Michigan Wine Country

Wineries choose labels that say a little about the wine in the bottle while attracting the eyes of consumers.“When deciding on a label, we try for something eye-catching, tasteful, distinctive and memorable, all while...

A little boy who loved superheroes touched a lot of lives. Now the Michigan wine community is rallying around the family who mourns his loss. Robbie Oxley, the 6-year-old son of St. Julian winemaker Nancie Oxley and her husband, Keith, died as a result of a freak accident that happened on Sept. 19.

The theme at Michigan wineries of late has been, in many ways, “adaptability.” When tasting rooms were closed and then reopened at reduced capacity, vintners hosted virtual events, began serving flights instead of traditional...

At the ripe old ages of 12 and 14, Hawthorn and Colebrook Sutherland spent the summer getting more involved in the family business. “It is very gratifying bringing my sons into the business,” says Cherry Republic owner Bob Sutherland.

Opening a winery was a lifelong goal for Walt and Eileen Brys. Inspiration first hit when the couple traveled together for a business conference to San Francisco, Calif., for Walt’s employer in the 1970s. They toured Napa Valley, and though California wines did not yet possess the same prestige they do today, “they absolutely fell in love with the concept of having a winery, and it became a dream of theirs,” says their son Patrick Brys.

A winery’s greatest success comes in the form of its loyal customer base. In an effort to cultivate and grow that group, many have started their own versions of a wine club. In essence, wine...

Dean Bender is winemaker and co-owner of Lawton Ridge Winery in Kalamazoo and Lawton Ridge Vineyard in Lawton. After studying to become a chiropractor, he returned to Kalamazoo to practice chiropractic medicine. It was...