Eleven wineries have opened in the past year and four others will soon follow, said Linda Jones, executive director of the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. The number of Michigan wineries using fruit grown in state has jumped from 18 to 89 in the past couple of decades.
The recession's most noticeable effect is that people are buying less expensive wines, just as they've settled for hamburger instead of steak, Linda Jones said. They're also buying more bottles at stores to drink at home while cutting back at restaurants, where wine costs more.