse to the Membership!

Pair Your Pour with Big O’
Big O’ Smokehouse is proud to join the Michigan Wine Collaborative! As a family-owned smokehouse specializing in ready-to-eat smoked seafood, we offer high-quality snacks and spreads that are perfect for wine pairings, charcuterie boards, and tasting room menus.

An exclusive offer for MWC members will be emailed to the membership this week!

Let’s create something delicious together!
Email us at [email protected] to get started.

Straits Area Grape Growers Association Spring Kick-Off

Member Meeting – Spring Kick-Off

Date: Tuesday, May 13, 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

Location: Spare Key Winery

06872 Upper Bay Shore Road, Charlevoix, MI 49720

Agenda to include:

Meet & Greet

Vineyard design and planting overview

MDARD Pesticide Application Certification information

Pesticide application scheduling

Herbicides and other weed control in vineyards

Vineyard ground cover

Guest speakers in attendance

All members, their employees and volunteers are encouraged to attend.

Non-members are also welcome to attend (voluntary contributions are appreciated)

Click Here to Learn More!

Coming Up! Taste Michigan Spring Wholesale Ordering

MWC will be rolling out our Spring enrollment opportunity for Taste Michigan wholesale merchandise for tasting rooms. This merch can be co-branded with your logo alongside the Taste Michigan logo. MWC members enjoy exclusive discount pricing. More information will be available soon.

Vintage Michigan Spring Enrollment

We are entering the first open enrollment period of the year! Enroll your winery or business now in Michigan’s only statewide wine club. We publish our official Vintage Michigan Wine Club participant brochure in the spring and winter each year. NOW is the perfect time to lock in your spot. Attract new guests and loyal customers by offering discounts. Other benefits include promotion in our consumer focused newsletters which go out to over 4000 members, opportunity to post on our exclusive event calendar, and more!We are now offering advertising options in the brochure. Current offerings include:
Full page ad features (plus 2 targeted email blasts and 2 social media posts replicating the ad digitally): $500 for both editions of the brochure; $250 for Spring OR Winter edition
Half page ad features: (plus 1 targeted email blast and 1 social media post replicating the ad digitally):
$175 for both editions; $125 for Spring OR Winter

Please fill out the form below to secure your ad:
https://forms.gle/7Ny6PzcbXVHcdwzt5

Click Here to Enroll or Update Your Vintage MI Listing!

Shop Michigan Wine Gear!

Check out the official Michigan Wine Gear Store and stock up on all kinds of branded swag featuring Taste Michigan, Michigan Wine Collaborative, Cool is Hot, and Vintage Michigan. From hoodies to hats to joggers and more. We regularly update the shop with new designs and items. Check in often!

Click Here to Shop!

Promote Your Events with Vintage Michigan

We want to help promote your vineyard and winery events!! MWC members who are Vintage Michigan participants are welcomed to submit events at any time for promotion in the Vintage Michigan Event Calendar. These events are shared with the over 4000 Vintage Michigan members. Please submit via the form below or contact Emily with event information, links, graphics, and invitations.

Share Your Events for the Vintage Michigan Calendar Here!