Fingers Crossed For A Vintage Grape Crop
By Bill O'Brien | Sept. 21, 2026
It’s the time of year when Andy Fles keeps one eye on the thermometer and the other on the rain gauge as he preps 60 acres of Leelanau County vineyards for harvest.
“We’re always nervous at this time of year,” says Fles, the vineyard manager at Shady Lane Cellars winery south of Suttons Bay. “Things can change quick.”
Vintners across the region are hoping for a warm, dry fall stretch to finish off what they say so far has been a solid grape growing season. Degree days, which measure heat levels that determine development of numerous fruits and field crops in northern Michigan, have been near long-term averages for the …
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