Expect the Unexpected
MICHIGAN WINERIES ARE FULL OF SURPRISES
The Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail brings together exceptional wineries in the Lake Michigan Shore AVA, dedicated to crafting quality wines from locally grown grapes. Experience the welcoming charm of our wineries and the exceptional quality of our wines—come see, sip and enjoy for yourself!
Explore 10 distinct wineries just minutes from Traverse City, each offering unique wine and culinary experiences, all surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Old Mission Peninsula.
DOWNTOWN TRAVERSE CITY
Features
TRAVEL
23 Sip and Stay
Spend the night at one of these Michigan wineries.
VITICULTURE
28 Growing the Grapes of Tomorrow
Adventurous vignerons expand Michigan’s wine repertoire.
ICE WINE
30 High Risk, High Reward
To brave vintners, Michigan winters mean the possibility of velvety smooth, alluringly sweet ice wine.
HARVEST
32 Cream of the Crop
All signs point to an exceptional 2024 vintage of Michigan wine.
RECIPE
34 Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart
This sweet and rustic dessert pairs perfectly with a dry rosé.
TERROIR
47 Fair Weather or Worse
Climate change is reshaping Michigan’s wine scene. Is that cause for celebration or concern?
Departments
9 GRAPEVINE
Going beyond traditional tastings; what to expect at a Michigan tasting room; at-home sommelier; Petoskey Wine Region; world-class wines; festivals and events; wine trails; and terraced vineyards.
37 MAPS AND LISTINGS
Michigan’s wineries and tasting rooms.
48 THE FINISH
Industry experts weigh in on The Great Lakes State Grape Debate.
Special thanks to: Jenelle Jagmin, Michigan Craft Beverage Council Emily Dockery, Michigan Wine Collaborative
STAFF
(And their picks for some Michigan wines )
Associate Publisher Ed Peabody / epeabody@hour-media.com Auxerrois
Managing Editor Emily Doran / edoran@hour-media.com Petoskey Farms’ Itasca
Art Director Kevin Martin Bel Lago’s 2016 Pinot Noir
Special Projects Editor Olivia Sedlacek Chateau Chantal’s Chardonnay
Production Manager Crystal Nelson Chateau Chantal’s Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Franc
Senior Production Artist Stephanie Daniel Mawby’s Tropic
Production Coordinator Amanda Kozlowski
Advertising Director Jason Hosko / jhosko@hour-media.com
Chateau Fontaine’s Grüner Veltliner
Media Advisors
Cynthia Barnhart cbarnhart@hour-media.com
Hannah Brown hbrown@hour-media.com
Cathleen Francois cfrancois@hour-media.com
Shady Lane Cellars’ Sparkling Riesling
Maddy Gill
mgill@hour-media.com
Aurora Cellars’ Brut Rosé
Carol Lawrence clawrence@hour-media.com
Contributors Anna Faller, Kathy Gibbons, Paris Giles, Greg Tasker, Wensdy Von Buskirk, Lauren Wethington
o si n u or our e newsle er lease visit michi anwinecountry.com e newsle er si nu
o yright , our edia, . ll rights reser ed. o ortio o this ublicatio may be re roduced ithout the e
CEO Stefan Wanczyk President John Balardo
U NCORK
U NCORK
U NCORK
THE ULTIMATE LEELANAU GETAWAY
Motorized tours through rolling vineyards, expertly guided tastings, farm-to-table culinary experiences, charming farm stays, and so much more—every detail curated for unforgettable moments.
With Leelanau Wine Experiences, your perfect day is only a sip away. Whether you’re celebrating something special or simply savoring the season, we’ll take you beyond the tasting room and into the heart of Michigan wine country.
Scan the QR code to start planning your experience today.
LET ADVENTURE POUR
LET ADVENTURE POUR BOOK NOW!
LET ADVENTURE POUR
NOW!
UNWIND with
Southwest Michigan is genuine wine country. Here you’ll discover some of the oldest and newest wineries in the state. Relax in scenic vineyards and Lake Michigan resort towns while tasting the liquid artistry of our winemakers — crisp whites, rich reds, bubblies, dessert wines and brandies. Stay awhile and come back often.
It’s not just the home you’re building, it’s all the memories and traditions that will be made there. GreenStone can help you see it through with a personalized home construction loan to help you build for generations to come. With locations across Michigan and northeast Wisconsin, we're here when you're ready to talk. 800-444-3276
Soak Up the Experience
GO BEYOND A TRADITIONAL TASTING WITH EVENTS, TOURS, AND DINNERS AT MICHIGAN WINERIES
BY KATHY GIBBONS
Kris Baguzis has attended quite a few events at Youngblood Vineyard south of Armada. She lives not far away in Richmond and says she has helped with harvest and vine suckering. She joined an event where participants got to taste un nished wines out of barrels while learning about the production process. She participated in a vertical tasting of Marquette, which gave her a chance to sample di erent vintages of her favorite wine. Because of these and other opportunities at Youngblood Vineyard, she says she has become “more invested in the wine.”
Many Michigan wineries o er opportunities for patrons to go beyond a traditional tasting to experience the vino and the wineries themselves in more in-depth ways. Youngblood Vineyard co-owner Jessica Youngblood says most weekends there bring events designed to help guests “connect with the wine.” Besides the activities Baguzis describes, there are painting classes in the vineyard, wreath-making sessions, reworks on the Fourth of July, a New Year’s Eve party, goat yoga, and more. All involve wine in some way.
“It opens their eyes,” Youngblood says. “It helps them not only with our wines, but when they’re at the grocery store, they think twice about what their purchases are. Instead of just looking at the label, they pick up the bottle, turn it over, see where it’s produced, what region it’s from, what state it’s from, what grapes are in the wine.
“It makes them a better consumer — more educated and not so fearful.”
Chateau Chantal on the Old Mission Peninsula
hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including tapas tours, wine-paired dinners, and cooking classes.
“We like to showcase a wine with food as both are enhanced in the process,” says President and CEO Marie-Chantal Dalese.
e tapas tours run select dates in the summer and include visits to the vineyard and cellar complete with wine sampling and small bites. A six-course dinner created by Chateau Chantal’s own chef is designed to be compatible with accompanying wines and includes a vineyard tour before the meal. ere’s also an annual Ice Wine Festival dinner as well as bistro wine dinners and cooking classes in the winter and spring.
“Elevated experiences” is how Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay and Traverse City describes the
Kris Baguzis (front right) artici ates in a ar ue e wine tastin at oun loo Vineyar . elow hateau hantal serves lo ster at one o its ce Wine estival inners.
events it creates to immerse participants in the “ avors, culture, and artistry of northern Michigan wine country,” says Marketing Manager Sarah Kosteva. She describes a menu of activities starting with themed wine-paired dinners that feature participation from Black Star’s head winemaker or estate chef. Wine-paired workshops and classes are built around charcuterie, cooking, and even dance. Customers can sign up for vineyard and cellar tours with private tastings to get a more behind-the-scenes experience.
e team at Fenn Valley Vineyards in Fennville likes to give the public opportunities to taste wine at di erent stages, says Vice President Brian Lesperance.
“In the winter, we will take folks down into the production cellar,” he says. “ ey get a ton of value out of being able to try wine in various stages of the production process. We’ll have people try red wine before it goes into a barrel, while it’s in the barrel, and after it’s bottled … so they can understand viscerally how the wine is transformed during the process.”
Winemaker dinners are held year-round. “One of our big things at Fenn Valley is to focus on that relationship between food and wine,” Lesperance says. “We like to try the wine rst — smell it, sip it, take a mental snapshot of what it’s like — then try the food and come back to the wine. What we typically see is [the food] might bring out some additional avors in the wine.”
Each April, Fenn Valley does new-release wine and food pairings. “We take six new wines that aren’t yet released to the public and we pair them with a small bite of food we make in-house to showcase how wine and food can work together,” Lesperance says.
e bottom line is to make winery experiences more interactive and create long-term impact.
“We want people to enjoy but understand where it comes from,” Youngblood says. “Somebody grew those grapes and made that wine.”
Expect the Unexpected
TASTINGS ARE AS INDIVIDUAL AS EACH MICHIGAN WINERY
BY KATHY GIBBONS
There may have been a time when visiting a tasting room at a Michigan winery could have been somewhat predictable as far as what the process was like. Guests likely would wait their turn and then belly up to the bar for a free sampling of wines before deciding whether to buy some to take home.
Today? Not so predictable. “Some tasting rooms do their tastings at a counter, some only serve preset ights, some allow guests to pick the wines in their ights, some have servers who bring wines to your table, some do it where you order the ight at the bar and pick it up on the other end to take to a table,” says Emily Dockery, executive director of the Michigan Wine Collaborative, a nonpro t that supports the industry. “It is pretty dependent on preference, of course, but also sta ng availability or limitations, space availability or limitations, glassware availability or limitations. … ere are so many ways folks choose to do things.”
Most wineries charge for tastings these days. “Years and years ago, a tasting was free when you bought bottles, but that has changed pretty much industrywide,” says Mary Ann Mahaney, co-owner at Boyne Valley Vineyards between
Petoskey and Boyne Falls. “We do it for the cost of farming. ere’s a lot of work that goes into getting from planting that vine to getting it to produce grapes to making it into wine. at’s one of the main reasons it changed.”
Beyond understanding they are likely going to pay a fee for tastings, guests may want to familiarize themselves with what to expect before visiting each winery. Dune Bird Winery near Leland gives customers the opportunity to customize ights. “We explain the tasting menu, in the order [wines are] listed, some avor notes, and let them pick the wines that they like,” says Bekah Bell, the wine club manager. “It’s a misconception that the goal is just to sell wine and push people out. We really are in the business of educating people about wine.”
At St. Julian Winery in Paw Paw, visitors can enjoy traditional tastings for which they select six wines or spirits and sample them one at a time with a wine consultant, says Cassandra Poné, the wine club director. Other options include ights of six wines or spirits that guests can sample as they like, on their own. Preselected ights — such as dry, sweet, themed, or specialty (wines paired with chocolate or cheese, for example) — are another option. Wine by the glass is also available.
TASTING ROOM TIPS
Don’t chew gum or drink coffee or consume “anything that’s going to skew your palate” immediately before going to a winery, says Holly Peterson, owner and winemaker at Sandhill Crane Vineyards. The same goes for perfume: “Something that can get in the way of tasting and experiencing the wine is kind of a ‘don’t.’”
Visit the wineries’ websites for updates on hours and potential closures for private parties and to see if reservations are needed. “Some places just do reservation only,” says Angie Horning, the tasting room manager at Petoskey Farms. “We don’t do reservations at all.”
Don’t treat your visit solely as an opportunity to consume alcohol.
“There’s a story with every wine,” says Bekah Bell, the wine club manager at Dune Bird Winery. “If you come just looking to drink, … that’s a missed opportunity.”
Approach wine tasting with an open mind.
“You’ve got to try new things, because it’s fun,” Horning says.
“Get out of the box and see what you like.”
Don’t take just one sip. “It really does take your palate three small sips to acclimate, [to decide if] ‘I do find this enjoyable,’ or, ‘This isn’t the wine for me,’” says Mary Ann Mahaney, co-owner at Boyne Valley Vineyards. Conversely, you don’t have to drink every last drop. That’s what spit buckets are for. “It’s OK if you don’t finish or like everything,” Horning says.
“You can ask to try something different. We’re pretty chill.”
Don’t take the glasses unless they’re offered to you. During the pandemic, many wineries included glasses in the price of tastings. Not so much these days.
Don’t forget to tip, Bell notes: “There’s this blurred line: Is this a store with merchandise? But the tasting room attendants are doing more than preparing wine. … It is sometimes overlooked that they deserve to be tipped for really good service.”
—Kathy Gibbons
BY
Visitors at Sandhill Crane Vineyards enjoy some Pinot Noir paired with focaccia from Kitchen i le.
PHOTO:
JENNA KULHAWIK FOR SANDHILL CRANE VINEYARDS
Table service is the format at Petoskey Farms, where patrons can choose three or ve 2.5-ounce pours or enjoy wine by the glass. “We give them our menu and they can choose anything they’d like to try,” says Tasting Room Manager Angie Horning. “We changed to doing it this way during COVID, and it just worked really well, so we kept doing it.”
Lines used to be out the door at Petoskey Farms’ small tasting room, she explains. Now, it’s more relaxed as visitors can grab a table outside in the summer, or in the tasting room or on the heated, covered deck in the winter.
Boyne Valley Vineyards pours four 2-ounce samples, one at a time. “It’s more one-on-one instead of sending them to a table to taste the wine so we can explain the wines,” Mahaney
says. “Also, with that rst pour, they just have to tell us where they want to start, or we point them in the right direction with asking a few questions about what they like to drink.”
Sandhill Crane Vineyards on the outskirts of Jackson o ers ights, glasses, and bottles of wine as well as hard cider and beer. Sta members set up ights, and then guests can go sit where they like, says owner and winemaker Holly Peterson.
Melissa Middaugh, who co-owns Northern Sun Winery in Bark River west of Escanaba in the Upper Peninsula, says the approach there is informal. Team members o er three 2-ounce
tastings, describing the wines and the grapes from which they were made. Beyond the small tasting room, there’s a covered deck by the barn along with greenhouses that o er shelter during the winter. Dozens of other wineries across Michigan o er their own approaches to wine tasting, so visitors can look forward to a unique experience wherever they go.
“Don’t expect a one-size- ts-all mentality at all wineries,” Bell says. “ ere’s a reason each winery does their tasting room procedure. Just be exible.”
At-Home Sommelier
NOW THAT YOU’VE BROUGHT A CASE OR TWO OF MICHIGAN WINE BACK FROM THE TASTING ROOM, HERE’S HOW TO SERVE IT
BY GREG TASKER
Not too long ago, while visiting a winery with a small group of friends, I was summoned to uncork a bottle of sparkling wine — with a saber. ough unpracticed in this legendary French technique, I gave it a whirl, miming a few strikes in rehearsal before the big moment. Holding the bottle high and pointed away from everyone, I struck its neck with the sword. Nothing. On my second attempt, the cork popped into the air, inspiring cheers and, well, admiration.
is technique may have been practical for Napoleon’s o cers, but it’s not one I’d recommend trying at home. Instead, the proper (and perhaps easier) way to open a bottle of sparkling Michigan wine is to remove the foil, loosen the wire cage, and angle the bottle away from everyone. While keeping one hand on the cork, twist the bottom of the bottle with your other hand. Let the cork release slowly.
is is one of numerous tips about wine you can learn from educators at a Michigan tasting room.
For many customers about to head home with a case of wine, storage is often the most pressing concern. Storage for most types of wine is the same. e ideal temperature is 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Generally, you want to store wine in a temperatureconsistent room with some humidity and little to no light. Bottles with corks should be stored on their sides or upside down to keep the corks wet to prevent oxidation.
“ at’s why most people store their wine in the basement, because it’s below the frost line and uctuation in temperature is rare,” says Brian Lillie, vice president of hospitality operations and distribution at Chateau Chantal on the Old Mission Peninsula.
Pairing is also a common concern. Which foods go best with that Michigan Riesling? Or that Michigan Pinot Noir?
“What grows together goes together,” says Lillie, who also teaches food and wine classes at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City.
He suggests pairing a Michigan Pinot Noir with morel mushrooms, or a Michigan Riesling with produce from a local farmers market. Both options, he says, are fantastic.
There are, of course, general pairing rules:
• Red wines with red meat.
• White wines with white meat, seafood, and vegetables.
• Sweet wines with desserts.
• Low-tannin wines such as Pinot Noir or Gamay with salmon.
One warning: Don’t pair high-alcohol wines with spicy foods. ose wines intensify the heat. Better to choose a semidry or lighter red.
As far as glassware, use a larger glass for reds and a smaller glass for whites. Large glasses allow red wines to open up, releasing avors and aromas. Smaller glasses help maintain the chilled temperatures of white wines.
How long do wines last after you open a bottle? In most cases, you’ll nd a di erence in avor and aroma from day to day. Opened reds should be stored in a cool, dark place or in the fridge. Whites should be refrigerated. e wine will “go south” in a few days and should be tossed after seven days, Lillie says.
e hardest question to answer for any wine educator: Which wine should I buy my friend? “My best answer is to always buy your friend something you’d like to share with them,” Lillie says. “If they don’t like it, you can always drink the rest.”
Greg Tasker works part time as a wine educator on the Leelanau Peninsula. He has written about Michigan’s wine industry for e Detroit News, Michigan Blue, and other publications.
Forget the Stones — Come to Petoskey for the Wine!
in maple syrup to create wines ranging from dry to sweet. (“It’s really not too sweet,” McCarthy insists.) Visitors can also pick up bottles of syrups; maple candy and granola; and a range of sauces, seasonings, and jams.
e most unique tasting experience in the Petoskey Wine Region may be at Blu Dot Farm & Vineyard, a small-batch winery and cidery where guests can enjoy a summertime tasting in a renovated Airstream trailer.
“Our vintage Airstream [has] sofa seating inside, a bar seating section, service windows, and a stateof-the-art tap system for cider and wine,” says General Manager Sam Smiertka. “It basically sits behind the vineyard. … It’s anked by some shade sails that have sofa seating, and it sits on a concrete pad that not only keeps it level but has umbrellas, table seating, and a nice patio setting. So lots of outdoor vibes!”
THE AREA’S UNIQUE, APPROACHABLE
LBY LAUREN WETHINGTON
ess than two hours northeast of Traverse City, a lesser-known viticultural haven awaits Michigan wine lovers: the Petoskey Wine Region, a trail spanning just over 50 miles from Central Lake to Indian River and encompassing 14 unique wineries.
First launched in 2023, Blu Dot’s Airstream tasting room is open May through October; 15 or so people can t inside, and there is room for several more on the charming patio. For inclement weather and private parties, Blu Dot also has a small indoor tasting room (used mainly from October to the rst week of May) connected to what will soon be the winery’s production and storage facility. While the wine may be fabulous — Smiertka particularly recommends the Itasca, a clean, crisp, mineral-laden white — the atmosphere is decidedly unpretentious.
“ e owner, she really wanted it to be just super fun and casual,” Smiertka says. “‘Fun and irty’ is what we say.”
o eehouse ana er
atalie oush le
an eneral ana er achel ri th walk
throu h the laven er at etoskey arms.
e region, situated in the broader Tip of the Mitt American Viticultural Area, is known — among other things — for its resilient, cold-hardy grapes.
“Marquette, which is a red wine grape, is probably the most popular,” says Abbie McCarthy, the Petoskey Wine Region’s administrative assistant. “Every single winery [in the Petoskey Wine Region] grows Marquette.” e American hybrid grape, which can withstand long winters and cold snaps, is considered a genetic grandchild of Pinot Noir. e grape is known for high sugar levels and moderate acidity, and it tends to produce mediumbodied wines with notes of cherry and black pepper on the nose and palate. McCarthy says both dry and sweeter variations can be found along the trail. e grape is also used to make rosé at wineries such as Petoskey Farms and Boyne Valley Vineyards.
Petoskey’s wine trail o ers some novel experiences that wine lovers aren’t likely to nd elsewhere. At Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery, owners Todd and Christi Petersen ferment the naturally occurring sugars
ose wishing to sample all the region’s o erings in one stop have a chance to do just that at Petoskey Uncorked, an annual one-day event in May at the Odawa Casino. ere, guests can enjoy tastings from all 14 wineries on the trail, along with live entertainment and plenty of snacks.
But for those interested in the winemaking process itself, McCarthy heartily recommends visiting the wineries on-site.
“What sets us apart versus Traverse City is that at almost every winery, you’ll see an owner behind the bar,” McCarthy says. “ e owners love to be in the tasting room. And the winemakers are usually there, and they’re super open to people asking them questions. … A lot of people really appreciate that up here.”
World-Class WINES
MICHIGAN VINTNERS ARE CRUSHING IT IN COMPETITION
BY ANNA FALLER
Move over, Napa and New York! Michigan, part of the United States’ “ ird Coast,” is making quite the splash on the national (and international) wine stage.
Here are some of the local pours that brought home the gold (and platinum) at major wine competitions throughout the past year.
2024 New York International Wine Competition
Gold medal winners:
Auxerrois, Bel Lago
Merlot, Boathouse Vineyards
Cerise Noir, Chateau Chantal
2024 TEXSOM International Wine Awards
Judges’ selections:
2022 Cabernet Franc, Boathouse Vineyards
2022 late-harvest Riesling, Verterra Winery
Platinum medal winners:
2022 Kerner, Left Foot Charley
2021 Pinot Noir, Rove Estate
2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Best of Class winners:
2021 Grüner Veltliner, Aurora Cellars
2023 Pinot Grigio, Verterra Winery
Double gold medal winners:
2023 Sauvignon Blanc, Aurora Cellars
2023 Grüner Veltliner, Shady Lane Cellars
2021 brut Verterra Sparkler, Verterra Winery
2023 Pinot Blanc, Verterra Winery
2023 dry Riesling, Verterra Winery
2024 Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition
Double gold medal winners:
2023 Arcturos Sauvignon Blanc, Black Star Farms
Gold medal winners:
2023 late-harvest Gewürztraminer, Bel Lago
2023 Auxerrois, Moreno Vineyard, Bel Lago
MICHIGAN WINE co
2025 Festivals and Events
MAY
Spring into Summer! (May 30–June 1, Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail)
Try soon-to-be-released wines before anyone else at this event on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. lpwines.com/spring-into-summer
JUNE
Art, Beer, and Wine Festival (June 7, Jackson)
Ella Sharp Museum’s 20th annual festival will feature Michigan wineries, cideries, and breweries; food vendors; local artists; and live music. ellasharpmuseum.org/classes-andevents/annual-art-beer-wine-festival
Taste Michigan Invades Eastern Market (June 22, Detroit)
e Michigan Wine Collaborative is bringing the state’s wineries back to Detroit for another iteration of its “Taste Michigan Invades …” event series. michiganwinecollaborative.com/ category/events
Fenn Valley Wine Festival (June 28, Fennville)
Join Fenn Valley Vineyards for a celebration of local wine. is annual event features tastings in the vineyards, local food, live music, and more. fennvalley.com/wine-festival-and-open-house
JULY
Jazz & Mead Festival (July 13, Jackson)
Sip on mead, aka honey wine, and listen to jazz at Sandhill Crane Vineyards. sandhillcranevineyards.com/events
Summer Wine & Wool Festival (July 26, Jackson) is annual event at Sandhill Crane Vineyards combines the textile arts with — what else? — wine. sandhillcranevineyards.com/events
AUGUST
Tawas Uncork’d (Aug. 2)
Enjoy wine, ale, and food at this festival at
Harbor Park in East Tawas. facebook.com/ TawasUncorkd
Suds on the Shore Craft Beer + Wine Festival (Aug. 16, Ludington)
Head to the beach town of Ludington to sip on Michigan craft beverages at this annual festival. sudsontheshore.com
SEPTEMBER
LP Harvest Club (All Month, Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail)
Get wine club bene ts at participating tasting rooms on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail with the purchase of a ticket, which comes with an event passport and a commemorative wine glass. lpwines.com/harvest-days
Wine and Harvest Festival (Sept. 5–7, Paw Paw)
Celebrate the harvest season with wine tasting, grape stomping, a vineyard bike tour, an arts and crafts show, a parade, and much more at this bustling festival in Paw Paw. wineandharvestfestival.com
OCTOBER
Hunt for the Reds (All Month, Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail)
Take in northern Michigan’s autumn colors while sipping on a glass of specially selected red wine at participating wineries. lpwines.com/thehunt-for-the-reds-of-october
e Vine Wine’d (Oct. 4, Fennville)
Work up a sweat and enjoy the sights and smells of the harvest season at Fenn Valley Vineyards’ 13th annual race day featuring 5K and 1-mile courses winding through scenic vineyards. fennvalley.com/vine-wined
NOVEMBER
Toast the Season (Nov. 7–9 and 14–16, Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail)
Mark the beginning of the holiday season with wine and food pairings at participating wineries on the trail (and enjoy the second annual Lights Over Leelanau while you’re there). lpwines.com/ toast-the-season
DECEMBER
Nouveau Festival (Dec. 6, Fennville)
Commemorate the rst wine of the new vintage — a dry, fruity red with a smooth nish — at Fenn Valley Vineyards’ 35th annual Nouveau Festival.
Event information is subject to change. Con rm the details before you attend.
Connect the Dots
JUMP FROM
ONE
TASTING ROOM TO THE NEXT ALONG THESE SEVEN WINE TRAILS
BY EMILY DORAN
Michigan’s wine trails make it easy to visit multiple tasting rooms in one trip and get a well-rounded sampling of what an individual region has to o er. During your next visit to Michigan wine country, check out one of these seven trails around the state.
Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail
Located in the southwest corner of the state right by Lake Michigan, this wine trail includes 15 wineries and four additional tasting rooms that weave through two American Viticultural Areas: Lake Michigan Shore and Fennville. miwinetrail.com
Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail
e Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, part of the Leelanau Peninsula AVA in scenic northern Michigan, boasts 22 member wineries. lpwines.com
Wineries on this trail that o er lodging: Aurora Cellars, Black Star Farms, and Green Bird Cellars
Makers Trail
Numerous wineries — as well as cideries, breweries, and distilleries — are included in this trail, which celebrates the great beverage makers of Southwest Michigan. swmichigan.org/makerstrail
Wine business on this trail that o ers lodging: Moersch Hospitality Group, parent company of Round Barn and Tabor Hill
Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail
Ten wineries participate in this wine trail, whose peninsular home north of downtown Traverse City constitutes its own AVA and is surrounded by water, making for stunning views. ompwinetrail.com
Wineries on this trail that o er lodging: Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Chateau Chantal, and Chateau Grand Traverse
Petoskey Wine Region
is wine trail is home to 14 unique stops — ranging from rustic to trendy — serving a variety of wines in the Tip of the Mitt AVA. petoskey.wine
Wineries on this trail that o er lodging: Cellar 1914, Lost Cellars, and Mackinaw Trail Winery/Resort Pike Cidery & Winery
River Raisin Wine Trail
e River Raisin Wine Trail unites four wineries in southeastern Michigan: Cherry Creek Cellars in Brooklyn, Chateau Aeronautique Winery in Onsted, Flying Otter Winery in Adrian, and Pentamere Winery in Tecumseh. visitlenawee.com/ plan-your-visit/trip-ideas/wine-tour
U.P. Wine Trail
Gear up for an epic road trip and “uncork the north” on the U.P. Wine Trail, which connects seven wineries spread throughout the Upper Peninsula. winetrailup.com
Michigan’s wine trails — and their members — change from time to time. Please contact the individual trails and/or member wineries for the most up-to-date information.
• May 30–June 1 Spring into Summer! lpwines com/spring-into-summer
• September (all month) LP Harvest Club lpwines com/harvest-days
• October (all month) Hunt for the Reds lpwines.com/the-hunt-for-the-reds-of-october
• November 7–9 and 14–16 Toast the Season lpwines.com/toast-the-season
Nine elegant guest rooms with period furnishings and private baths
Two-bedroom carriage house suites
Walk two blocks to downtown shops, restaurants, theatre and beaches
Located midway between the Wineries of Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas
230 Wellington Street, Traverse City, MI 231-922-9200 www. WellingtonInn.com
It’s not just a destination – it’s the destination. See why The Wall Street Journal featured Traverse City as one of “The 10 Best Places to Go in 2025”.
Downtown Traverse City
Grape Elevation
TERRACING TURNS HILLS INTO VIABLE ACREAGE
BY KATHY GIBBONS
Dennis Devitt estimates that he planted nearly 10,000 acres of vineyards during the many years he spent working in California wine country.
A viticulturist who is now a sales manager covering northwestern Lower Michigan for the agricultural business Wilbur-Ellis, Devitt saw how some Western grape growers were using terraced vineyards.
“My experience in Napa and Sonoma and the central coast of California … is guys will go in and terrace because … you’re in a great climate, you’ve got great soil, you just don’t have the right topography to plant it, to prune it, to harvest it,” he says.
Simply put, terracing is the process of carving rows into the side of a hill versus planting on at land or rolling terrain as most Michigan vineyards do. Picture iconic scenes of grapevines chiseled into hillsides in France or Italy, for example.
In Michigan, a handful of growers are using terraced vineyards; Dablon Vineyards in Baroda is among them. e bene ts of terracing, says Head Winemaker Rudy Shafer, include good air drainage and sun exposure, “not to mention the aesthetics and e cient land use.” About 10% of Dablon’s 45 acres of grapes are planted in terraces modeled after European vineyards.
“We’ve always had it,” Shafer says. “It’s just the geography of our land: We have hills and little valleys, and it’s an e cient use of the available land.”
Bel Lago had terraces installed in the winery’s Moreno Vineyard on the Leelanau Peninsula three or so years ago. Founder Charlie Edson says they were built across an entire west- and southwest-facing slope that the team “simply couldn’t utilize without terracing — it was just too steep.”
“What prompted us to use it was just the aspect of the slope, how it faces,” Edson explains, noting that Bel Lago and sister winery French Valley Vineyard grow about 63 acres of grapes in all, 3.6 of which are in the terraced section. “ e sun hits it a little bit later in the morning, and it just gets bathed in the sun at the end of the day. So we planted all red varieties, which require a little bit longer growing season.”
“For a site like this that’s on the side of a hot hill,” he adds, “it’s going to be frost free, or [frost free] within reason.”
It’s not cheap to build terraces. ere’s a lot of earth to move to make way for flat zones, which can range from one to several rows wide. Once terraces are in place, weed control takes more work than in traditional plantings.
“It’s fairly labor intensive and costly to do,” says Jimmy Spencer, a managing partner at Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs, which has about 8 acres of grapes, 4.5 of which are terraced. On the maintenance front, “we’re up weed whacking in the summer,” he says. “You can’t let it all turn into giant weeds. at blocks airflow, … and you can’t just run a lawn mower through the field.”
Bel Lago’s terraced grapes won’t be ready to harvest until at least 2026. Edson is looking forward to it.
“We really like red wine at Bel Lago,” he says. “It’s one of the things we really focus on, so to have a site that will create some nice ripe fruit in, we hope, most years, is really exciting for us.”
Some Michigan wineries are terracing their vines or e er raina e emulatin vineyar s in other areas o the worl such as taly a ove .
SPEND THE NIGHT AT ONE OF THESE MICHIGAN WINERIES
SIP STAY AND
BY WENSDY VON BUSKIRK
Day trips are fun, but if you really want to experience the full Michigan viticultural scene, why not plan to stay awhile? Several of the state’s wineries o er lodging onsite, giving guests a chance to immerse themselves in the beauty of Michigan wine country, known for its rolling vineyards, waterfront views, Midwestern hospitality, and award-winning wines.
and
Chateau Chantal on the Old Mission Peninsula has it all: fabulous wine, stunning views of Grand Traverse Bay,
12 elegant B&B rooms so guests can immerse themselves in wine country.
ACCORDING TO A 2022 STUDY COMMISSIONED BY WINEAMERICA, Michigan’s wine regions draw in nearly 616,000 visits and $209 MILLION in tourism spending a year. Michigan winemakers cater to “oenotourists” by o ering a variety of accommodations and amenities. Here are several options we found, from award-winning inns and cozy guesthouses to unique Airbnbs (and even a yurt!).
The Inn at Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay
Once again voted one of the best wine country hotels in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards last year, the Inn at Black Star Farms is on a 160-acre estate boasting terraced vines and a gorgeous equestrian facility.
e iconic red inn o ers 10 elegant rooms and suites, including a honeymoon suite (complete with a grand marble replace) that’s getting a new luxe bathroom this year.
Amenities include a private sauna, outdoor res, and, of course, wine. Black Star Farms makes a variety and is perhaps best known for its Arcturos-label Rieslings. Guests receive a bottle of wine upon arrival and a free ight or glass in the tasting room, and they are invited to attend a nightly hospitality hour with vino and small plates.
In addition, guests can nd outdoor fun all year round with wagon rides in the fall; sleigh rides in the winter when weather allows; and hiking, biking, and snowshoeing on Black Star
Farms’ trails. In the summer, guests can get out on the water with packages that include kayaking, paddleboarding, or sailing.
“We have a 34-foot sailboat and captain who will take couples out on the pristine waters of West Grand Traverse Bay,” says Sherri Campbell Fenton, Black Star Farms’ managing owner.
As far as interactive experiences starring wine and food, Black Star Farms o ers cooking classes, charcuterie workshops, and special dining events that o er themed tastes of northern Michigan with a European twist at the on-site bistro. ose looking for the “ultimate experience” can sign up for a morning hike, cooking class, winemaking tour and tasting, and private wine-paired dinner.
“We really focus on creating memorable experiences and delivering world-class hospitality,” Campbell Fenton says.
PHOTOS: BY TONY DEMIN FOR BLACK STAR FARMS
“We really focus on creati g memorable e erie ces a d deli eri g world-class hospitality.”
herri am bell e to , lack tar arms
Chateau Chantal, Traverse City
Voted the best wine country hotel in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards yet again last year, Chateau Chantal’s bed-and-breakfast is perched high on a ridge on the Old Mission Peninsula overlooking the crystal waters of Grand Traverse Bay.
“ roughout all four seasons you get a beautiful view,” says Kyle Brownley, the property’s director of marketing.
Chateau Chantal launched in 1993 with just three B&B rooms in addition to the tasting space and winery. Today, the B&B o ers 12 rooms, each completely unique with rich colors on the walls and a touch of playfulness in the furnishings, art, and linens.
“It’s de nitely a French countryside feel mixed with French luxury,” Brownley says.
Wine dinners and cooking classes are popular activities for guests, and chef-prepared breakfasts include a “world famous” bacon recipe passed down from Nadine Begin, who founded the winery with her husband, Robert. e property is now operated by their daughter, Marie-Chantal Dalese, who carries on the tradition of combining northern Michigan hospitality and cool-climate wines, including new nonalcoholic options that make a visit to the beautiful countryside even more inclusive.
“ is is the most immersive Traverse City Wine Coast experience you can have,” Brownley says. “Often guests will not leave the peninsula the whole weekend. ere’s so much to do right here.”
Chateau Grand Traverse, Traverse City
After a whirlwind 50th anniversary in 2024, Chateau Grand Traverse is settling back into its longstanding routine of producing some of the state’s most recognizable wines.
Located on the Old Mission Peninsula next to the winery, Chateau Grand Traverse’s countryside lodge features large windows with views of the vineyards, West Grand Traverse Bay, and Bowers Harbor Park. ere are six tranquil guest rooms with private balconies, and a breakfast room where a European-style spread is laid out for self-service in the morning. e inn’s community spaces, including two sitting rooms with replaces and a big wraparound porch, make the location ideal for small groups or couples. ere’s also an exercise room with a sauna on-site.
Guests receive a complimentary bottle upon arrival and then a glass in the tasting room each ensuing day of their stay. e winery’s chic lounge and expansive patio are also fantastic places to enjoy the site’s
wide variety of wines. Chateau Grand Traverse o ers tours and tastings as well with a focus on educating guests about the winemaking process.
Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Traverse City
Located on the Old Mission Peninsula, this 155-acre estate features rows upon rows of vines and sweeping views of East Grand Traverse Bay. Visitors can book a stay right on the property in the private guesthouse, a former barn converted into a tidy two-bedroom, twobath retreat. Seasonal accommodations include a complimentary bottle of wine, charcuterie board, and tasting tower as well as a discount at the charming Secret Garden gift shop. Guests have multiple places where they can settle in to sample Brys Estate’s various wines, including the oldworld-style tasting room, the upper deck with its awe-inspiring views, and the laid-back lawn bar.
Inn at Black Star Farms sits on a 160-acre estate and counts an on-site bistro among its many amenities.
i ht hateau
Grand Traverse provides a perfect hoto ack ro .
Aurora Cellars’ Victorian farmhouse comes complete with a cedar barrel sauna and spacious, comfortable rooms.
Aurora Cellars, Lake Leelanau
The Victorian farmhouse at Aurora Cellars is reserved for couples getting married at the vineyard and eligible members of e Proprietor wine club. e house blends rustic charm with modern elegance and provides a romantic getaway right near the tasting room. Available experiences and amenities include wine and private chef services, massages, sleigh rides and snowshoeing in the winter, private yoga sessions, and a cedar barrel sauna. If that’s enough to entice you to book a vineyard wedding, Aurora’s estate venue accommodates up to 300 people.
Cellar 1914, Central Lake
Situated in serene Central Lake in the Tip of the Mitt American Viticultural Area, Cellar 1914 o ers guests a rustic retreat on the historic Shooks Farms. Purchased in 1914 by Great-Grandpa Shooks, this familyowned estate started with cherries and is now home to a charming winery complete with lodging. Accommodations at Cellar 1914 include a farmhouse, available for booking through Airbnb, and a yurt nestled within a
cherry orchard near gorgeous Torch Lake. Guests are invited to explore the expansive 1,100-acre farm, where Cellar 1914 grows its cold-hardy grapes, and enjoy the picturesque views of orchards and vineyards.
Mackinaw Trail Winery and Resort
Pike Cidery & Winery, Petoskey
Sibling businesses Mackinaw Trail Winery and Resort Pike Cidery & Winery o er guests a cozy-country lodging experience in the Tip of the Mitt AVA. Located minutes from downtown Petoskey, the wineries’ historic farmhouse is available to book on Airbnb and can t nine guests across ve bedrooms. e farmhouse serves as a good home base for wine tasting at the two locations, which are only a couple of miles apart. While Mackinaw Trail crafts a variety of wines, Resort Pike specializes in carbonated counterparts: sparkling wine and hard cider. Guests can relax in Mackinaw Trail’s spacious tasting room or on the dog-friendly outdoor patio, taking in scenic views of the vineyard and surrounding woods, or enjoy the rustic vibes at Resort Pike’s red barn tasting room.
Warner Vineyards, Paw Paw
For travelers seeking a lodging experience that’s o the rails, Warner Vineyards o ers a 1912 train car transformed into a fully equipped Airbnb. Set along the scenic Paw Paw River, this antique railcar seamlessly blends historical charm with modern amenities, providing a distinctive retreat on the grounds of one of Michigan’s oldest wineries. Adding to the one-of-a-kind atmosphere are the surrounding amenities, such as the on-site amphitheater that hosts concerts throughout the summer. Guests staying in the Airbnb also receive a complimentary wine tasting at the winery, just steps away.
Round Barn Winery & Estate, Baroda
Characterized by the stunning architecture of its Amish round barn, this estate combines a winery, a brewery, and a distillery on-site. Inside the barn, the tasting room invites guests to sample a wide array of craft beverages. Outside, lush vineyards serve as the backdrop for events and live music. Just steps away, guests can Airbnb or VRBO the luxurious Estate House, which accommodates up to eight people and provides access to Mt. Tabor Trails.
Growing the GRAPES of Tomorrow
ADVENTUROUS VIGNERONS EXPAND MICHIGAN’S WINE REPERTOIRE
BY KATHY GIBBONS
When Wyncroft owner James Lester rst started planting grapes in 1984, he was a trailblazer in insisting on growing grapes that few others in Michigan’s edgling wine industry had tried.
“I sought out the very nest grape varieties and learned how to grow those in an e ort to make wines here in Michigan that would be recognized as comparable to the nest wines in the world,” says Lester, who continues to operate the Pullmanbased winery. “When I started, nobody was growing Pinot Noir, for example. Nobody was growing Cabernet Sauvignon.
“ ere was Riesling planted, thanks to Ed O’Keefe [the late founder of Chateau Grand Traverse]; he had planted Riesling on the Old Mission Peninsula several years before I got started. But I was interested in making quality red wine. … I decided to try to learn to make the wines similarly to what they were doing in [the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions of] France.”
Fast-forward 36 years. According to the 2020 Small Fruit and Hops Inventory from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the statistical agency for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pinot Noir is one of the top four vinifera plantings in Michigan with 250 acres. Cabernet Sauvignon, meanwhile, grows on 56 acres.
Like Lester four decades ago, today’s viticulturists are branching out and growing grapes that aren’t common — yet — in Michigan. e role of such varietals is “becoming increasingly important,” says Paolo Sabbatini, a professor in Michigan State University’s horticulture department who specializes in viticulture.
“As climate change alters Michigan’s growing conditions, some lesser-known vinifera cultivars
could become more viable,” he explains. “Grüner Veltliner and Teroldego have shown potential in cool-climate regions and may o er Michigan growers new options that adapt well to shifting temperature patterns.”
Sabbatini says many uncommon-to-Michigan grapes — particularly hybrids — demonstrate superior disease resistance and reduce the need for chemical fungicides and pesticides. “ is is particularly bene cial in Michigan, where humidity and rainfall can contribute to fungal pressures,” he says.
Amy Birk, winemaker and operations manager at Domaine Berrien Cellars in Berrien Springs, says the winery grows 21 grape varieties, including Syrah, which was rst planted in 1999. e winery is well known for growing varieties such as this that are associated with a particular area of France, she says: “ e original founders of the vineyard, Tom and Abigail Fricke, … saw very similar climatic conditions in the northern Rhône as here in Michigan. eir thought was, ‘We love these grapes — why don’t we plant them?’”
Today, Syrah is one of Domaine Berrien’s
agship wines, and Marsanne and Viognier are two of the winery’s bestsellers. In 2024, Domaine Berrien planted more Viognier and Roussanne, and Birk says the winery team is now looking at introducing Grenache, another Rhône variety.
“It’s really important to do nontraditional varieties in Michigan because we are up against kind of a global standard when it comes to more traditional varieties,” she says. “When people say ‘Cab Sauvignon’ or ‘Chardonnay,’ most people think of Napa. If they see Cabernet Sauvignon [in Michigan], they expect it to taste exactly the same.” ere’s an opportunity there, she adds, to educate consumers about how wine tastes di erent depending on where the grapes are grown. “Terroir is why we make wine. We don’t want everything to taste the same. at’s boring.”
Bill Braymer, who owns Laurentide Winery in Lake Leelanau with his wife, Susan, says that when they planted Sauvignon Blanc, none of the experts thought it would thrive. Now they’re on their 14th vintage of Sauvignon Blanc, which has won them multiple awards along the way.
“Given the success of that dry white, 10 years ago when we were traveling in Spain, we noted the performance of Tempranillo,” he says. “We said to ourselves, ‘We should grow this.’”
While they’ve been blending Tempranillo with other varieties for a few years, 2025 brings their rst all-Tempranillo wine. ey now have under 2 acres of Tempranillo; Sauvignon Blanc occupies 4-plus acres.
As Sabbatini puts it, “ ese lesser-known grapes o er unique opportunities for growers and winemakers, particularly in the context of climate resilience, market di erentiation, and sustainability.”
aurenti e is a in em ranillo to its wine list.
aurenti e Winery rows lus acres o Sauvi non lanc.
Chateau Chantal makes a ew i erent ice wines.
High Risk, High Reward
TO BRAVE VINTNERS, MICHIGAN WINTERS MEAN THE POSSIBILITY OF VELVETY SMOOTH, ALLURINGLY SWEET ICE WINE
BY PARIS GILES
Make room on your rack between those after-work whites and dinner reds for something truly indulgent: ice wine. It’s the ultrarich and supersweet dessert wine that makes for the perfect post-meal treat, and for Michigan vintners willing to take the gamble, it’s the best part of winter.
Instead of picking grapes when they’re at their peak in, say, late summer or early fall, viticulturists leave them on the vine into the winter months.
ey’re only harvested when (and if) temperatures drop to around 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Ice wine grapes are basically an extreme version of lateharvest grapes, which, as the name implies, are picked after the regular harvest season is over so they have time to get extra sweet. e di erence?
Ice wine grapes actually need to freeze
“We want the whole clusters to freeze on the vine, and then we harvest them when they’re frozen,” explains Brian Hosmer, the head winemaker at Chateau Chantal on the Old Mission Peninsula. “We have a very short window. We have to get them into the press while they’re still frozen.” What winemakers manage to squeeze out of the frozen grapes is a very concentrated
juice with lots of sugar and consequently high alcohol potential.
e team at Chateau Chantal aims to produce ice wine every year, assuming temperatures drop low enough for long enough, but it’s a risky endeavor. Crews have to contend with harsh conditions and sometimes snow, and even before the harvest window opens, there’s a risk of losing grapes to pests, inclement weather, or disease when they’re left on the vine for so long.
e Chateau Chantal crew got lucky this year, harvesting the coveted frozen grapes on a sunny, bitterly cold day in January. Hosmer notes that the winery might produce 50,000 gallons of standard wine each year compared with a couple hundred gallons of ice wine — if that.
Cody Kresta Vineyard & Winery in Mattawan produces and sells ice wine, too, but the team buys the unfermented juice from another grower. “We had a heck of a time with the fermentation,” says owner David Butkovich.
want a balanced wine in the end, around 10% alcohol, Butkovich notes.
If you can get it right, though, you’re left with a sweet, viscous product with rich notes of burnt honey, toasted caramel, apricot, and/or baked apple. “It’s a novelty, really,” Butkovich says. “You have it for dessert with chocolate or something like that.” Hosmer says to take your time sipping it: “ e avor changes as you’re tasting it. It morphs and more things come out.”
“It’s a novelty, really. You have it for dessert with chocolate or something like that.”
—David Butkovich, Cody Kresta Vineyard Winery
“It can be a problem child. Ice wine is not easy.” And that’s because of the high sugar content. A typical harvest might yield a juice at 20 to 25 degrees Brix, which is the measure of sugar in grape juice or fermenting wine. Juice for ice wine can range from 32 to 46 degrees Brix, which means introducing the proper yeasts that can activate the process and live in that environment can be tricky. en, of course, you
All things considered, the price of a bottle of ice wine is typically heftier than your average vino’s, and you’ll often nd the liquid gold in half-sized bottles. At Chateau Chantal, the Estate and Cabernet Franc ice wines go for $90, and the Vidal ice wine sells for $45; Cody Kresta’s Vidal Blanc ice wine also sells for $45. Both wineries o er a ordable tastings to give curious folk an opportunity to try ice wine.
To help lower both the risk for wineries and, in turn, the price for consumers, some wineries may opt for more controlled methods of producing imitation ice wine. “Cryoextraction, that’s the really fun term for it, which really just means putting [grapes] into a freezer,” Hosmer says. Still, he says of the authentic stu , “When you leave the fruit on the vine, the heating and cooling of the fruit kind of changes the avor. It oxidizes the fruit a little bit. It does something special.”
he team at hateau hantal harvests ice wine ra es.
CREAM OF THE Crop / D
BY ANNA FALLER
espite weather challenges in some Michigan vineyards this past year, the state’s 2024 vintage is shaping up to be one for the record books, winemakers say.
e quality of each year’s grape output largely depends on the surrounding season, says Lee Lutes, head winemaker at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay and Traverse City. 2024 was an exemplary year from a growth standpoint but marked by weather events that stunted supply in the state’s southern regions.
e season began on the tail of an abnormally mild winter, which, for many northern vineyards, led to ourishing growth and typical, if not slightly early, budbreak by around late April. “When we see conditions like that, we tend to think we’re o to a good start,” Lutes says.
Much of Southwest Michigan, though, experienced a hard freeze in mid-January that all but decimated local
Assistant Winemaker Lane Cellars created three new wines with
Maddie McCandless, assistant winemaker at Shady Lane Cellars in Su ons ay co-developed three new wines for a special Great Lakes wine series this past fall.
Assistant Winemaker Shelbie Darga poses with Pinot Grigio grapes at Mari Vineyards in Traverse City.
Wine club members stomp grapes at Youngblood Vineyard in Ray.
Harvest at Chateau Grand Traverse.
vinifera, with the exception of cold-hardy Riesling. A frost in mid-April further damaged early-blooming grapes such as Cabernet Franc. “With that start to the season, we had a very small crop,” says Dave Miller, owner and winemaker at White Pine Winery in St. Joseph.
Moving into mid-season, though, the state saw ample rain and soaring temperatures, which spurred vine growth. A markedly dry preharvest period followed; northern areas of the state experienced near-drought conditions, and the state’s southwestern corner had an almost unheard-of 3,000-plus growing degree-days. anks to these excellent ripening conditions toward the end of the 2024 season, the grapes had a chance to attain full physiological development. Consequently, wine drinkers can likely look forward to robust, tropicalleaning whites and a more mature red selection with increased body and depth in this vintage.
“ ough there was limited vinifera in the southwest, the quality of the 2024 harvest was excellent,” Miller says. “Overall, the wines are great, and I think that holds true for the rest of the state.”
Maddie McCandless at Shady these labels and developed Executive Winemaker Kasey pictured).
The vineyard and winery at Petoskey Farms during the harvest season.
Ripe grapes at St. Julian’s Mountain Road Estate Vineyard in the Lake Michigan Shore American Viticultural Area.
PHOTOS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF SHADY LANE CELLARS; COURTESY OF DABLON VINEYARDS WINERY; BY RACHEL GRIFFITH FOR PETOSKEY FARMS; COURTESY OF ST. JULIAN; COURTESY OF YOUNGBLOOD VINEYARD; BY BONNIE HARDIN FOR MARI VINEYARDS; AND BY TOM BALAZS, TWO TWISTED TREES PHOTOGRAPHY, FOR CHATEAU GRAND TRAVERSE.
Fall foliage at Dablon Vineyards Winery in Baroda.
MAKE BLACK STAR FARMS’
A S awberry and Rhubarb Tart
THIS SWEET AND RUSTIC DESSERT PAIRS PERFECTLY WITH A DRY ROSÉ
BY EMILY DORAN
s far as the Michigan Wine Country team is concerned, pink is the color of summer. In other words, rosé is on the drink list all season long, and there’s no better way to indulge in a crisp, fruity glass on the porch after dinner than with a sweet and rustic dessert. is recipe for a strawberry and rhubarb tart, which serves four to six, comes from Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay. Paired with a glass of the winery’s dry rosé, the dessert “was a hit!” when it was featured last June, says Sarah Kosteva, Black
Star Farms’ marketing manager, via email. Flour your hands and your rolling pin — it’s time to bake!
Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
• 1/2 pound tart dough (see accompanying recipe)
• 1/2 pound fresh rhubarb stalks, washed
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, to taste
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, washed,
trimmed, and quartered
• 1 egg, for egg wash
• Demerara sugar, for baking
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator to warm up.
3. Cut the rhubarb into 1/2-inch dices. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with about 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of cornstarch. Set aside.
4. Lightly toss the quartered strawberries
Black Star Farms’ strawberry and rhubarb tart pairs perfectly with a glass of dry rosé.
with sugar. Combine the strawberries with the rhubarb.
5. Place the dough in between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out into a round sheet about 1/8 inch thick. Remove the top sheet of plastic.
6. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment or baking paper.
7. Flip the tart dough over onto the baking pan and remove the second sheet of plastic.
8. Spoon the fruit onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch border all the way around.
9. Begin folding the edge of the crust over on top to encase the fruit. Continue around the tart in a circular shape, folding and tucking the edge evenly every 1 1/2 to 2 inches.
10. Brush the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.
11. Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
12. Serve warm, topping with vanilla gelato if desired.
Wine pairing suggestion: Arcturos Pinot Noir dry rosé
Sweet Dessert Tart Dough Ingredients
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Using a mixer paddle on high speed, beat until light and fluffy.
2. At a medium speed, add the egg and beat until fully incorporated.
3. At a low speed, add 1 cup of flour and the salt and cinnamon, stirring just until mixed in.
4. Add another 1/2 cup of flour, stirring it all in again.
5. Dust your worktable surface with some of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour.
6. Gently knead the tart dough on the table, working in just enough flour to prevent it from sticking. The resulting dough will be soft but should not stick to your fingers! You may or may not use all the flour.
7. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flattening it into a round shape.
8. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 20 to 30 minutes.
When it comes to understanding the legal rights of condominium owners, as well as the dynamics of condo association boards, Robert M. Meisner is THE authority!
M. Meisner is
In Condo Living 2, Meisner shares his wit and wisdom from more than 40 years of practicing community association law.
This expanded second edition includes new information about FHA certification, legal issues for co-owners and tenants, condo rules and restrictions, assessment collection, and more!
If you’ve ever thought about developing, buying or selling
read this book first!
WINE COUNTRY
WINE & TOURING GUIDE
1 | 12 Corners Vineyards
2 | 468 Urban Winery
3 | The 707 Winery and Brewery
4 | Baroda Founders Wine Cellar
5 | Chateau Henderson, operated by West Main Hill winery
6 | Chill Hill Winery
7 | Cody Kresta Vineyard & Winery
8 | Cogdal Vineyards - Home of Little Man Winery
9 | Contessa Wine Cellars
10 | Corey Lake Orchards
11 | Country Mill Orchard & Winery
12 | Crane’s Winery
13 | Dablon Vineyards, Winery & Tasting Room
14 | Diamond Lake Orchard
15 | Domaine Berrien Cellars
16 | Fenn Valley Vineyards
17 | Filkins Vineyards
18 | Fox and Hen Winery
19 | Free Run Cellars
20 | Glass Creek Winery
21 | Golden Muse Winery
22 | Gravity 23 | Heronmark
24 | Hickory Creek Winery
25 | Hudsonville Winery
26 | Lake Michigan Vintners
27 | Lawton Ridge Winery
28 | Lehman’s Orchard
29 | Lemon Creek Winery
30 | Michigan Wine Co.
31 | Modales Wines
32 | Moonrise Winery
33 | Native Species Winery
34 | Pink Barrel Cellars
35 | Red Top Winery
36 | Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery
37 | Round Barn Estate
38 | Sit and Stay Winery
39 | Solasta Winery
40 | St. Julian Winery & Distillery
41 | Stoney Ridge Winery & Vineyards
42 | Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant
43 | Tanglewood Winery
44 | Twine Urban Winery
45 | Vander Mill
46 | Vineyard 2121
47 | Warner Vineyards
48 | White Pine Winery
49 | Wyncroft Southeast & Thumb
50 | 3 North Vines
51 | B&B Wines
52 | Belle River Winery
53 | Black Fire Winery
54 | Blake’s Hard Cider Co.
55 | Bløm Meadworks
56 | B. Nektar Mead, Cider, Beer
57 | Burgdorf’s Winery
58 | Cellar 104
59 | Chalice Craft Wine
60 | Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery - Airpark
61 | Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery - Irish Hills
62 | Cherry Creek Cellars as well as additional tasting rooms around the state.
63 | Dizzy Daisy Winery and Vineyard
64 | Fenton Winery & Brewery
65 | Filipo Marc Winery
66 | Flying Otter Vineyard and Winery
67 | Graham Vineyard & Winery
68 | Green Barn Winery
69 | Hoffman Farms Winery & Tasting Room
70 | Howell’s MainStreet Winery
71 | Maria’s Uncorked
72 | Meckley’s Cidery
73 | Northville Winery and Brewing Co.
74 | Pentamere Winery
75 | Russell B. Gregory Winery
76 | Sage Creek Winery
77 | Sandhill Crane Vineyards
78 | Shiny Apple Wines
79 | Sleepwalker
80 | Spicer’s Winery
81 | Superior Lakes Mead, Wine, and Cider
82 | Tennerra Winery
83 | Twisted Cork Winery
84 | Twisted Rivers Winery
85 | Uncle John’s Fruit House Winery
86 | Unwined Winery
87 | Vine-N-Berry
88 | Vinomondo Winery
89 | Vintner’s Canton Winery
90 | Washington Street Wine House
91 | WaterStreet Winery and Brewing Co.
92 | Westview Orchards & Winery
93 | Whole Hearted Winery
94 | Wilson Estate Vineyards
95 | The Winery North of 12
96 | Youngblood Vineyard
Northwest
97 | 2 Lads Winery
98 | 45 North Vineyard & Winery
99 | Amoritas Vineyards
100 | Annabelle Acres Vineyard & Winery
101 | Aurora Cellars
102 | Bel Lago
103 | Black Star Farms - Leelanau
104 | Black Star Farms - Old Mission
105 | Blu Dot Farm & Vineyard
106 | Blustone Vineyards
107 | Boathouse Vineyards
108 | Bonobo Winery
109 | BOS Wine Garden
110 | Bowers Harbor Vineyards
111 | Boyne Valley Vineyards
112 | Brengman Family Wines
113 | Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery
114 | Cadillac Winery
115 | Cellar 1914
116 | The Cellars of Royal Farms
117 | Chateau Chantal
118 | Chateau Fontaine
119 | Chateau Grand Traverse
120 | Cherry Republic
121 | Ciccone Vineyard & Winery
122 | Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery
123 | Dune Bird Winery
124 | FarmHouse Vineyards
125 | The Fox Barn Market & Winery
126 | French Valley Vineyard
127 | Gabriel Farms & Winery
128 | Gilchrist Farm Winery
129 | Good Harbor Vineyards
130 | Green Bird Organic Cellars & Farm
131 | Gwin Girls Winery and Tasting Room
132 | Hawthorne Vineyards
133 | Heavenly Vineyards
134 | Jomagrha Vineyards & Winery
135 | Laurentide Winery
136 | Leelanau Cellars
137 | Left Foot Charley
138 | Lost Cellars
139 | Love Wines
140 | Mackinaw Trail Winery
141 | Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery
142 | Mari Vineyards
143 | Mawby/Big Little Wines
144 | Nathaniel Rose Wine
145 | North Branch Winery
146 | Northern Natural Cider House & Winery
147 | OBrien Vineyards
148 | Oceana Winery & Vineyard
149 | Peninsula Cellars
150 | Pere Marquette Winery
151 | Petoskey Farms Vineyard. Winery. Coffeehouse.
152 | Pleasant Valley Farm and Vineyard
153 | Pond Hill Farm
154 | Resort Pike Cidery & Winery
155 | Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate
156 | Rudbeckia Winery
157 | Seasons of the North Winery
158 | Shady Lane Cellars
159 | Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery
160 | Soul Squeeze Cellars
161 | Spare Key Winery
162 | St. Ambrose Cellars
163 | Stone House Vinyards
164 | Tabone Vineyards
165 | Three Trees Vineyard
166 | Torch Lake Cellars
167 | Townline Ciderworks
168 | Two K Farms Cidery & Winery
169 | Verterra Winery
170 | Vista Ridge Vineyards
171 | Walloon Lake Winery
172 | WaterFire Vineyards
173 | Willow Winery - A Faulkner Family Vineyard
174 | The Winery @ Young Farms
Northeast
175 | Burrone Family Vineyards & Winery
176 | Country Corner Winery
177 | Crazy Vines Winery
178 | The Merry-Hearted Cidery
179 | Modern Craft
180 | Nicholas’s Black River Vineyard & Winery
181 | Rose Valley Winery
182 | Thunder Bay Winery
Upper Peninsula
183 | 1668 Winery and Soo Brewing Co.
184 | End of the Road Winery
185 | Leigh’s Garden Winery
186 | Northern Sun Winery
187 | Threefold Vine Winery & Meadery
188 | Yooper Winery
Indicates estate-grown wines are included on wine list as reported by the wineries.
MUSKEGON
GRAND RAPIDS
1 | 12 Corners Vineyards 12corners.com / 269-927-1512 1201 N. Benton Center Road Benton Harbor 49022
2 | 468 Urban Winery 468wine.com / 269-365-9021 8842 Portage Road #104 Portage 49002
3 | The 707 Winery and Brewery 707wineryandbrewery.square.site 616-710-0796 9175 Cherry Valley Ave. SE, Suite H Caledonia 49316
SOUTHWEST
4 | Baroda Founders Wine Cellar founderswinecellar.com / 269-426-5222 8963 Hills Road / Baroda 49101
5 | Chateau Henderson, operated by West Main Hill winery chateauhenderson.com / 269-366-1730 102 Monroe St. / Kalamazoo 49006
6 | Chill Hill Winery chillhill.net / 269-326-7173 8986 First St. / Baroda 49101
7 | Cody Kresta Vineyard & Winery codykrestawinery.com / 269-668-3800 45727 27th St. / Mattawan 49071
8 | Cogdal VineyardsHome of Little Man Winery cogdalvineyards.com / 269-637-2229 7143 107th Ave. South Haven 49090
9 | Contessa Wine Cellars contessawinecellars.com 269-468-5534 3235 Friday Road / Coloma 49038
10 | Corey Lake Orchards coreylakeorchards.com 269-244-5690 12147 Corey Lake Road Three Rivers 49093
11 | Country Mill Orchard & Winery countrymillfarms.com / 517-543-1019 4648 Otto Road / Charlotte 48813
12 | Crane’s Winery cranespiepantry.com / 269-561-2297 6054 124th Ave. / Fennville 49408
13 | Dablon Vineyards, Winery & Tasting Room dablon.com / 269-422-WINE (9463) 111 W. Shawnee Road Baroda 49101
14 | Diamond Lake Orchard diamondlakeorchard.com 269-470-4548 62116 Eagle Point Road Cassopolis 49031
15 | Domaine Berrien Cellars domaineberrien.com / 269-473-9463
398 E. Lemon Creek Road Berrien Springs 49103
16 | Fenn Valley Vineyards fennvalley.com 269-561-2396
6130 122nd Ave. Fennville 49408
17 | Filkins Vineyards filkinsvineyards.com 269-468-9463 6991 Ryno Road Coloma 49038
18 | Fox and Hen Winery foxandhenwinery.com 616-291-7067 13373 104th Ave. Grand Haven 49417
19 | Free Run Cellars freeruncellars.com / 269-471-1737 10062 Burgoyne Road Berrien Springs 49103
20 | Glass Creek Winery glasscreekwinery.com / 269-986-6473 450 N. Whitmore Road Hastings 49058
21 | Golden Muse Winery goldenmusewinery.com / 269-422-5336 8903 Stevensville-Baroda Road Baroda 49101
22 | Gravity gravitywine.com / 269-471-9463 10220 Lauer Road / Baroda 49101
23 | Heronmark heronmarkfarms.com
132 Hubbard St. Allegan 49010
A | 12 Corners Vineyards 12corners.com / 269-637-1211 511 Phoenix St. South Haven 49090
B | 12 Corners Vineyards in Harbourfront Building 12corners.com / 616-414-7070 41 Washington Ave., Suite 144 Grand Haven 49417
C | Baroda Founders St. Joseph Tasting Room founderswinecellar.com 269-982-1115
415 State St. / St. Joseph 49085
D | Cherry Republic cherryrepublic.com 231-226-3013
29 W. Eighth St. / Holland 49423
E | Fenn Valley Vineyards fennvalley.com / 269-857-5170 310 Butler St. / Saugatuck 49453
F | Gravity gravitywine.com / 269-767-7437
512 Phoenix St. South Haven 49090
24 | Hickory Creek Winery hickorycreekwinery.com 269-422-1100 750 Browntown Road Buchanan 49107
25 | Hudsonville Winery hudsonvillewinery.com 616-662-4589
3768 Chicago Drive Hudsonville 49426
26 | Lake Michigan Vintners lakemichiganvintners.com 269-927-4731
2774 E. Empire Ave. Benton Harbor 49022
27 | Lawton Ridge Winery lawtonridgewinery.com / 269-372-9463 8456 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo 49009
28 | Lehman’s Orchard lehmansorchard.com / 269-683-9078 2280 Portage Road / Niles 49120
29 | Lemon Creek Winery lemoncreekwinery.com / 269-471-1321 533 E. Lemon Creek Road Berrien Springs 49103
30 | Michigan Wine Co. michiganwineco.com / 269-543-5011 6781 124th Ave. / Fennville 49408
G | Lehman’s Farmhouse lehmansfarmhouse.com 269-362-4063
204 N. Redbud Trail Buchanan 49107
H | Local Pour localpourmi.com 269-405-1262 12857 Red Arrow Highway Sawyer 49125
I | Love Wines ludingtonwine.com 231-843-3363 217 W. Main St. / Lowell 49331
J | The Port theportmi.com 517-515-5517
143 Kent St. / Portland 48875 (By appointment — please call/text)
K | Round Barn Brewery & Public House roundbarn.com / 269-326-7059 9151 First St. / Baroda 49101
31 | Modales Wines modaleswines.com / 269-772-3505 2128 62nd St. / Fennville 49408
32 | Moonrise Winery moonrisewinery.com / 269-468-4056 7785 Hill Road / Watervliet 49098
33 | Native Species Winery 928 Wealthy St. SE Grand Rapids 49506
34 | Pink Barrel Cellars pinkbarrelcellars.com / 616-784-0058 3025 Six Mile Road Grand Rapids 49544
35 | Red Top Winery redtopwinery.com / 269-473-2711 482 E. Snow Road / Baroda 49101
36 | Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery robinettes.com 616-361-7180
3142 Four Mile Road NE Grand Rapids 49525
37 | Round Barn Estate roundbarn.com / 269-422-1617 10983 Hills Road / Baroda 49101
38 | Sit and Stay Winery sitandstaywinery.com 269-961-1679
260 E. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo 49007
L | Round Barn and Tabor Hill Tasting Room roundbarn.com / 269-469-6885 9185 Union Pier Road Union Pier 49129
M | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com / 616-263-9087 4425 14 Mile Road NE, Suite 1 Rockford 49341
N | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com / 269-469-3150 9145 Union Pier Road Union Pier 49129
O | Tabor Hill Tasting Room & Wine Shop taborhill.com / 269-465-6566 10243 Red Arrow Highway Bridgman 49106
P | Warner Vineyards warnerwines.com / 616-394-9002 26 E. Eighth St. / Holland 49423
Q | Warner Vineyards warnerwines.com / 269-637-6900 515 Williams St., Suite 11 South Haven 49090
39 | Solasta Winery solastawinery.com 269-546-1316
11945 Red Arrow Highway Sawyer 49125
40 | St. Julian Winery & Distillery stjulian.com / 800-732-6002 716 S. Kalamazoo St. / Paw Paw 49079
41 | Stoney Ridge Winery & Vineyards stoneyridgevineyards.com 616-498-5468
2255 Indian Lakes Road Kent City 49330
42 | Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant taborhill.com / 269-422-1161 185 Mount Tabor Road Buchanan 49107
43 | Tanglewood Winery tanglewoodwinery.com 616-375-9648 15811 Riley St. Holland 49424
44 | Twine Urban Winery therochecollection.com 269-270-3278 1319 Portage St. / Kalamazoo 49001
45 | Vander Mill vandermill.com / 616-259-8828
505 Ball Ave. NE Grand Rapids 49503
46 | Vineyard 2121 vineyard2121.com / 269-849-0109 4110 Red Arrow Highway Benton Harbor 49022
47 | Warner Vineyards warnerwines.com / 269-657-3165 706 S. Kalamazoo St. Paw Paw 49079
48 | White Pine Winery whitepinewinery.com / 269-281-0098 317 State St. / St. Joseph 49085
49 | Wyncroft wyncroftwine.com / 269-409-1855 1055 64th St. / Pullman 49450 (By appointment — please call)
SOUTHWEST ADDITIONAL TASTING ROOMS
SOUTHEAST & THUMB
50 | 3 North Vines 3northvines.com / 810-956-2706 5940 Peck Road / Croswell 48422
51 | B&B Wines facebook.com/barbandbob 989-658-8387
4320 S. Bad Axe Road / Ubly 48475
52 | Belle River Winery facebook.com/belleriverwine
586-808-2696 2405 Arlington Road Columbus 48063
53 | Black Fire Winery blackfirewinery.com / 517-424-9232 1261 E. Munger Road Tecumseh 49286
54 | Blake’s Hard Cider Co. blakeshardcider.com / 586-784-9463 17985 Armada Center Road Armada 48005
55 | Bløm Meadworks drinkblom.com / 734-548-9729
100 S. Fourth Ave., Suite 110 Ann Arbor 48104
56 | B. Nektar Mead, Cider, Beer bnektar.com / 313-744-6323 1511 Jarvis / Ferndale 48220
57 | Burgdorf’s Winery burgdorfwinery.com / 517-655-2883 4212 Holt Road / Webberville 48892
58 | Cellar 104 cellar104.com / 586-242-2222 104 Macomb Place Mount Clemens 48043
59 | Chalice Craft Wine chalicewinery.com / 810-245-9463 1779 W. Genesee / Lapeer 48446
60 | Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery - Airpark chateauaeronautiquewinery.com 517-569-2132 1849 Rives-Eaton Road Jackson 49201
61 | Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery - Irish Hills chateauaeronautiquewinery.com 517-446-4052 12000 Pentecost Highway Onsted 49265
62 | Cherry Creek Cellars cherrycreekwine.com / 517-592-4663
11500 Silver Lake Highway
Brooklyn 49230
63 | Dizzy Daisy Winery and Vineyard dizzydaisywinery.com
989-269-2366
1288 Crown Road / Bad Axe 48413
64 | Fenton Winery & Brewery fentonbrewery.com / 810-373-4194
1370 N. Long Lake Road Fenton 48430
65 | Filipo Marc Winery filipomarcwinery.com 586-226-3990 39085 Garfield Road Clinton Township 48038
66 | Flying Otter Vineyard and Winery flyingotter.com / 567-302-0476 3402 Chase Road / Adrian 49221
67 | Graham Vineyard & Winery grahamvineyard.com 517-741-0805 8920 W. Britton Road Laingsburg 48848
68 | Green Barn Winery greenbarnwinery.com 810-367-2400
775 N. Wadhams Road Smiths Creek 48074
69 | Hoffman Farms Winery & Tasting Room facebook.com/hoffmanfarmswinery 248-714-5953
2521 Rose Center Road Highland 48356
70 | Howell’s MainStreet Winery howellsmainstreetwinery.com 517-545-9463
201 W. Grand River Ave. Howell 48843
71 | Maria’s Uncorked mariasuncorked.com 269-781-9128
116 E. Michigan Ave. / Marshall 49068
72 | Meckley’s Cidery flavorfruitfarm.com / 517-688-3455 11025 S. Jackson Road Cement City 49233
73 | Northville Winery & Brewing Co. thenorthvillewinery.com 248-320-6507
630 Baseline Road Northville 48167
74 | Pentamere Winery pentamerewinery.com / 517-423-9000 131 E. Chicago Blvd. (Highway 50) Tecumseh 49286
75 | Russell B. Gregory Winery russellbgregorywinery.com 810-241-0945
1911 Miles Road / Lapeer 48446 (Tastings by appointment)
76 | Sage Creek Winery sagecreekmi.com / 810-392-5007 35050 Bordman Road Memphis 48041
77 | Sandhill Crane Vineyards sandhillcranevineyards.com 517-764-0679 4724 Walz Road / Jackson 49201
78 | Shiny Apple Wines shinyapplewines.com / 517-242-3902 2588 Pinckney Road / Howell 48843
79 | Sleepwalker drinksleepwalker.com / 517-918-4046 1101 S. Washington Ave. Lansing 48910
80 | Spicer’s Winery spicerorchards.com / 810-632-7692 10411 Clyde Road / Fenton 48430
81 | Superior Lakes Mead, Wine, and Cider superiorlakes.com / 586-231-9501 36285 Jefferson Harrison Township 48045
82 | Tennerra Winery tennerra.com / 586-884-7868 44443 Phoenix Drive Sterling Heights 48314
83 | Twisted Cork Winery twistedcorkwinery.com 248-437-9463
105 N. Lafayette St., Suite 100 South Lyon 48178
84 | Twisted Rivers Winery facebook.com/twistedriverswinery 269-425-0688
131 W. Michigan Ave. Marshall 49068
R | Belle River Winery belleriverwinery.com
586-808-2696
902 Military St. Port Huron 48060
S | Black Star Farms blackstarfarms.com
989-652-2483
925 S. Main St., B-6 Frankenmuth 48734
T | Cherry Republic cherryrepublic.com 734-585-5231
223 S. Main St. Ann Arbor 48104
U | Cherry Republic cherryrepublic.com 231-226-3039
925 S. Main St., H-2 Frankenmuth 48734
V | The Coop at Damouni Orchards damouniorchards.com 810-620-1830 2391 W. Reid Road Flint 48507
W | Dizzy Daisy WineryTiny Tasting Room on the Village Green
dizzydaisywinery.com 8650 Line St. Port Austin 48467 (Open Friday and Saturday starting after Memorial Day)
X | Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room mbtbtasting.com 248-564-2134 3384 Auburn Road Auburn Hills 48326
Y | Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room mbtbtasting.com 248-850-7175
29932 Woodward Ave. Royal Oak 48073
Z | Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room mbtbtasting.com 586-843-3690 45645 Hayes Road Shelby Township 48315
AA | Michigan Wine and Beer Portal michiganwineand beerportal.com 734-682-3547
8 N. Monroe St. Monroe 48162
BB | Modern Craft moderncraftwine.com
989-652-3566
925 S. Main St., E-1 Frankenmuth 48734
CC | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com 734-529-3700 700 Freedom Court Dundee 48131
DD | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com 989-652-3281
127 S. Main St. Frankenmuth 48734
EE | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com 248-951-2113 518 W. 14 Mile Road Troy 48083
FF | Twisted Cork Winery twistedcorkwinery.com 248-428-3968 184 E. Main St. Northville 48167
SOUTHEAST & THUMB ADDITIONAL TASTING ROOMS
SOUTHEAST
(Continued)
85 | Uncle John’s Fruit House Winery ujcidermill.com / 989-224-3686
8614 N. U.S. 127 / St. Johns 48879
86 | Unwined Winery uwwinery.com / 586-932-2600
47653 Van Dyke Ave. Shelby Township 48317
87 | Vine-N-Berry vinenberry.com / 989-551-1616 3475 Stein Road / Bad Axe 48413
88 | Vinomondo Winery vinomondowinery.com
810-385-4062
4505 Lakeshore Road Fort Gratiot 48059
89 | Vintner’s Canton Winery vintnerscanton.com / 734-354-9463 8515 N. LilleyRoad/ Canton 48187
90 | Washington Street Wine House washingtonstreetwinehouse.com
586-273-7140
50969 Washington St. New Baltimore 48047
91 | WaterStreet Winery and Brewing Co. waterstreetwineryandbrewery.com 810-420-0604 218 S. Water St. / Marine City 48039
92 | Westview Orchards & Winery westvieworchards.com
586-752-3123
65075 Van Dyke Washington Township 48095
93 | Whole Hearted Winery winethatgives.com / 248-667-8441
56808 Grand River, Building A New Hudson 48165
94 | Wilson Estate Vineyards wilsonestatevineyards.com 517-375-2356 18850 Kane Road Stockbridge 49285
95 | The Winery North of 12 northof12.com 517-592-5909
12775 Knapp Road Brooklyn 49230
96 | Youngblood Vineyard youngbloodvineyard.com
586-770-5220
61829 Ray Center Road / Ray 48096
NORTHWEST
97 | 2 Lads Winery 2lwinery.com / 231-223-7722
16985 Smokey Hollow Road Traverse City 49686
98 | 45 North Vineyard & Winery 45north.wine / 231-271-1188
8580 E. Horn Road Lake Leelanau 49653
99 | Amoritas Vineyards amoritasvineyards.com 231-994-2300
6701 E. Duck Lake Road Lake Leelanau 49653
100 | Annabelle Acres Vineyard & Winery annabelleacreswinery.com 231-735-7600
3893 E. Harrison Road / Hart 49420
101 | Aurora Cellars auroracellars.com / 231-994-3188
7788 E. Horn Road Lake Leelanau 49653
102 | Bel Lago bellago.com / 231-228-4800
6530 S. Lake Shore Drive / Cedar 49621
103 | Black Star Farms - Leelanau blackstarfarms.com 231-944-1270
10844 E. Revold Road Suttons Bay 49682
104 | Black Star Farms - Old Mission blackstarfarms.com 231-944-1300
360 McKinley Road East Traverse City 49686
105 | Blu Dot Farm & Vineyard bludotwine.com / 231-622-3753 11399 Boyne City Road Charlevoix 49720
106 | Blustone Vineyards blustonevineyards.com 231-256-0146
780 N. Sylt Road, P.O. Box 292 Lake Leelanau 49653
107 | Boathouse Vineyards boathousevineyards.com 231-256-7115
115 St. Mary’s St. Lake Leelanau 49653
108 | Bonobo Winery bonobowinery.com 231-282-WINE (9463) 12011 Center Road Traverse City 49686
109 | BOS Wine Garden boswine.com / 707-815-3226
135 Ames St. / Elk Rapids 49629
110 | Bowers Harbor Vineyards bowersharbor.com / 231-223-7615
2896 Bowers Harbor Road Traverse City 49686
111 | Boyne Valley Vineyards boynevalleyvineyards.com / 231-373-2090
5325 U.S. 131 North / Petoskey 49770
112 | Brengman Family Wines brengmanbrothers.com 231-421-5611
9720 S. Center Highway Traverse City 49684
113 | Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery brysestate.com / 231-223-9303
3309 Blue Water Road
Traverse City 49686
114 | Cadillac Winery cadillacwinery.com / 989-392-2044
17480 18 Mile Road / LeRoy 49655
115 | Cellar 1914 cellar1914.com / 231-676-8743 5833 Shooks Road / Central Lake 49622
116 | The Cellars of Royal Farms royalfarmsinc.com / 231-599-3222 10445 N. U.S. 31 / Ellsworth 49729
117 | Chateau Chantal chateauchantal.com / 231-223-4110 15900 Rue de Vin /Traverse City 49686
118 | Chateau Fontaine chateaufontaine.com / 231-256-0000 2290 S. French Road Lake Leelanau 49653
119 | Chateau Grand Traverse cgtwines.com / 231-938-6120 12239 Center Road Traverse City 49686
120 | Cherry Republic cherryrepublic.com / 231-226-3016 6026 S. Lake St. / Glen Arbor 49636
121 | Ciccone Vineyard & Winery cicconevineyard.com / 231-271-5553 10343 E. Hilltop Road Suttons Bay 49682
122 | Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery crookedvinewine.com / 231-203-4790 8370 Lakeview Road / Alanson 49706
123 | Dune Bird Winery dunebirdwinery.com / 231-613-4100 2724 N. Manitou Trail Northport 49670
124 | FarmHouse Vineyards facebook.com/fhvpetoskey 231-338-6632
8450 Channel Road / Petoskey 49770
125 | The Fox Barn Market & Winery thefoxbarn.com / 231-861-8050
500 S. 18th Ave. / Shelby 49455
126 | French Valley Vineyard fvvineyard.com / 231-228-2616
3655 S. French Road / Cedar 49621
127 | Gabriel Farms & Winery gabrielfarmsandwinery.com 231-622-8880
2800 E. Mitchell Road / Petoskey 49770
128 | Gilchrist Farm Winery gilchristfarmwinery.com 231-916-3902
417 N. Saint Joseph St. Suttons Bay 49682
129 | Good Harbor Vineyards goodharbor.com / 231-256-7165
34 S. Manitou Trail Lake Leelanau 49653
130 | Green Bird Organic Cellars & Farm greenbirdcellars.com / 231-386-5636 9825 Engles Road / Northport 49670
131 | Gwin Girls Winery and Tasting Room gwingirls.com / 517-282-7100
3600 Nine Mile Road / Remus 49340
132 | Hawthorne Vineyards hawthornevineyards.com 231-929-4206
1000Camino Maria Drive Traverse City 49686
133 | Heavenly Vineyards heavenlyvineyards.weebly.com 616-710-2751 15946 Jefferson Road / Morley 49336
134 | Jomagrha Vineyards & Winery jomagrha.com / 231-869-4236 7365 S. Pere Marquette Highway Pentwater 49449
135 | Laurentide Winery laurentidewinery.com / 231-994-2147
56 S. French Road Lake Leelanau 49653
136 | Leelanau Cellars lwc.wine / 231-386-5201 5019 N. West Bay Shore Drive Omena 49674
137 | Left Foot Charley leftfootcharley.com / 231-995-0500 806 Red Drive / Traverse City 49684
NORTHWEST (Continued)
138 | Lost Cellars lostvino.com / 231-499-4755
04434 U.S. 31 South Charlevoix 49720
139 | Love Wines ludingtonwine.com / 231-843-3363 925S. Washington Ave. Ludington 49431
140 | Mackinaw Trail Winery mackinawtrailwinery.com 231-487-1910
3423 U.S. 131 / Petoskey 49770
141 | Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery
mmsyrup.com / 231-487-9058 4454 Atkins Road / Petoskey 49770
142 | Mari Vineyards marivineyards.com / 231-938-6116 8175 Center Road / Traverse City 49686
143 | Mawby/Big Little Wines mawby.wine / 231-271-3522
4519 S. Elm Valley Road Suttons Bay 49682
144 | Nathaniel Rose Wine nathanielrosewine.com 231-271-5650
1865 N. West Bay Shore Drive Suttons Bay 49682
145 | North Branch Winery northbranchwinery.com 231-631-8408
126 S. Main St. Scottville 49454
146 | Northern Natural Cider House & Winery northernnaturalwinery.com 231-889-0064 7220 Chief Road / Kaleva 49645
147 | OBrien Vineyards facebook.com/obrienvineyards 231-590-3478 1380 Yellow Drive / Traverse City 49684
148 | Oceana Winery & Vineyard oceanawinery.com / 231-343-0769 4980 S. 52nd Ave. / New Era 49446
149 | Peninsula Cellars peninsulacellars.com / 231-933-9787 11480 Center Road Traverse City 49686
150 | Pere Marquette Winery peremarquettewinery.com 231-233-0201 6540 Iris Road Ludington 49431
151 | Petoskey Farms Vineyard. Winery. Coffeehouse. petoskeyfarms.com 231-290-WINE (9463) 3720 Atkins Road / Petoskey 49770
152 | Pleasant Valley Farm and Vineyard pleasantvalleyfarmandvineyard.com 231-301-2491
522 N. 69th Ave. / Hart 49420
153 | Pond Hill Farm pondhill.com / 231-526-3276
5699 S. Lake Shore Drive Harbor Springs 49740
154 | Resort Pike Cidery & Winery resortpikecideryandwinery.com 231-753-2508
3471 Resort Pike Road Petoskey 49770
155 | Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate rovewinery.com / 231-421-7001
7007 E. Traverse Highway Traverse City 49684
156 | Rudbeckia Winery rudbeckiawinery.com 231-622-4173
3379 Lake Grove Road Petoskey 49770
157 | Seasons of the North Winery seasonsofthenorth.com 231-548-1280
9090 W. M-68 / Indian River 49749
158 | Shady Lane Cellars shadylanecellars.com / 231-947-8865 9580 E. Shady Lane Suttons Bay 49682
159 | Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery silverleafvineyard.com 231-271-3111
11087 E. Silver Leaf Farm Road Suttons Bay 49682
160 | Soul Squeeze Cellars soulsqueezecellars.com 231-994-2156
105 E. Philip St. / Lake Leelanau 49653
161 | Spare Key Winery sparekeywinery.com 231-237-4785
6872 Upper Bayshore Road Charlevoix 49720
162 | St. Ambrose Cellars stambrosecellars.com 231-383-4262
841 S. Pioneer Road / Beulah 49617
163 | Stone House Vinyards stonehousevinyards.com 231-385-0051
7850 21 Mile Road / Evart 49631
164 | Tabone Vineyards tabonevineyards.com 231-223-4101
14916 Peninsula Drive Traverse City 49686
165 | Three Trees Vineyard threetreesvineyard.com 231-492-0052
5200 S. Elm Valley Road Suttons Bay 49682 (By appointment)
166 | Torch Lake Cellars torchlakecellars.com 231-377-9109
5245 Clam Lake Drive Bellaire 49615
167 | Townline Ciderworks townlineciderworks.com 231-883-5330
11595 U.S. 31 South Williamsburg 49690
168 | Two K Farms Cidery & Winery twokfarms.com 231-866-4265
3872 SW Bay Shore Drive Suttons Bay 49682
169 | Verterra Winery verterrawinery.com / 231-256-2115 103 E. River St. / Leland 49654
170 | Vista Ridge Vineyards vistaridgevineyards.com 231-331-5511
9104 Helena Road Alden 49612
NORTHWEST ADDITIONAL TASTING ROOMS
GG | Big Little Wines biglittlewines.com / 231-714-4854
4519 S. Elm Valley Road Suttons Bay 49682
HH | Cherry Republic cherryrepublic.com / 231-226-3006 221 Bridge St. / Charlevoix 49720
II | Cherry Republic cherryrepublic.com 231-932-9205
154 E. Front St. / Traverse City 49684
JJ | M22 Glen Arbor crystalriveroutfitters.com/m22glen-arbor / 231-334-4425
6298 W. Western Ave. (M-22) Glen Arbor 49636
KK | The Ridge at Verterra verterrawinery.com / 231-386-2473 8080 N. Swede Road Northport 49670
171 | Walloon Lake Winery walloonlakewinery.com 231-622-8645
3149 Intertown Road / Petoskey 49770
172 | WaterFire Vineyards waterfirewine.com / 231-498-2753 12180 Sutter Road / Kewadin 49648
173 | Willow Winery - A Faulkner Family Vineyard willowvineyardwine.com 231-271-4810
10702 E. Hilltop Road Suttons Bay 49682 (Call ahead for hours)
174 | The Winery @ Young Farms thewineryatyoungfarms.com 989-506-5142
8396 70th Ave. / Mecosta 49332
Pinot Grigio
NORTHEAST
175 | Burrone Family Vineyards & Winery burronefamilyvw.com 989-379-1050 212 Pinebrook Drive Lachine 49753
176 | Country Corner Winery facebook.com/valleymisttastingroom 989-965-6395
2498 N. M-33 / Rose City 48654
177 | Crazy Vines Winery crazyvineswinery.com 989-687-4488
37 E. Saginaw Road / Sanford 48657
178 | The Merry-Hearted Cidery localhardcider.com / 989-578-2225 5740 W. M-61 / Gladwin 48624
TOP-NOTCH TERROIR
Michigan has five American Viticultural Areas.
Fennville
Fennville in southwestern Michigan was the state’s first AVA — and one of the first in the nation — when it was established in 1981. It’s encompassed within the larger Lake Michigan Shore AVA founded two years later.
Lake Michigan Shore
Like Fennville, the Lake Michigan Shore AVA benefits from Lake Michigan’s “lake effect,” which moderates winter and summer temperature extremes and delays the budding of the vines beyond late spring frosts.
Michigan’s AVAs boast distinct growing conditions that set their wines apart
lake effect, with Lake Michigan, Grand Traverse Bay, and Lake Leelanau moderating temperatures. Vineyard soils tend to be sandy and loamy and drain well.
Old Mission Peninsula
Across Grand Traverse Bay from the Leelanau Peninsula, the Old Mission Peninsula became an AVA in 1987. Here, too, lake effect plays a major role: Lake Michigan’s surrounding bays have a moderating influence on the growing environment.
Tip of the Mitt
179 | Modern Craft moderncraftwine.com / 989-876-4948
211 E. Huron Road / Au Gres 48703
180 | Nicholas’s Black River Vineyard & Winery nicholasblackriverwinery.com 231-625-9060
6209 N. Black River Road Cheboygan 49721
181 | Rose Valley Winery rosevalleywinery.net / 989-685-9399 3039 Beechwood Road Rose City 48654
182 | Thunder Bay Winery thunderbaywinery.com 989-358-9463
109 N. Second St., Suite 101/103 Alpena 49707
Leelanau Peninsula
The Leelanau Peninsula in northwestern Lower Michigan became the state’s second AVA when it was approved in 1982. Like its southwestern Michigan counterparts, it benefits from
The Tip of the Mitt AVA is Michigan’s newest, approved in July 2016. Spread across Charlevoix, Emmet, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Antrim, and Alpena counties, it has a longer frost-free growing season, more growing degree-days, and a generally less-extreme climate than the adjacent region to the south.
HOW TO READ A WINE LABEL
1. Winery Name or Brand
2. Bottle Capacity
3. Grape Variety/Wine Name Wines are often named after the grape variety from which they are made. Sometimes, especially with blends, wines are given “proprietary” names — created, registered, and solely used by the winery.
4. Vintage Date The year grapes were grown. A vintage date on the label means 95% of the grapes are from the stated vintage.
5. Grape-Growing Region/Appellation If a label says “Michigan,” or names a county, at least 75% of the wine grapes must have been grown there. If the label lists an American Viticultural Area (or AVA, for short), 85% of the wine grapes must have come from that area.
6. Description of Wine Descriptions that help identify a style — such as dry, semidry, barrel fermented, oak aged, and others.
7. Alcohol Content Alcohol content can vary from year to year. Federal standards allow 1.5% latitude either way, so many wineries give an average. Other labels may say “Table Wine,” which means that the wine is between 7% and 14% alcohol; it is not an indication of quality.
8. Estate Bottled This wine is 100% from the stated area and is grown, made, and bottled by the winery.
183 | 1668 Winery and Soo Brewing Co. soobrew.com / 906-259-5035 100 W. Portage Ave. Sault Ste. Marie 49783
184 | End of the Road Winery endoftheroadwinerymi.com 906-450-1541 or 906-450-1549 6917 Burns Road Germfask 49836
185 | Leigh’s Garden Winery leighsgarden.com / 906-553-7799 904 Ludington St. Escanaba 49829
186 | Northern Sun Winery northernsunwinery.com 906-399-9212 983 10th Road Bark River 49807
187 | Threefold Vine Winery & Meadery exploringthenorth.com/threefold/vine.html 906-753-6000 S232 Menominee St. Stephenson 49887
188 | Yooper Winery yooperwinery.com 906-361-0318 915 48th Ave.
49858
Fair Weather or Worse
CLIMATE CHANGE IS RESHAPING MICHIGAN’S WINE SCENE. IS THAT CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION OR CONCERN?
BY LAUREN WETHINGTON
Sean O’Keefe has followed the weather patterns on the Old Mission Peninsula for decades. His father moved the family there to start Chateau Grand Traverse, the area’s rst commercial winery, in 1974; the trailblazing Ed O’Keefe planted cool-climate Riesling as well as Chardonnay and Merlot. Now the winemaker for Mari Vineyards on that same peninsula, Sean O’Keefe says the region has warmed noticeably over the years and he now can cultivate grape varieties that weren’t on winegrowers’ radars in the ’70s and ’80s.
“We have warmed up to the point where reds are viable, especially if we make it in a style that ts what’s going on here,” O’Keefe says. Mari, he adds, is a “majority red winery, which is an anomaly” in the area. “I plant a lot of Italian varieties that come from Alpine areas of northern Italy, so they can still withstand our winters and those [cold snap] events, but they’re also able to ripen within the windows that are now our longer growing season.”
ose northern Italian grapes include the dark, richly colored Refosco and the fruity-yet-mellow Teroldego, which are combined with more well-known grapes such as Merlot and Pinot Noir in Mari’s popular red blends.
Indeed, the lengthening of the growing season has improved the quality of Michigan’s red wine grapes and opened the door to
“The Great Lakes are the best thing we have going for the future because any changes that happen, be it warm or cold, the lakes mitigate that. They act as a buffer.”
—Sean O’Keefe, Mari Vineyards
new varieties, says Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar, a viticulture extension educator at Michigan State University Extension. But he cautions that the changing climate also brings new challenges with it.
Just last year, “it was a great vintage, a very dry harvest season, and lots of sun,” Nasrollahiazar says. “Many growers were happy, but some of them had issues with irrigation.” In August and September, he explains, some growers had only 2 millimeters of rainfall, “and two months is long enough to introduce stress to a plant.”
“We have to keep an eye on the soil moisture,” he says.
Another potential stressor is the increased frequency of polar vortex weather patterns, which bring a sudden surge of extrafrigid air. What was formerly a once-in-a-decade event now occurs more often, Nasrollahiazar says. Such a weather event can have disastrous consequences for winegrowers.
“In the beginning of 2024, we had the polar vortex in Southwest Michigan, and we lost 70% of vinifera over there,” Nasrollahiazar says. “If you lose that much grape, then automatically the price of the grape is going to increase. Of course, depending on the demand, the price of the wine
also may increase.”
A di cult aspect of these weather patterns is their increasingly unpredictable nature. Nasrollahiazar says vineyard operators have no way to know what kind of season they should expect: Will a polar vortex kill half of their crop, or will a mild winter give way to a long growing and harvest season, leading to their best vintage ever?
All the while, the silent guardian protecting Michigan through every kind of weather is its abundant surrounding water. “ e Great Lakes are the best thing we have going for the future because any changes that happen, be it warm or cold, the lakes mitigate that,” O’Keefe says. “ ey act as a bu er.”
He hasn’t forgotten the winter of 2015, which brought extreme cold that froze even the Great Lakes, meaning winegrowers “lost all … protection.”
“ ose [cold weather] events can still happen,” O’Keefe says.
But in the context of global climate disasters, Michigan fares better than many regions. “In this modern era now — with the nonstop res on the West Coast, the incredible hail and ooding you see in Europe, the droughts and res in Australia — what we call terroir is now a disaster,” O’Keefe says.
“ e rest of the world,” he notes, “is trying to gure out how to deal with all these big changes. In Michigan, especially northern Michigan, we’re already very well versed in this. … We can ski on ice; we can ski on powder, too.”
Lake Michigan insulates the Old Mission Peninsula in the winter.
Mari Vineyards’ Troglodyte Rosso is a blend of Pinot Noir, Teroldego, and Merlot. Mari is a “majority red winery,” vintner Sean O’Keefe says.
The Great Lakes State Grape Debate
SHOULD THE MICHIGAN WINE SCENE ATTACH ITS IDENTITY TO A SINGLE VARIETAL? INDUSTRY EXPERTS WEIGH IN.
BY GREG TASKER
Think Napa Valley and wine, and what springs to mind? Cabernet Sauvignon. What about Oregon? Pinot Noir. And Michigan?
So far, Michigan boasts no “state” wine grape, though there has been considerable debate over the years. Should it be Riesling, the state’s most planted grape? Or Cabernet Franc, one of the most planted reds? Or some other varietal? Or what about a wine style, such as sparkling or rosé?
We asked several people in Michigan’s wine industry and found varying answers.
“If you have to pick one singular grape, that choice becomes challenging, … but I would choose Riesling,” says Doug Olson, winemaker at Boathouse Vineyards in Lake Leelanau. “Riesling has yet to reach its potential up here. … It has this tremendous range to allow [winemakers] to achieve their goals and styles. It has exibility: … You can adjust your style if the weather goes sideways.”
His choice for a red grape would be Cabernet Franc, which, he says, “really delivers” and can grow well in Michigan and o ers winemakers plenty of exibility. (By the way, Boathouse Vineyards’ 2022 Cabernet Franc was a big winner last year in the TEXSOM International Wine Awards.)
“Pinot Blanc is a great variety for Michigan to focus on,” says Emily Dockery, executive director of the Michigan Wine Collaborative, a nonpro t that advocates for the state’s wine industry. “Pinot Blanc is less understood than Riesling, but it has a ton of potential and [is] something we can run away with.”
If she had to choose a style for the state to adopt as an identity, Dockery would pick rosé: “ ere are so many producers in Michigan making beautiful rosés.”
“Instead of a signature grape, I think Michigan should focus on a distinct style: fresh, unmanipulated wines with good acidity and lower alcohol content than their West Coast counterparts,” says Andrew Backlin, winemaker at Modales Wines in Fennville in southwestern Michigan. “ is style leans more towards European than New World.”
“ e fact that no single variety overwhelmingly dominates suggests that Michigan’s strength lies in its
diversity rather than in the identity of a single grape,” says Paolo Sabbatini, a professor in Michigan State University’s horticulture department. His research centers on vine physiology, viticulture, and cultivar evaluation. “Riesling may be the most prominent, but the industry does not depend on it as a de ning characteristic in the way that Pinot Noir de nes Oregon or Cabernet Sauvignon de nes Napa Valley.”
A more e ective strategy, he adds, “might be to promote Michigan’s unique terroir and its ability to produce high-quality, cool-climate wines across multiple varietals.”
Brian Lillie, vice president of hospitality operations and distribution at Chateau Chantal on the Old Mission Peninsula, has a similar opinion: “Our state is so diverse in terroir that there is no single wine grape that we can claim. … Maybe a better question would be ‘Which style?’ Most of Michigan is considered a cool climate. In that case, I would add sparkling wine or rosé to the debate. … Other states decided 30 years ago to name a state grape, and some of them are starting to regret that because they can do other things well, too.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Want to weigh in on The Great Lakes State Grape Debate? Email us at michiganwinecountry@ hour-media.com and let us know what you think! We may publish your response in our email newsletter and/or a future publication.
Riesling grapes
Cabernet Franc grapes
Your Enchanting Wine Country Getaway
· CULINARY EXPERIENCES
· PRIVATE EVENTS & WEDDINGS
· UNMATCHED PANORAMIC VIEWS
