Michigan Doubles Wine Grape Acreage

The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council says the state’s wine grape acreage doubled over the past decade from 1,300 to 2,650 acres. The data comes from a USDA report based on the 2011 Michigan Fruit Survey.

Riesling is the most planted grape with 595 acres, up from 204 acres in 2002, followed by Pinot Noir with 235 acres, up from 93.

The announcement was made to coincide with another milestone. Last week the Council approved the 100th winery in the state that uses Michigan grown grapes or fruit for the majority of their wines. This number of wine producers has more than tripled since 2002 and is now 101.

The data in the reports also shows that Michigan ranks 5th in wine grape production in the U.S.A. The Council says in recent years, Michigan has ranked between fifth and eighth place in wine grape production for US states.

For the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council’s media release and a link to the USDA report, go to the Michigan Wines website.