Dirt to Glass: Elevating Michigan Wine from the Ground Up

The 2025 Dirt to Glass conference marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of Michigan’s wine industry. Centered on the theme "From Intention to Impact," this fourth annual meeting convenes viticulturists, winemakers, growers, researchers, policymakers and industry stakeholders to reflect on the state of the industry and accelerate its advancement through collective insight and action.

Since its inception in 2021, Dirt to Glass has grown from an industry-driven initiative into a model of integrated innovation, where research, practice and policy converge to shape Michigan’s grape and wine identity. This year’s reimagined format strengthens the conference’s core mission. A full day of discussion and knowledge exchange is followed by a second day of immersive, on-site vineyard sessions. This structure is designed not simply to inform but to activate, moving from theory to application, and from conversation to collaboration.

Day 1 – From roots to results: Dirt to Glass 2025 plants the future of Michigan wine

The opening session, led by Amanda Danielson of Intentional Agriculture and Paolo Sabbatini, PhD, of Michigan State University, will synthesize contributions from industry stakeholders gathered over the past three editions of the conference. Through a reflective analysis, the session will articulate a vision that sets a purposeful tone for the day, acknowledging the progress achieved while critically addressing the challenges that remain. The charge for Dirt to Glass received from the stakeholders is clear: for Michigan to fulfill its potential, the industry must move from asking what is possible to deciding what is necessary, aligning around shared priorities and strategic decisions.

This tone of focused intentionality continues with the morning keynote from Katie Nelson, chief winemaker for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. Drawing from her extensive experience in Washington State, Nelson outlines the realities of scaling a premium wine business in a competitive national market, where long-term sustainability and grower relationships must be treated as non-negotiable. Her perspective bridges inspiration with practicality, emphasizing that excellence is indeed scalable, but only when trust, quality and strategic clarity are embedded at every level.

Following her address, Nelson joins Bryan Ulbrich of Left Foot Charley for a discussion on the real-world dynamics that define success or failure in the wine business. Their conversation, grounded in decades of experience, will discuss the impact of daily decisions that build trust across the value chain; from grower-winery negotiations to distributor partnerships and brand-consumer communication.

The conference continues into a blind tasting session led by Tim Godfrey of Lake Michigan College. Without knowledge of grape variety, origin or price point, participants are invited to assess five wines purely on sensory characteristics. Free from expectation and comparison, the wines will reveal the strength of the region’s evolving identity and how the industry can tell that story more effectively, both within and beyond state borders.

In the afternoon, the conference shifts its focus toward resilient viticulture. Sabbatini will present emerging research on vineyard design, highlighting the strategic potential of new generations of PIWI grape varieties, fungus-resistant hybrids that offer adaptability to disease pressure and climate stress without compromising wine quality. The presentation will stress decisions in vineyard establishment that will define not only short-term production, but also long-term competitiveness and sustainability.

This theme is expanded by Bruno Basso, PhD, of Michigan State University, internationally recognized agroecosystem scientist and founder of The Soil Inventory Project. Basso will address compelling connections between soil carbon capture, data-driven land management and vineyard profitability, dismantling the misconception that sustainability is a cost center rather than a strategic asset. His presentation integrates cutting-edge research performed in Michigan vineyards with real-world application, demonstrating how healthy soils and precise input management can lead to both environmental resilience and economic return.

As the day progresses, attention turns to the market-facing realities of Michigan wine. A panel led by Paul Hannah of Meijer explores the economic landscape in which Michigan wines must compete, where authenticity, transparency and perceived value increasingly dictate consumer behavior. Insights from retailers and distributors reinforce that premium positioning requires more than quality alone; it demands alignment between product, pricing, narrative and strategic intent.

The day’s most pivotal moment of the conference emerges from the grower community itself. In a panel moderated by Lee Lutes of Black Star Farms, vineyard owners and winemakers from different regions will discuss about the complexity and unpredictability of farming high-quality fruit in Michigan. From changing disease pressures to workforce challenges and market fluctuations, their experiences will deliver high-level insights in the realities of soil, weather and risk.

To close Day 1 of the conference, Danielson and Sabbatini will lead a real-time survey with an interactive session to invite attendees to synthesize the day's learning and articulate actionable takeaways. In this way, participants will help shape a shared roadmap, transforming insight into strategy and conversation into coordinated next steps for Dirt to Glass 2026.

The intention of Day 1 is designed to flow directly into the second day of the conference, where ideas move into practice, and the impact of research and collaboration is observed in Michigan vineyards.

Day 2 – From concept to canopy: Walking the future row by row

Day 2 of Dirt to Glass transitions from the conference hall to the vineyard rows where theory is tested and translated into action. This mobile series of vineyard visits across the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas serves as a living laboratory for future-ready viticulture. Rather than a passive tour, the day functions as an applied masterclass in strategic vineyard management, each stop connecting directly to the themes explored in Day 1.

The tour begins at Lyon’s Merlot Vineyard, where John Lyon, Christie Apple (Crop Scout Christie) and Beau Shacklet (TRICKLEEZ Precision Drip Irrigation Systems) guide participants through the decision-making process behind site selection, soil texture analysis, irrigation layout and microclimate adaptation. This visit reinforces the foundational importance of design in shaping vineyard performance and longevity.

From there, the group arrives at Chateau Chantal, where the spotlight turns to PIWI grape varieties. Building on Sabbatini’s earlier presentation, this session, led by Eric Amberg of Amber Grape Vines, Edson Pontes, PhD, of Wayne State University, Derrick Vogel of Folklor Wine and Cider and Karen Chou of Michigan State University, will demonstrate the practical outcomes of deploying disease-resistant cultivars in Michigan’s conditions. Spray protocol comparisons, vine growth assessments and tasting evaluations provide clear, field-based evidence of PIWIs’ potential to reduce inputs while maintaining wine character.

Next, at Le Tre Sirene, the focus shifts to soil health and regenerative practices. Basso, along with Megan Barlow of Wilbur Ellis and Dennis Phillips of Michigan State University, guide attendees through cover crop trials and root-zone ecology assessments. The team illustrates how nutrient cycling and microbial diversity contribute not only to vine vitality but also to greater environmental and financial sustainability, bringing full-circle the soil science introduced in Day 1. At that site, a new generation of drones will also be demonstrated, equipped not only with high-resolution cameras and sensors for vineyard evaluation, but also with precision spray application tools. These advanced UAVs represent a significant step forward in integrating remote sensing with targeted vineyard management practices.

At Rove Estate, participants engage with biodiversity and undervine management. Presenters Wes Mateucsiak of Mari Vineyards, Creighton Gallagher of Rowe Estate and Dave Bos of Bos wine showcase ecological design strategies, including ground cover integration and habitat restoration, that support vine health while reducing reliance on chemical weed control.

The group then moves to Isidor’s Choice, where Jacopo Miolo of Simonit & Sirch and Lee Lutes of Black Star Farms demonstrate the tangible effects of vine spacing, trellis systems and pruning architecture on airflow, sun exposure, disease management and operational efficiency. Through comparative plantings, participants observe how these decisions influence both vineyard labor requirements and final wine expression.

The final vineyard stop, Moreno Vineyard, offers a longer-term perspective on soil stewardship and vine age. Charlie Edson, PhD, Craig Cunningham and Theo Medendorp of Morgan Composting share how composting, organic matter restoration and microbial life sustain mature vines and contribute to wine depth and structure.

A shared lunch at Rove Estate provides space for conversation, reflection and synthesis.

From Dirt to Glass — and back again

What distinguishes Dirt to Glass 2025 is not solely the depth of its content, but the intentional design of its structure. The conference actively dissolves traditional boundaries between research and practice, growers and winemakers, science and commerce, and academic and industry stakeholders. It promotes a systems-based approach wherein viticulture, enology, marketing and environmental stewardship are understood not as isolated disciplines, but as interconnected components essential to the advancement of a resilient and collaborative wine industry.

For growers seeking to recalibrate vineyard strategies, winemakers aiming to craft regionally authentic narratives, industry leaders pursuing sustainable business models and researchers committed to addressing stakeholder priorities, Dirt to Glass offers not only a blueprint for transformation, but a strategic framework for long-term impact.

Join growers, winemakers, scientists and industry leaders for two days of conversation, cutting-edge research and practical collaboration Aug. 21-22 in Traverse City.

Find the detailed program for Day 1 and Day 2 of the conference and register at Dirt to Glass.

Dirt to Glass 2025 Planning Committee

This conference is made possible through the leadership, collaboration and dedication of a diverse planning committee that brings together expertise from all sectors of Michigan’s wine industry, including growers, winemakers, researchers, educators and industry advocates.

• Megan Barlow, Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness
• Andrew Backlin, Modales
• Jennifer Berkey, MSU Extension
• Craig Cunningham, Vineyard Consulting
• Amanda Danielson, Intentional Agriculture
• Veronica Dragovich, Michigan State University
• Kate Edwards, Grand Traverse County
• Maxwell Eichberg, Stranger Wine Company
• Tim Godfrey, Lake Michigan College
• Bonnie Hardin, Mari Vineyards
• Paul Hannah, Meijer
• Lee Lutes, Black Star Farms
• Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar, MSU Extension
• Paolo Sabbatini, Michigan State University