You are here:

Top wineries' sales flat in 2008, But CGT comes on strong

Sales at Michigan's two largest wineries remained nearly flat during 2008, though number three Chateau Grand Traverse shot up 12% to pull within striking distance of second place St. Julian.

CGT: #3 with a bullet

Figures from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) show that Leelanau Cellars remains the state's largest winery by a wide margin. Its sales dropped 1% last year while St. Julian's increased 1.5%.

Fourth place Tabor Hill also turned in a strong performance, with sales up 9.5%. Michigan's top four wineries dwarf all others in the state. Sales at fifth place Fenn Valley were less than one-third of Tabor Hill's.

But sales by in-state wineries still represent small potatoes compared to Michigan sales of large out-of-state wineries. During 2008, Gallo's various brands sold more than five times as much wine in Michigan as the state's five largest wineries combined.

(Click "Read More" for the numbers on Michigan's Top Five.)

MLCC reports sales based on the amount of wine sold, rather than its dollar value. Data come from the alcoholic beverage excise tax returns each licensed winery files with the state.

TOP FIVE MICHIGAN WINERIES (by volume) -- 2008


	CASES SOLD	CHANGE FROM 2007
Leelanau Cellars	94,900	-1.0%
St. Julian	75,500	1.5%
Ch. Grand Traverse	70,900	12.0%
Tabor Hill	55,000	9.5%
Fenn Valley	17,200	0.0%

Cases are 12-750ml bottles, rounded to the nearest 100.
Year-to-year changes calculated to the nearest .5%

Bookmark

Email This

< Prev		Next >

Recent Features

Who needs the Sky Club when there's Vino Volo?

Winery, Distillery settle lawsuit over "Grand Traverse" name

New Wines from Sandhill Crane, St. Julian Raise Funds for Charity

Top wineries' sales flat in 2008, But CGT comes on strong

REVIEWS: "ORPHAN" VARIETALS

GOVERNOR SIGNS BAN ON RETAILER WINE SHIPMENTS

How sweet is that Riesling?

Joel Goldberg's Blog

New posts every Tuesday, sometimes more or less often

"NO, THANKS" TO JUDGING

New York wine writers Lenn Thompson and Evan Dawson won't judge at wine competitions, and urge other journalists to follow suit. The complaints are valid -- but their prescription doesn't work for states like Michigan.

WEATHER FLIP-FLOP, 2010

So far, Michigan's warm, early-maturing 2010 vintage looks like a winner for red wines -- while California is suffering one of its coolest summers in years.

A "WHAT-IF?" FANTASY

Two high-profile politicians who carried water for Michigan's wine wholesaler cartel lost big in the primary for Governor. So let's take a trip into fantasyland, where politicians do what's good for the state, rather than their contributors.

KNOW A GOOD BYO? PLEASE SHUT UP!

Michigan's consumer-unfriendly laws make most BYO illegal. So publicizing places that quietly allow it doesn't necessarily do them any favors.

BAD PRESS FOR WINE COMPETITIONS

Wine competitions may hate the name Robert Hodgson. He's putting numbers to longtime concerns about judging quality and consistency.

GUESS WHO CRASHED THE PARTY?

Yes, thank you, I believe I WILL try some Michigan Cabernet Franc next to that '86 Cheval Blanc

OLD MISSION'S CAPE CONNECTION

Mere coincidence that Old Mission's two South African-trained winemakers grabbed all the awards at the Cab Franc Challenge? Maybe not...

WINE WRITING'S ETHICAL THICKET

Why does wine writing tolerate murky ethics and apparent conflicts of interest that wouldn't be acceptable in other areas of journalism? The new AnnArbor.com is the latest media outlet to ignore such concerns.

HAS TERRY STINGLEY FOUND MICHIGAN'S "IDENTITY WINE"?

Terry Stingley

Kalamazoo retailer Stingley believes Cab Franc has the chops to become our state's flagship. And he's organizing a one-of-a-kind event to help make it happen.

MichWine Classics

Ode to the Leelanau Winemaking pioneer Larry Mawby pens a poem about his home

The South Will Rise! Wyncroft's Jim Lester likes his region's future