Looking for advice on "global" vs regional focus

[nhinshaw]

This may be a bit more of a philosophical question over a practical one, but I would really appreciate any opinions from a group as diverse and knowledgeable as this one.

I'm a rather novice wine maker (this will be my third year) with a bent towards making wine the "traditional way". The first year I worked from juice only (didn't care for it), the second year was a mix of juice and whole grape (better but still not totally to my taste), and from here on out my plan is to only work with whole grape (or pressed at the vineyard still on the skins).

I'm in Chicago and have interesting access to grapes: there is a market that opens in September selling wine grapes trucked in weekly from California. The quality has seemed good, prices are fair and access is very easy.

However I'm also not too far from the wine growing region(s) of southwest Michigan and can have access to cold climate grapes from vineyards there. This year my options veer towards Marquette, Frontenac and Foch. It also gives me a chance to potentially have a closer relationship with the vineyard managers to get insight into specifics around growing.

The ultimate goal would be to eventually have my own vineyard where I am able to make wine from my own grapes.Though that is sometime off, my crystal ball says it would also be in mid-west.

So with that context the question I'm grappling with is this: do I focus on the craft of wine making using traditional wine grapes from California--but potentially get skilled at making wine from varietals I likely couldn't plant in the mid-west. Or should I focus on not only getting good at making wine, but also working with more regional grapes, the kind I would likely be required to plant if I were to ever realize this dream of maintaining my own vines.

Any opinions, advice, anecdotes from personally grappling with this same issue would be appreciated.

 

[Stressbaby]

My answer is "both." I grow hybrids but get white pails and red grapes from California each year.

FYI, southwest Michigan also grows a fair amount of vinifera.

 

[balatonwine]

If you are serious about eventually having a vineyard, I would concentrate on the local varieties. That way you can decide sooner than later if you even like the wine you can make from them. Better to learn now than after you planted.

And getting local tips and help is invaluable. Even more reason to go local.

Finally, maybe some day these cold weather varieties will become much "in vogue", and you can capitalize on that in the future. Currently the world is awash with Vinifera from every continent (except Antarctica of course). Maybe some N. American sourced grape wine variety will be desired in the future.....

 

[salcoco]

each variety is different vinefera and hybrids, doing just one does not yield benefits for the other. If you plan your own vineyard in the future go local.