Four county wineries have been recognized for their riesling wines in Decanter Magazine.
The magazine sent a reviewer to northwest Michigan last year to rank the rieslings of the region.
All the wines scored 90 and above on a 100-point scale, making them “highly recommended.”
“The continued recognition is a testament to our little corner of Michigan which has an abundance of vineyards on two outstanding grape-growing peninsulas,” said Sherri Campbell Fenton, president of the Traverse Wine Coast. “The oldest wineries here are 50 years old, and many are much less, yet we all continue to produce better and better wines.”
Fenton noted that while the review was only done on rieslings there is a growing recognition of other white wines like sauvignon blanc and pinot gris along with the red wines of the region.
“The Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsula wine trails both provide optimal expressions of winemaking,” Brianne Cohen wrote in her review. “They showcase the influence of the lake (Michigan) with very fruit-forward wines.” She noted the two peninsulas produce about 55% of the state’s wine production.
Here’s what Cohen had to say about the wines:
• Black Star Farms, Arcturous Dry Riesling (2021) — “Taking home the ‘Best in Show’ in Canberra International Riesling Competition in 2018, the current vintage still delivers.
• Verterra Winery, Dry Riesling (2021) — “The strong acidity aids in food-friendliness. Enjoy with spring rolls, pad thai, or grilled peaches and buratta.
• Rove Estate, Select Harvest Riesling (2021) — “The acidity lifts the palate to keep the wine refreshing and cleansing.”
• Shady Lane Cellars, Reserve Riesling (2020) — “The Rieslinglike tension of rocks(wet stone minerality) plus fruit give a zippy character to this wine.”
Old Mission Peninsula wineries receiving great reviews were Chateau Grand Traverse and Brys Estate.
