MALBEC AND SANGIOVESE IN MICHIGAN

a warm weather vine is: “Can it survive a Michigan winter?”

Matt Moersch, CEO and owner of Moersch Hospitality Group, said the unique conditions on the shore of Lake Michigan offer temperature regulation that keeps grapes cool in the summer. The company’s viticulturists then use canopy management to allow more sun onto the grapes, creating ideal conditions for a Sangiovese.

Rudy Shafer, winemaker for Dablon Vineyards & Winery in Baroda (about four miles east of Lake Michigan), said Malbec grapes grow so well that he has to thin the canopy.

“I try to prune until there’s one bunch per shoot. With that strategy, you can get between 3.1 and 5 tons per acre. Here Malbec grapes result in a red fruit, with a tart cherry, currant taste and a little bit of spiciness,” said Shafer.

Winemakers use different strategies to showcase warm weather grapes. Moersch makes his Sangiovese grapes into a straight varietal aged in French Oak for 16 months. The wine has notes of sun dried tomato, cherry, oregano, and tobacco.

Shafer makes a Malbec straight varietal, with aromas of strawberries and a hint of black pepper with flavors of red fruit, plum, and spice. He also uses up to 10 percent Malbec grapes in several of Dablon’s red blends, including the estate red blend.

“Malbec adds that little bit of spice that adds the aromas of plums and pepper. It just wouldn’t be the same without it,” said Shafer.

How Lake Michigan influences berries

Warm weather wine grapes grown along lake shores in a cooler climate tend to differ from those grown under hotter, drier conditions. Wine enthusiasts should expect Michigangrown Malbecs to be a bit less spicy than those from South America, said Kait Lemon, coowner of Lemon Creek Winery in Berrien Springs.

“The berries bounce between having a lush, fruit-forward taste and being on that spicier edge, depending on the growing season. French Oak barrels draw out the flavor,” said Lemon.

She adds Malbec vines are incredibly sensitive. A little more wind at a slightly higher elevation will cool the grapes, giving the wine more depth.

“Generally, Michigan-grown Malbec has aromas of cherry and plum. We have added it to Meritage, our North American Bordeaux-style wine, to provide dimension and depth,” said Lemon.

Jake Nivision, viticulturist for Domaine Berrien Cellars in Berrien Springs, said Malbec grapes grown in gentler winters have lovely, mild spice characteristics.

“These give the wine a dark purple fruit taste that’s full, rounder, and full of natural tannins. You have to be careful pruning. Malbec tends to make massive clusters. We do a lot of removal of clusters pre-harvest so we can adequately ripen the grapes that remain. We typically use Malbec in our Crown of Cab red blend,” said Nivision.

Experimenting with both

Mari Vineyards in Traverse City is currently growing both Malbec and Sangiovese grapes in Nella Serra hoop houses, a proprietary indoor growing environment. Sean O’Keefe, winemaker for Mari Vineyards, said he treats the varieties as

Since Mari Vineyards founder Marty Lagina comes from an Italian background, the winery planted more Sangiovese.

“Our Sangiovese has a very intense, grape-y fruit flavor. The “fruitiness” is balanced by ne textured grape tannins that are the hallmark of this grape. We build Bel Tramonto, a red blend, around Sangiovese…with other tannic Italian varieties like Refosco and Teroldego, and sometimes a dash of Nebbiolo. Then we blend (in) some Merlot to round it out,” said O’Keefe.

Demand for warm weather wines is rising

All the sources interviewed said wine club members and new customers have become more curious about wines from hotter climates.

“People don’t expect these vines in Michigan. Also we don’t make a lot of wines containing Malbec and Sangiovese. That and the quality of our red blends containing these wines make them among our top sellers,” said O’Keefe.

Lemon said she plans to use the Malbec, which is one of the original five main Bordeaux wine grape varietals, to create a traditional French Bordeaux-style blend.

“Malbec will contrast the harshness of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Right now we’re giving our Malbec vines full sunlight and an assist from a trellis system to make sure the big berries survive the rain,” said Lemon.

Nivision said he sees the future for a Michigan-grown Malbec in getting the wine closer to a European Malbec.

“We want Michigan Malbecs to retain more acidity. The grapes should give the aroma of fresh fruit,” said Nivision.

William Schopf, owner and manager of Dablon Vineyards & Winery, agrees.

“Dablon’s Malbec is very similar to a French style-Malbec. It’s reminiscent of wines made in cool climates, with a nice minerality. We age it in French Oak barrels,” said Schopf.

Nivision said his goal for Domaine Berrien Cellars is to ripen fruit without raisining it. The idea is to ensure that the wine comes out clean and refined.

“Ultimately we want to share the taste of fresh plum, not plum sauce, and notes of black pepper, without any bitterness,” said Nivision.

About The Author

Jessica Zimmer is a wine writer based in northern California. She is also a California, Florida, and New York-licensed attorney. She enjoys learning about the geology and growing seasons of different appellations.