On Thursday August 20, 2009, a unique event took place in Kalamazoo, Michigan:  The Harding’s Cup Cabernet Franc Wine Challenge.  22 wines from France and Michigan made the cut for a winner-take-all night at The Park Club.  And the winner of the Harding’s Cup was Brys Estate's 2007 Artisan Series Cabernet Franc.

The Harding’s Cup idea was created by Tim Harding (Harding’s Vice President) and Terry Stingley (Harding’s Wine Buyer) of Kalamazoo-based Harding’s Friendly Markets.  Together they set out to create a forum for Michigan red wine to prove its quality to national and international palettes.

Harding’s, with stores located throughout southwest Michigan, has already made its commitment to Michigan wine.  Consider that each of the Harding’s stores in Portage, Michigan stock nearly 200 Michigan wines.  This is arguably the broadest and best selection in the state.  Such a commitment to Michigan winemakers is virtually unprecedented among retailers.   A critical factor for this success is dedicated personnel.

Mr. Stingley came to Michigan via New Orleans, among other ports-of-call.  “The first thing I noticed was that the Kalamazoo-Portage area had a really vibrant wine market. I also noticed that none of the area wine retailers had what I would consider a representative set of Michigan wines. Every store carried the obligatory sweet white wines that Michigan has long been known for, but few had anything more serious than that, and virtually none carried any dry Michigan reds,” Terry recalls.  Furthermore, “Whether you find yourself in a dusty village in Spain's Rioja region, or in the middle of bustling Paris, you can be sure that every single wine shop, without fail, is proudly promoting the local juice; This is something that is grossly vacant in the entire state of Michigan, and it's something that, with Tim Harding's full support, I set out to rectify.”

That in turn led to a goal.  “Our ultimate goal is to put Michigan wines on the world map. Every great wine region in the world has, what I call, an identity wine. Michigan is producing world class wines, many of which have already shown well in international competition, but the state lacks that critical identity wine.”   The identity wine for Michigan can be Cabernet Franc.

Cabernet Franc is a noble grape; it is considered to be one of the genetic parents of Cabernet Sauvignon, along with Sauvignon Blanc.  The grape yields are similar but Cabernet Franc may ripen earlier and with lower overall acidity.   Importantly, Cabernet Franc vines survive cold winters better, making them an ideal crop for Michigan.

A critical piece of the puzzle was to put together a world-class panel of judges.  This group was pulled together in great part because of their eagerness to participate.  Consider the panel:  Patrick Fegan, Wine Columnist, and Director of the Chicago Wine School; Jean-Jacques Fertal, a native of Paris and President of Eagle Eye Imports; Claudia Tyagi, Master Sommelier; Michael Cregar, Sommelier and owner of Wines of Distinction; Dean Rondy, Sommelier and Owner of Oxford Wine and Beverage; and Dr. William Harrison III, Chairman of the Michigan Grape and Wine Council.

So the stage was set and on a beautiful Thursday night in Kalamazoo, after a deliberate, serious and very focused effort, the judges determined the final order:  first (gold) to Brys Estate’s 2007 Artisan Series Cabernet Franc, second (silver) to 2 Lads Reserve Cab Franc and third (bronze) to Brys Estate Cabernet Franc.  In the end, this unique collection of 2007-vintage, 100% Cabernet Franc delivered a resounding victory for all Michigan winemakers.  As Terry Stingley noted, “this is a clear victory for vinifera¹ grapes and the notion of terroir² in Michigan.”

The judges were noticeably impressed with the event and the wines, especially considering that many did not previously follow Michigan wine.  Mr. Cregar said, “I applaud all the wineries who were involved because they are making world class wines - right here in Michigan!  By my standards, the event was World Class. I have been to VinExpo in Bordeaux, The Monterey Wine Festival and many other tastings and events. Your event has to rank immediately as one of Michigan's best tastings. I am not a Michigan wine follower, but I was really surprised by the consistent high quality of all the wines included in the judging…You deserve recognition from the Governor for your efforts on behalf of our wine industry!”   Furthermore, Dr. Harrison noted, “2007 Cabernet Franc produced by a number of Michigan wineries is of world class quality…and 3 wineries that did not make it out of the first round also caught my attention and I think, deserve commendation:  Lawton Ridge, Hickory Creek and Raftshol.”

Harding’s was proud to put the Michigan winemakers in the spotlight they deserve and will enjoy watching them reap more awards and success in the years to come.

¹  of, pertaining to, or derived from a European grape, Vitis vinifera, widely cultivated for making wine and raisins and for table use.

² loosely translated as "a sense of place" which is embodied in certain qualities, and the sum of the effects that the local environment has had on the manufacture of the product.  At its core is the assumption that the land from which the grapes are grown imparts a unique quality that is specific to that region.

SOURCE Harding’s Galesburg Market, Inc.

Photo: http://www.michwine.com/images/stories/hardingscup.jpg

CONTACT: Tim Harding, 1-269-629-4596

Web site: http://www.hardingsmarket.net