Meet the Vintner
Joel VanDeMark, with the help of his family, has worked for over a decade to cultivate his vineyard and perfect his wine-making process. The unique flavors of his mid-Michigan wine are a product of his love of growing and creating instilled in him from a young age.
He is an Alma native and attended Alma Public Schools. He got his bachelor’s degree at Western Michigan University. During his early vineyard endeavors, he took one course online in the basics of wine production. The majority of his education in the art of grape-growing and wine-making was a combination of self-instruction and trial-and-error.
Q: How did your vineyard get started?
A: I stumbled onto growing grapes almost by accident. When we purchased this property, there were a lot of wild blackberries, raspberries, and grapes growing here already, so I knew the soil was good for growing fruit. I ordered some raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and asparagus to plant, and because there was a special on winemaking grapes, I ordered some just for fun. I started with just six vines, and now we have over 1,000! My vineyard began as an outlet for my passion of growing and creating. A love of wine was a happy coincidence!
A: Learning to make wine involved a lot of trial and error. My own vines took 3 years to start producing, so I started with winemaking kits and then graduated to making wine directly from grapes I purchased locally. By the time my vines started producing, I knew the basics. I also knew that I would need a lot more vines to make the amount of wine that could justify the time and energy I was spending in the vineyard. Over time, I honed my skills in choosing the best varieties, cultivating the vines, and producing wonderful wine.
Q: How did you learn to make wine?
Q: What role does your family play?
A: This dream would never have become a reality without the support of my three daughters and their partners, my siblings, and my mother. I was lucky to inherit her passion for planting and always admired her spirit and drive. There are many steps between planting a vine and opening a bottle of wine, and it takes a lot of hands to get there. My family has a great time and makes many memories working on the vineyard together.
