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Best Winery?

Having been extremely pleased with our results at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, this just really tops off the excitement. Sandra Silfven, “Wine Report” columnist for the Detroit News, spoke with Don Galleano, chief judge of the competition, and reports he was “ecstatic” about Forty-Five North: In a phone call this week, [Don] was […]

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Judging, Part Deux!

The title, a word play on the cinematic farce, indicates that the results from the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, as in the afore mentioned Judging! entry, are in and I am overwhelmed. Shawn was called by the head judge and given the news that his Dry Riesling was voted “Best White Wine” in category […]

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Judging!

Shawn called me the other day apologizing that he did not win a gold medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition (FLIWC). Over two hundred wineries were represented with over 2400 wines judged. Forty-Five North has entered multiple wine competitions including the FLIWC, Pacific Rim, Indianapolis, etc., with the first being Finger Lakes. Those […]

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Rush Rhymes With Crush

The title summarizes my emotions with my first crush. From the delivering of the grapes in large fruit lugs, the simple tasting of the fresh fruit and then the chemistry of measuring sugars, PH, Titratable Acidity, etc., unloading the grapes into the crusher-destemmers, pumping raw juice into tanks, and then the next day adding the […]

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Production Projections

The mighty Shawn is turned loose! Next week we will start our crush and our man, Shawn, starts his busiest time of the year. We will begin with Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir, but we have a large, read tons, amount of fruit in storage and we will be starting with a peach […]

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Liquor License

As my experience mounts in the quest for a first bottle of Forty-Five North wine, I feel as if I have obtained another degree, perhaps if you will, a Masters of Naivete’. We received our Michigan Liquor License, allowing us to produce wines up to 20% alcohol content. Either brewing beer or distilling spirits requires […]

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The Tanks are Coming!

I’m sure the line, “The Tanks are Coming”, is uttered in German in the movie, “Patton”, by those in the direct onslaught of the American General. However, in this case, even though the tanks are Italian from Prospero and Co., the phrase will remain in English, “The Tanks are Coming” and as I write this, […]

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One Lucky Dude!

That one Lucky Dude would just happen to be me! First John Peppler found the property, Maynard consulted and gave great encouragement, Doug Matthies designed a state of the art production facility (which is now 98% complete) and planted 15,000 plants, and now, Shawn Walters is Forty-Five North’s winemaker. For those of you attuned to […]

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The Results Are In

The Great Race Dancesport Dance Contest was held at the Joyce Center on the campus of Notre Dame May 12, 2007. I was most fortunate and took first prize in Bronze II West Coast Swing and American Smooth, i.e, the three dances tango, waltz, and foxtrot. My partners were Cheryl Perry, amateur, and my pro […]

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“Northern Vineyard” by Mary Fuscaldo

“Northern Vineyard”, an original painting by Mary Fuscaldo of Leelanau County, can now be viewed on the website, and as promised, it depicts the best of Leelanau county and with one look it can transport your memories there instantly. Using the glicee process, Mary reproduces extremely high quality reproductions and they are available at her […]

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