by bill o'brien
LAKE LEELANAU -- Doug Matthies spent about $1 million to launch his Leelanau County winery this fall.
But you can't buy a bottle from French Road Cellars, or sip one of its labels at a tasting room. That's because the newest local winery owned by Matthies and his wife, Laura, is busy crafting wines for other area wineries and grape growers.
It's the first "custom crush" operation in northern Michigan that exists solely to make wine for other operations.
"I've had this idea in mind for a number of years," Matthies said. "This way we can concentrate solely behind the counter, and not worry about the marketing and the sales and everything ... that's a whole 'nother ball game."
Matthies has deep roots in northern Michigan wine. He's the son of Dan Matthies, owner of Chateau Fontaine in Lake Leelanau, who's among the pioneers of Leelanau vintners and vineyard sales and development. Doug worked in vineyard management for 20 years, including a stint as vineyard manager for Leelanau Wine Cellars, among Michigan's top wine producers.
He's also run his own Big Paw Vineyard Services for the past decade, planting vineyards, building trellises and pruning and maintaining area grape-growing properties.
Matthies combines his experience in vineyard management with Shawn Walters' knowledge. Walters is a former wine maker for Leelanau Wine Cellars who owns One World Winery, a consulting firm that works with a handful of area wineries. The two offer suggestions and advice based on the fruit that other wine makers bring in and the type of product they want.
"You've got to have something good come out on the other end," Walters said. "That's a huge part of it."
It's not unusual for vintners to make wine elsewhere. Noted Leelanau County winemaker Larry Mawby, who specializes in sparkling wine production, finishes wines for a host of wineries around Michigan and beyond. Other wineries may seek outside help when they've reached capacity, or if they're looking for a specialized blend.
It's also an option for start-up wineries that haven't yet purchased the pricey crushing and bottling equipment needed for high-quality wine.
Matthies said it didn't make sense to launch his own wine label at French Road Cellars with another family operation right next door, although it's a future "possibility."
"We've already got a label in the family," he said. "I don't want to compete with something we already have."
Local wine maker Alan Eaker of Longview Winery in Cedar said there's a niche in northern Michigan's growing wine industry for companies like French Road Cellars. Eaker enjoys being a "hands on" wine maker at his small boutique winery that produces up to 1,800 cases per year, but said some wineries don't have the expertise or resources to produce top-flight wines.
"I think with 20-plus wineries on the peninsula and more preparing to come on line, there's certainly going to be plenty of work for that type of operation," Eaker said. "People who go to Doug to have their wine made have excellent people making their product."
French Road produced roughly 5,000 cases in its first season.
"It's going great," Matthies said. He made wine for five clients this year whom he declined to identify, and expects to add at least a few more next year.
He eventually wants to quadruple the winery's capacity to 20,000 cases a year.
"We want everything that comes out of here on an equal playing field, and good for everybody," he said.
