Top 100 red wines of Michigan - Page 3
Discover the top 100 best red wines of Michigan as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the red wines that are popular of Michigan and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of Michigan
Michigan is a state in the Midwestern United States, located between Great Lakes Huron and Michigan, along the northern border of the United States with Canada. Grape wine production in the state focuses on cool Climate vinifera varieties, while fruit wine production is also significant. The state is also known for its craft breweries and a growing spirits industry. Riesling has quickly become the most important noble grape, supported by varieties such as Pinot blanc, pinot grigio and Gewurztraminer.
The Bordeaux varieties, Gamay and Pinot Noir are among the most important red varieties. In regions further inland from the Great Lakes, cold-hardy Hybrid grapes are more common. Examples include Marquette, Frontenac and Vidal. Michigan is one of the few wine regions in the world that can produce natural ice wines.
Discover the grape variety: Cabernet franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
