Key Ingredients Michigan Foodways

Sand Hill Crane

Sandhill Crane Vineyards in Jackson County.

Profiles: Sandhill Crane Vineyards

Sandhill Crane Vineyards is an award-winning, family-owned vineyard and winery in rural Jackson County, Michigan featuring estate-bottled wines.

The winery is a family operation, officially opened in the fall of 2003. They farm six acres of vineyards, planted primarily with French hybrid grapes which have been developed to withstand cold weather. To meet their production needs, the winery also purchases grapes and other fruits from other Michigan growers.
Winemaker Holly Balansag makes a range of wines from vinifera grapes (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay), French hybrid grapes, (such as Traminette, Vignoles, Chardonel, Chambourcin, and Chancellor) and local fruits (such as raspberries, peaches, blueberries, and apples). In addition to their extensive list of red and white wines, the winery specializes in raspberry wines made with local raspberries. They include an award-winning sweet-tart raspberry dessert wine; Rhapsody in Red, a red wine sweetened with 20% raspberry wine; Raspberry Rosé, a blend of white wine and raspberry wine; and CraneBerry, a limited edition raspberry-blueberry dessert wine that includes a donation to the Michigan Audubon Society.

Resources:

Personal interview. (2006. November 14, 2006). Fody, M.A. (Zou Zou's), Steinhauer, N. (Dexter Cider Mill), Stephens, K. (Slow Food Huron Valley), Price, H. & Balansag, H. (Sandhill Crane Wineries).

Sandhill Crane Vineyards. (2006). [online resource].

Silfven, S. (2005). Michigan's Sandhill Crane Vineyards is off to a flying start. Detroit News. January 27, 2005.

Key Ingredients Michigan Foodways
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