In its literal sense, “terroir” refers to the natural and environmental factors — like soil type, climate, and topography — that not only affect how a wine tastes and smells but also help define it as an undeniable expression of where it was made. In other words, terroir denotes a sense of place.

“We’ve really developed our own [winemaking] style,” says Mari Vineyards’ Winemaker Sean O’Keefe. “We’re trying to solve problems and do unique things that are only here in northern Michigan.”

But how does that sense of place translate on a national, or even global, scale? What would it take for our wine region to be mentioned in the same breath as Napa or Sonoma?

Just in time for harvest season, the Northern Express — sister publication of The Ticker — sat down with four of our region’s award-winning wineries (Chateau Chantal, Black Star Farms, Aurora Cellars, and Mari Vineyards) for a little boots-on-the-ground perspective on Michigan’s place in the wine-growing world, the industry’s ongoing evolution, and the couldn’t-have-come-from-anywhere-else elements that make northwest Michigan so special. 

The Northern Express is available to read online, or pick up a free copy on newsstands at nearly 700 spots in 14 counties across northern Michigan.