November 2017 Newsletter

Collaborative Hires New Project Director via Specialty Crop Block Grant

As the Michigan Wine Collaborative continues to grow, the need for one individual to coordinate its multi-faceted goals has been observed: enter Emily Dockery, a fresh face with an associates degree in Enology & Viticulture from Lake Michigan College and International Studies from Kalamazoo Valley. Emily is currently in her fourth year as a wine steward for two markets in the Kalamazoo area. In her wine steward position, Emily decides wine buying for the stores and strives to find the perfect homes for each of those wines. A goal for her is to get Michigan wines in as many homes as possible and to wake up sleepy palates all over Kalamazoo county and beyond with world class Michigan wines. She also is employed seasonally as a vineyard assistant with Lawton Ridge vineyards in Lawton, MI which is where much of her passion lies. Emily believes having even a basic knowledge of how the vine and the vineyard operates can be extremely advantageous to forming a well rounded palate and general understanding of wines on a global scale.

The creation of Emily’s position was made possible by board member Jessica Youngblood of Youngblood Vineyard, who spearheaded the grant via the Michigan Department of Agriculture &Rural Development. “During the interview process, it was immediately apparent that Emily’s knowledge and enthusiasm would make her perfect for this job”, Jess explains. “She has already jumped right in and taken over responsibility for the membership drive, managing our social media accounts and is also developing some exciting ways to showcase the Michigan Wine Industry at many up coming events across the United States.” This is the perfect way to start a new year at the MWC, and each of us at the Collaborative truly looks forward to working with our new director.

MWC Annual Meeting Announced, re-elections and open seats

The second annual meeting of the Michigan Wine Collaborative is scheduled for Thursday, March 1st from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo, Michigan during the 2018 Michigan Grape & Wine Conference. Please join us for a brief update on our achievements throughout 2017, and a look at our goals for the new year.

Directly following the general meeting, the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors and members will be held. One area of focus for this meeting is the election of upcoming vacant board seats. As per the MWC Bylaws, nominations for board members must be made at least two weeks prior toa meeting, and must be voted in by a majority of current voting members. The empty seats thus far for February, 2018 are as follows:

Open – Southeast Winery

Open – Northeast Winery

There are also several slots up for reelection. Any inquiries or nominations for board member seats may be directed to Emily Dockery at [email protected].

Additional News:

Another great harvest in the books! The unexpected late-season warmth and dryness offered great quantity and quality fruit for our 2017 vintage- both whites and reds. October rains enabled our vines to toughen up their wood for the winter,and are just as eager for the upcoming year as we are. Cheers!
Reminder that MWC dues are requested by December 31st, 2017. Renew your membership online at https://mwc.wildapricot.org.
Communications committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 12th at 11 am. Any inquiries may be directed to committee chair Brian Lesperance.
MWC members get $20 off registration for the 2018 Michigan Grape & Wine Conference! Register at: https://www.michiganwines.com/2018conference-sessions
Dr. Trevor Kubatzke of Lake Michigan College pledges to serve only southwest Michigan wines at Mendel Center events
MWC Board to attend Michigan Greenhouse Growers/Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Market Expo on Tuesday, December 5-7.
Sustainability committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 14th at 1 pm. Any inquiries may be directed to committee chair Matt Moersch.
The Great Lakes Sustainable Wine Alliance has reached 70 members, with over 80 percent of MWC members enrolled for a better Michigan!

Reminder that board meetings take place bi-monthly. All members (voting and non-voting) are welcomed to attend. In addition, time is allotted for public comments or questions. The next board meeting is scheduled for 10 am on Thursday, December 14th. Please contact us at[email protected]or message us on Facebook for further information

For more news and information, please visit us atwww.michiganwinecollaborative.com. As always, please like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram @michiganwinecollaborative, and now follow us on LinkedIn. We look forward to seeing you online!

Cheers,

Dave Miller, President