Field of Dreams in Leelanau County
by Jim Rink
I first realized that my father was serious
about growing grapes when he announced his intention to raze our modest,
but popular baseball diamond in favor of a nursery. My brothers and I created
that ball park, hacking it out from a fallow field with a regular push-type
lawnmower. We even built a substantial chicken-wire backstop to halt the
progress of an errant pitch.
In a rude reversal of the magical "Field of Dreams" scenario,
Bernie Rink told us the diamond would have to go, replaced by a crop that
no one in those parts had ever heard of--wine grapes.
Little did we know at the time, that his field of dreams would eventually
lead to the establishment of the commercial wine industry in northern Michigan.
It began in 1965, when dad got a hold of Phil Wagner's book, "American
Wines and Winemaking" (published today as "Grapes Into Wine").
As the library director of Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City,
he had access to a lot of books. He also had access to land, having bought
16 rolling acres in the middle of Leelanau County, the state's "little
finger," jutting out into northern Lake Michigan. Sitting on the 45
th parallel, the peninsula is on a latitudinal par with winegrowing regions
in southern France and northern Italy.
In an effort to turn his five sons into economic assets, Bernie decided
to plant a one-acre test plot of several French-American hybrid grape varieties
and a few of the less hardy vitis vinifera Chardonnay, Johannisberg
Riesling and Gewurtztraminer. Back then, the hybrids were all numbered Seibel
5279 (Aurore), Seibel 7053 (Chancellor), Seibel 9549 (deChaunac), Seibel
10878 (Chelois) and Seibel 13053 (Cascade). Seibel, needless to say, had
a lot of time on his hands.
As economic assets, we were expected to chop weeds in the sweltering heat
of mid-summer and pick grapes in the stinging sleet of late fall. Not to
mention pruning in knee-deep snow in the winter and sorting out the good
wood, which would be plunged into our new-found nursery in the spring to
repeat the endless, monotonous cycle.
But it was fun. We used to make up lively little songs about the vineyard
to the tune of "Tah, Rah, Rah, Boom-de-ay":
- We work at Boskydel,
- the closest thing to hell.
- We're never treated well,
- at slave camp Boskydel.
Working closely with Bernie in the early days was retired Michigan State
University chemistry professor Bob Herbst, who established an experimental
vineyard of his own in 1971 on the cooler east shore of Lake Michigan. Due
to the difference in microclimate between the two sites, Herbst's hybrids
would often ripen a week later.
In the ensuing years, Herbst and Rink played host to numerous would-be winemakers,
entrepreneurs, members of the media and the just plain curious. All of the
individuals who would one day open their own wineries in the region began
by talking to these two trailblazers.
Both men began their avocations strictly in the amateur sense. But then,
with Rink, something went horribly wrong. The vision of five sons-all that
free labor-proved to be irresistible, instilling a larger, grander desire.
In 1975, construction began on Boskydel Vineyard, the first bonded winecellar
in Leelanau County. Rink, the boss of Boskydel, owned 56 acres of land,
25 acres planted in grapes. Only Chateau Grand Traverse, on nearby Old Mission
Peninsula, was founded earlier than Boskydel; but it was anti-climactic,
as the winery opened with no commercial crush of its own, importing all
of the first few vintages, strictly vinifera, from California and other
locations.
Boskydel's varietals: Aurore, Vignoles, Soleil Blanc, Seyval Blanc, deChaunac
and Rose de Chaunacãare decidedly French in character. They are crisp,
clear wines with a touch of oak and plenty of time in the bottle. The winery
bottles approximately 6,500 gallons per year. Emphasis is placed on intensive
viticulture. "If you grow good grapes, the wine will make itself,"
Rink says.
Early experiments at Boskydel Vineyard with Riesling and Chardonnay ended
in, well, indifference. Although the vines did grow and a fairly good wine
could be produced, it was felt that the results were not consistent enough
to merit the additional time and expense of maintaining larger tracts.
Unfortunately, too much has been made of the alleged rift between the hybrid
growers and the vinifera growers of the region, such as Ed O'Keefe of Chateau
Grand Traverse. In point of fact, none of the wineries disputed the fact
that vinifera could be grown, and all of them currently offer one or more
vinifera varietals for sale (Boskydel will unveil a Pinot Noir in the near
future).
The difference is, the Leelanau Peninsula wineries waited until their hybrid
vineyards were established before pursuing the more tender vinifera, which
requires greater care and treatment. The hybrids served as the "work
horses" of these wineries, which needed a consistent crop of dependable
wine grapes to become established.
By contrast, Chateau's first major commercial harvest did not take place
until 1983, and the winery the largest in the area at 50,000 gallons continues
to buy up to half of its grapes from other winegrowing regions.
In 1977, Leelanau Wine Cellars, Ltd. debuted. Begun by local cherry grower
Chuck Kalchik and his partner, attorney Mike Jacobson, the winery is the
largest on the Leelanau Peninsula. Nate Stackhouse, their first winemaker,
was a congenial, outgoing individual. He and my father shared many an afternoon
comparing notes and vintages. Nate once helped us out with a mysterious
pectin haze which developed in one of our reds. Leelanau is probably most
famous for its cherry wine, a mainstay that will always be popular with
the tourists who visit Traverse City, the "Cherry Capitol of the World."
The winery currently has 35 acres of grapes and 20 acres of plantable land,
which they intend to convert to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They produce
wines from Aurore, Vignoles, Baco Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Proprietary labels include Renaisannce, Spring Splendor, Summer Sunset,
Autumn Harvest and Winter White.
In 1978, Larry Mawby unveiled the third Leelanau Peninsula winery: L.
Mawby Vineyards. Called "the best of a new breed of Michigan winemakers"
by Detroit Free Press writer James Ricci, Mawby lives up to his reputation
by producing traditional, French-style table wines of the highest quality.
L. Mawby's annual production of 2,400 cases is small, on purpose. Crucial
to the Mawby method are imported French oak barrels and a high-powered air
rifle to "scare" the birds away in the fall.
Both Mawby and Rink subscribe to the French "dying vine theory"
which broadly states: the harder a vine has to struggle to survive, the
better the wine. This does not mean they go to great lengths to harm the
vine; they just don't go out of their way to help it.
Larry was one of our best customers at the baseball field, uh, I mean, grape
nursery. His first vineyard was planted in the spring of 1973 and now totals
10 acres. His mainstay varietals are Vignoles, Seyval Blanc, Marechal Foch,
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. In addition to his popular proprietary
labels, Sandpiper, Turkey Red and P.G.W. Pun, Mawby makes a methode champenoise
Brut sparkling wine from his estate vineyards.
To the uninitiated, Mawby's winery is difficult to locate. Visits by groups
numbering more than 20 persons are frequently discouraged. Boskydel is not
so easy to find either. The proprietor often asks customers if they are
lost. This adds to the mystery and allure of shopping for wine in Leelanau
County.
Last, but not least in the current crop of Leelanau Peninsula wineries is
Good Harbor Vineyards, owned by Bruce Simpson. Opened in 1980, the winery
is equipped with 30,000 gallongs of stainless steel cooperage and 2,500
French oak barrels.
The Simpson family has been in the fruit business on the Leelanau Peninsula
since the mid-1950s. Bruce studied enology at the University of California-Davis
until 1978, when he began planting wine grapes, courtesy of our baseball
field, uh, I mean, grape nursery.
Good Harbor is most famous for its delightful blend, Trillium. The label
was a marketing masterpiece, based on a popular Michigan wildflower, which
resulted in wide acclaim and increased sales. Other Good Harbor varieties
include Vignoles, Seyval Blanc, Marechal Foch, Riesling, Chardonnay, Carmine,
Lemberger and Pinot Gris.
Simpson, Mawby and Rink are responsible for promoting Leelanau Peninsula
wines and putting them and the industry in the limelight. There are now
two wine festivals each summer which draw large crowds, and the wineries
are constantly filled with loyal customers who spread the word on the newest
local vintages.
In 1985, in recognition of the growing importance of winegrowing to the
state, Gov. James Blanchard formed the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry
Council, of which Rink was a founding member.
In this same enterprising spirit, Simpson and Mawby have formed a vineyard
management company to encourage other growers in the area to plant wine
grapes. In 1990, 20 acres of Chardonnay, Vignoles and Pinot Noir were planted
by new growers.
Meanwhile, on Old Mission Peninsula, former priest Bob Begin is in full
swing with his combination winery, vineyard and bed and breakfast, Chateau
Chantal. And Bowers Harbor Vineyard and Winery is the latest newcomer to
the growing field.
It's hard to imagine that, from a former baseball field, seven wineries
and scores of vineyards have sprung into existence. Will Michigan's "little
finger" become the Napa Valley of the North? What happens if more than
20 people visit L. Mawby Vineyards? Will people ever get tired of the name
"Trillium?"
The questions raised by these and other pressing problems remain to be answered.
Personally, I'm more worried about the fate of Boskydel's nursery. Several
years ago, my father razed it to plant Chinese chestnuts, which he likes
to roast on top of a wood-burning stove for customers.
Who knows? Maybe someday it will be a baseball field again. Well, a guy
can dream, can't he?
-jim rink
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