Hickory Creek’s vineyards all fall within the Lake Michigan Shore AVA.  The uniqueness of the LMS AVA is its varied soil types, caused by the Wisconsin glacial period 12 to 13 thousand years ago.  In general, every hill top is slightly different, giving each vineyard its own unique signature.  Most soils are loamy and well drained.  The LMS AVA averages between 2600 to 3100 GDD’s (growing degree days) base 50oF which is greater than Burgundy France and Bordeaux France, but equal to Bolzano, Italy and St. Helena, California.  The length of the LMS growing AVA season is from 165 days to 195 days and has on average less than 2 days below -4oF per year.  This is important because at -5oF the vine suffers from cold.

Hickory Creek uses sustainable Vineyard practices and focuses on overall vineyard health, including promotion of beneficial insects and herbs.  All of our vineyards are trellised to VSP and are pruned to 30 to 40 nodes per plant – this keeps crop levels consistent and required less green harvest at veraison.  All vineyards are summer hedged and leaf pulling is done on most varieties.

Creating world class wines from grapes grown exclusively on Lake Michigan's eastern shore is the focus of Hickory Creek's team of owners, Michael de Schaaf (on-site winemaker, vineyard manager), David Leslie and Gottfried Hart. The three of them share a lifelong passion for their craft and bring to bear the distinct perspectives of three premier wine-growing nations: America, Australia, and Germany. They have one inviolable standard in common however: Hickory Creek utilizes only the highest quality fruit grown on their own estates and at select local vineyards overseen by Mike.

HICKORY CREEK VINEYARDS	BARODA, MI
Apple Wine	1.5% R.S; a real wine made from 7 varieties of local heirloom apples - this is deeelicious!
Chardonnay 2008 Zero Oak	Zero oak, terrific!
Chardonnay Reserve 2007	Dry; complex, classic chardonnay style, oak is definitely present but does not dominate
Gewurtzraminer 2008	beautiful aromatics, no RS
Pinot Gris 2008	beaurtiful balance between nose and palate
Riesling 2007	Bone Dry
Estate Riesling 2007	Bone Dry
Semi-Dry Riesling 2007	1.5% RS
Melange 2006	60% Cab Franc, 25% Cab Sauv, 15% Merlot
Rose 2007	100% Cab Franc; dry, dry dry!
Ice Wine	Vidal Blanc; harvested in January at 18'F at midnight