THE ITALIAN JOB At the 45th parallel north, Nebbiolo flourishes at Mari Vineyards by Erin Marie Miller
Mari Vineyards
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Photo by Two Twisted Trees Photography
ith an ancient heritage reaching back to at least the
For O’Keefe, the challenge of growing the Italian grape in a place
13th century, Nebbiolo has long been regarded by wine lovers
like Michigan is part of its allure, representing an opportunity to
as one of Italy’s esteemed treasures.
test the boundaries of the Old Mission Peninsula and move beyond the region’s perceived limitations.
Grown predominantly in the sandy soil and continental climate of the grape’s viticultural home in the European country’s
“I like to see where people push the envelope a little bit, and
northwest Piedmont region, Nebbiolo’s presence in the U.S. has
that's what we try to do at Mari all the time. Not making things
been spotty, though consistent, since it was introduced
just for the sake of making them, but trying to see if we can get a
stateside by Italian immigrants in 19th century California. Over
little more nuanced and a little more interesting things out of
the century that followed, the prestigious red grape found its
[the region] than has been historical,” O’Keefe says.
way to other parts of the country including Washington, Oregon, Virginia and, more recently, northern Michigan — a
A rough translation
region rarely associated with the Piedmontese native. At Mari Vineyards, Nebbiolo was rst planted in 2007, about two “When people think of northern Michigan, they think that
years before O’Keefe started making wine there; at the time, it
somehow we’re like Fargo, North Dakota, or something like that.
was only a couple of experimental rows. Since then, the grape
We’re not. We’re on the 45th parallel,” says Sean O’Keefe,
has taken on a more prominent role as part of O’Keefe's
winemaker at Mari Vineyards in Traverse City, where Nebbiolo
deliberate focus on growing varieties honoring owner Marty
has ourished for the last 15 years.
Lagina’s Italian heritage — an ambitious endeavor that has been
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