The 2026 Vineyard Recap: The Harvest, The Bottle, and The Experience

From growing to harvest to glass, here’s what three NoMi wine experts have to say about this year’s grape crop

Blizzards, floods, wildfire smoke, and changing drinking habits have made 2026 another year of adaptation for northern Michigan’s wine industry. From the vineyard to the tasting room, growers and winemakers are finding new ways to work through the challenges and turn chaos into liquid art.

The Growing Season

“We’ve had one of these up-and-down growing seasons,” says Lee Lutes, head winemaker at Black Star Farms of Suttons Bay. “With the amount of moisture that we had over the winter and in the spring, once it started to warm up, the vines just grew like weeds.”

After bud break in May, northern Michigan’s grape vines used their dormant energy and water to send new growth out from the plant’s old growth, fueled by moist soils and hot, dry mid-summer heat. Throughout the summer, Lutes says Black Star Farms’ vineyard crews worked tirelessly to manage the vines. Too much green growth takes much-needed energy away from fruit production. It also creates a damp, shady habitat for pests and diseases, which could decimate entire crops if left unchecked.

“In years like this, with the amount of moisture and the amount of growth, it’s difficult to keep fruit protected,” Lutes says. “But for the most part, we’ve been able to keep the vines and the fruit really clean.” When vines get unruly, Lutes says grape growers must remove excess foliage around the fruit zone to improve airflow, making it harder for pests and diseases to thrive.

On top of managing the growing conditions on the vine, local growers had to work overtime monitoring the ripening process. One of the tricks farmers have in unpredictable years like 2026 is to drop fruit instead of letting every cluster ripen on the vine.

“Where we might ordinarily hang four tons of fruit in the white vineyards and three tons in the red vineyards, I think we’re down 25 to 30 percent in both,” he says. “That allows for earlier development of the fruit and a bit more energy from the vine feeding it.”

The Harvest

Winemakers also have control over what styles they produce. In warmer years, grapes can be left on the vine longer. This concentrates the flavors and sugars, producing fuller-bodied, higher alcohol wines, particularly reds like Cabernet Franc and Merlot and dry, still whites like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

In cooler years, winemakers harvest earlier to beat the threat of early frosts. The resulting grapes have lower sugar levels and higher acidity, ideal for making sparkling wines. Lutes says that even with a late start to spring, we’re looking at a warmer year and potentially longer growing season.

Even when the weather cooperates, anyone in the wine industry knows that’s not enough to ensure a successful harvest. This year in northern Michigan, wildfire smoke added to the climatic uncertainty. For days, the region’s air quality remained at unhealthy levels, with thick blankets of smoke blocking out the sun.

When wildfire smoke is heavy enough, it can cause smoke taint, a condition in which smoke compounds bind to the waxy coating on grape skins and impart flavors of wood smoke and char. Fortunately, Lutes says that our smoke event was too early in the growing season and too high in the atmosphere to affect the quality of the finished wines.

Growing wine grapes in Michigan’s unpredictable climate, especially in years like this, takes precise, manual labor. Lutes says any good winery owes its quality to the farmers handling the vines. “A lot of good wines are made in the vineyard,” Lutes says. “As long as the winery can get quality fruit, making a good wine from it is considerably easier than when you have compromised fruit coming in.”

As for the quality of wine this year, Lutes is optimistic. “We’ll have a little less wine this year, but the quality at this point should be good, if not very good.”

The Varietals to Look Out For

Wine drinkers Up North now know to expect more than just Riesling or Pinot Noir in their glasses. Lesser-known varietals and blends resembling those in Europe are representing northern Michigan’s terroir more than ever.

“To me, it’s an exciting place to be in the industry and an exciting place to be as a wine drinker,” says Alaina Leech, owner of Lake District Wine and WSET Level 4 Certified wine educator. “Consumers are getting more educated. They’re interested in the things that they need to be. And because of that, winemakers are stepping up their game.”

Leech says her customers’ interest in wine doesn’t stop at the label. “Consumers are becoming a lot more educated on biodynamic, organic farming, and are really careful about what they’re putting in their body,” she says. Now more than ever, Leech says people appreciate when wine labels and wine lists inform them how the grapes were grown and which farming practices were used. “I’m seeing these types of questions more than ever before, which I love.”

As far as this year’s vintages, Leech says a lot can happen between harvest and bottling. “That’s what’s so fun about Michigan,” she says. “Winemakers are always having to pivot to what they think is going to happen. Michigan wines are different every year. We have to just wait and see what happens.”

Leech adds that climate change is lengthening our growing seasons, allowing grape growers to grow more heat-loving grapes. Bold reds like Cabernet Franc, Blaufränkisch, and even Malbec are being grown on Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas.

The Signs of the Times

Michigan’s changing climate is one thing; a changing market is another. Drinking trends continue to shift towards moderation, and wineries throughout our region must offer more than just glass and bottle sales to keep up.

“Over the last five to 10 years, everybody is focused on the experience,” says Kyle Brownley, director of marketing at Chateau Chantal on Old Mission Peninsula.

Today, visitors to the winery can enjoy a range of activities and beverages, including non-alcoholic options, as well as curated wine dinners and tapas tours featuring dishes made with locally grown ingredients, complemented with estate-produced wines.

At the core of this model, Brownley says, is using wine as an opportunity to be social. “If you want to come out here, grab a glass of wine, a charcuterie board, and just sit out on our patios with some friends, that’s really the best experience you can have on the Traverse Wine Coast.”

Many local wineries like Chateau Chantal have started partnering with local restaurants and catering companies to create coordinated experiences. Brownley says that, beyond tapping into shared marketing channels, these collaborations give chefs and wineries the opportunity to try something new.

Even as wine sales continue to drop globally, wineries like Chateau Chantal are able to find their rhythm and attract new customers.

“The best way we’ve seen to do that is to introduce people to wine through these amazing experiences,” Brownley says. “Showcasing that wine isn’t necessarily just like another alcoholic beverage, but something that’s truly meant to be part of a meal and enjoyed with friends.”

This October, the winery will be taking part in the national Come Over October campaign. Launched in 2024 by wine journalist Karen MacNeil and public relations experts Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Noelle Charles, the campaign promotes wine as a way to combat loneliness and strengthen community connections.

“It’s really just about, hey, having a glass of wine at home by yourself is great,” Brownley says. “But what’s even better is making that an excuse to invite some people over, open up that bottle you’ve been saving, and sharing it.”

Photo courtesy of Black Star Farms

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