Sandra Silfven: Wine

New French Road Cellars up north is ready to make wine to spec for other vintners

The wine scene up north continues to grow and show signs of maturity, as two key players -- one a vineyard manager, the other a winemaker -- link up at a new business outside Leland.

Doug Matthies, 39, son of Dan and Lucie Matthies of Chateau Fontaine, manages 150 acres of wine grapes for 12 clients, and along with wife Laura, has launched the new French Road Cellars just east of Chateau Fontaine's tasting room.

They have signed on consulting winemaker Shawn Walters, 38, who has created talk around the country with his Rieslings, Cabernet Francs and this year, a rosé of Pinot Noir.

French Road Cellars is the state's first "custom-crush" facility. While it has the capacity to make up to 15,000 cases of wine and is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, it will not be in business to make its own label, but rather to produce all of Fontaine's wines and the wines of future customers.

Doug Matthies explains: "People whose winery is at full capacity or do not have winemaking equipment can hire us to have their wines made here, according to their specifications." Such businesses are common in Europe. In Michigan, larger wineries such as L. Mawby, Left Foot Charley and Fenn Valley also commonly make wine for smaller vintners.

French Road, however, will be the first operation dedicated to making wine for other wineries.

"We won't have our own brand," Matthies said. "We'll make wines to spec for other wineries."

Walters is striking out on his own, too. Adding to his winemaking role at Forty-Five North and Longview, he has started a new consulting venture called One World Winery ( www.oneworldwinery.com) to make wine for clients.

At this year's Michigan Wine & Spirits Competition, Walters, who is as adept at making fruit wines as grape wines, nabbed 13 gold or better awards.

Pioneer returns

Len Olson, co-founder of Tabor Hill Winery in 1968, has returned to his roots. After leaving the Michigan wine industry for a long time, he leased a spot in the back of the Baroda City Mill in southwest Michigan and opened Founders Wine Cellar in August. Olson was the first to plant Riesling vines in Michigan, followed by Chardonnay. Tasting room hours are noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; noon to 6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Call (269) 426-5222. For directions and to learn more, go to www.founderswinecellar.com.

Wine