Michigan Wine Country 2024

Six unique stops featuring some of southwest Michigan’s most iconic properties, perfect for a

Six unique stops featuring some of southwest Michigan’s most iconic properties, perfect for a day, weekend, or anytime!

Six unique stops featuring some of southwest Michigan’s most iconic properties, perfect for a day, weekend, or anytime!

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 Four-Season Fun

Michigan wineries offer reasons to visit any time of year.

SWEET WINES

28 Better with Time

Michigan’s sweet wines merit another sip.

ROS É

30 Drink Pink

Michigan wineries use a variety of grapes and methods to create crisp, refreshing rosé.

SUPERFANS

32 Grape Crush

These Michigan wine enthusiasts take their dedication to the next level.

AGRITOURISM

36 A

Taste of Country Life

Some Michigan vineyards offer a fullblown farm experience.

TASTING ROOMS

40 Made in the Mitten

Enjoy a glass of Michigan wine at one of these tasting rooms.

FOOD PAIRINGS

42 Making the Menu

Michigan wine complements everything from appetizers to desserts.

SUSTAINABILITY

55 Going Green

Sustainability-focused pilot program kicks off at Michigan vineyards.

Departments

11 GRAPEVINE

Vertical and horizontal tastings; wine trails; new wineries; festivals and events; The Dream 2.0 and beyond; Taste Michigan; a potential new AVA; and Field Blends in Traverse City.

45 MAPS AND LISTINGS

Michigan’s wineries, cideries, meaderies, and tasting rooms.

56 THE FINISH

Our state’s wine scene is unique for several reasons.

WINE COUNTRY

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

Chateau Grand Traverse’s Riesling

Art Director Kevin Martin Bel Lago’s 2016 Pinot Noir

Copy Editor Olivia Sedlacek Chateau Chantal’s Chardonnay

Associate Editor Jordan Jewell Brys Estate’s 2021 Pinot Noir/Riesling

Senior Production Artist Stephanie Daniel Mawby’s Tropic

Pre-Press Designer Jonathan Boedecker Yooper Winery’s Little Portal Point Plum

Advertising Director Jason Hosko / jhosko@hour-media.com

Chateau Fontaine’s Gewürztraminer

Advertising Account Executives

Maddy Gill mgill@hour-media.com

Aurora Cellars’ Brut Rosé

Carol Lawrence clawrence@hour-media.com

Andrew Nolan anolan@hour-media.com

Chateau Grand Traverse’s Pinot Grigio

Contributors Kathy Gibbons, Becky Kalajian, Greg Tasker, Wensdy Von Buskirk, Lauren Wethington

To sign up for our e-newsletter, please visit: michiganwinecountry.com/e-newsletter-signup

Copyright © 2024, Hour Media LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the express written consent of the publisher. The content of Michigan Wine Country is for general information and entertainment purposes only. While the editors make every reasonable effort to ensure accuracy, Hour Media cannot be held liable for errors or omissions. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Hour Media. Products or services mentioned may be trademarks of their respective companies. Send inquiries to michiganwinecountry@hour-media.com. For other information, visit michiganwinecountry.com.

CEO Stefan Wanczyk / President John Balardo

Raise Your Glass In The Art Coast of Michigan

Explore the lush landscapes of the Fennville AVA, where the marriage of land and climate produces wines of unparalleled quality and character. Here, surrounded by rolling hills and cool Lake Michigan breezes, our award-winning wineries craft small-batch masterpieces that reflect our region’s unique terroir and the artistry of the vintners.

Just beyond the vineyards, you’ll find breathtaking outdoor scenery, a vibrant arts scene, and worldrenowned culinary experiences, creating the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable wine adventure. Come discover the exceptional blend of exquisite wine and warm hospitality that awaits you in The Art Coast of Michigan.

Level Up Your Tasting Experience

YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM VERTICAL

BY JORDAN JEWELL

If you want to take wine tasting to the next level, look no further than vertical and horizontal tastings, which provide unique insights into the wines being presented.

A vertical tasting explores the same wine from different years, usually from the same producer. Even when a wine is made by the same vintner and from the same vineyard every year, its profile can change because of variations in weather and other factors. “In our wine education seminars, we show how different vintages of the same wine can be vastly different,” says Shannon Casey, co-owner of Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room, which has locations in Auburn Hills, Royal Oak, and Shelby Township. “Not only does this demonstrate vintage variation, highlighting different growing conditions and winemaking variations, but also the aging potential of some wines.”

Alternatively, horizontal tastings explore multiple wines from the same vintage but different wineries or vineyards. Like vertical tastings, they center on one specific grape. “These types of tastings are particularly interesting when a winery chooses to bottle different vineyards separately,”

Casey says. “You can really see the difference in terroir that each vineyard site showcases.”

Both tastings have their benefits. “We like to do horizontal tastings to compare the same

AND HORIZONTAL TASTINGS

wine across vineyards to see how the different winemaking styles and terroir affect the wines,”

Casey says. “We like to do vertical tastings when there is a distinct difference in the vintages. Many mass-produced commercial wines are

TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME TASTERS

New to wine tasting?

Here are some helpful guidelines to make the most of the experience.

Ask questions!

“First-time wine tasters should ask lots of questions and try lots of wines,” says Shannon Casey, co-owner of Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room in metro Detroit. “If they can put into words what they like or dislike, an

experienced wine seller can help them explore other wines that they otherwise wouldn’t have tried.”

Keep an open mind.

“We often hear people say they don’t like red wines, when in fact they may not like the high tannins of a Cabernet Sauvignon,” Casey says.

“Often, these guests realize they do like red wines with a lower tan-

nin. Tasters need to find a tasting room, wine bar, or wine merchant that takes the time to educate their guests.”

produced to take out vintage variations. Many artisanal winemakers, which we have plenty of in Michigan, let the wines make themselves. Minimal manipulation in the cellar often leads to wines having significant vintage variation.”

Follow the five S’s. The five S’s — see, swirl, smell, sip, and savor — provide a helpful evaluative structure to wine tasting, and Casey uses it religiously. “When evaluating a wine, it can quickly help

us identify any flaws,” he says. “When we are just sitting down for a leisurely glass of wine, it enhances the experience because it makes us slow down and appreciate every glass.”

Go white to red and dry to sweet.

“Your palate can easily be overpowered by the big, bold red wines, so we always want to work our way up to those wines,” Casey says. “This gives the lighter wines a chance to be appreciated.”

Jordan Jewell

Hit the Trails

VISIT MULTIPLE WINERIES IN A SINGLE TRIP ALONG ONE OF MICHIGAN’S WINE TRAILS

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. Some wine trails even host fun events throughout the year. Here are seven trails to explore 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, or AVAs: 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 21 member wineries spread throughout three “loops.” 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, Tabor Hill, and Free Run Cellars

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 16 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 and Winery

River Raisin Wine Trail

e River Raisin Wine Trail, which launched last May, 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-yourvisit/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.

2024 WINE EVENTS

NEAR TRAVERSE CITY

• May (all month)

Traverse City Uncorked traversecity.com/traverse-city-uncorked

• May 17-19

Experience Leelanau lpwines.com/experience-leelanau

• May 31-June 2

Spring into Summer! lpwines.com/spring-into-summer

• September (all month)

Harvest Days lpwines.com/harvest-days

• October (weekdays all month)

Hunt for the Reds lpwines.com/the-hunt-for-the-reds-of-october

• November 1-3 and 8-10

Toast the Season lpwines.com/toast-the-season

Two-bedroom

And the List Keeps Growing

SEVERAL NEW WINERIES HAVE OPENED IN MICHIGAN RECENTLY

BY JORDAN JEWELL

Michigan’s wine scene is growing — a lot. Multiple wineries have opened their doors recently, bringing the grand total just under 200. Here are some of the newest wineries in the state.

468 Urban Winery

Offering community events like trivia night and wreath making, 468 Urban Winery has already made its mark on Portage since opening its doors in January 2023. The name pays tribute to owners Lauren and Brian Bodamer’s three children, born in the fourth, sixth, and eighth months of the year. The winery also sells customizable bottles of wine.

8842 Portage Road, No. 104 Portage, MI 49002 468wine.com

Blu Dot Farm & Vineyard

With an estate vineyard spanning 8 acres, the folks at Blu Dot Farm & Vineyard proudly opened their tasting room — a cool, custom Airstream trailer that comfortably seats 12 — in June 2023. Outdoor seating is also available at the dog-friendly Charlevoix winery, which offers a spot for patrons to enjoy a casual glass of wine or an elevated tasting experience. At the end of their tasting, guests can take home a souvenir glass to memorialize their trip.

11399 Boyne City Road Charlevoix, MI 49720 bludotwine.com

The culinary team at Gilchrist Farm Winery uses locally sourced ingredients in the restaurant’s meals.

Burrone Family Vineyards & Winery

After years of providing Michigan-grown grapes to wineries around the state, the Burrone family opened its own winery in July 2023. The Lachine-based winemakers founded the vineyard in 1998 with a small number of vines, and the property has now expanded to about 10 acres of grapes.

212 Pinebrook Drive Lachine, MI 49753 burronefamilyvw.com

Fox and Hen Winery

Wil Malski, co-owner of Fox and Hen Winery, had been a home fermenter for over a decade prior to opening his own winery with his wife, Caitlin, in September 2023. The Grand Haven winery places visitors among the vines for a fully immersive experience with attentive service. As the winemaker, Wil is available and fully equipped to provide some wine education during guests’ tasting.

13373 104th Ave. Grand Haven, MI 49417 foxandhenwinery.com

Gilchrist Farm Winery

With a tasting room and restaurant in downtown Suttons Bay, Gilchrist Farm Winery places an emphasis on hospitality. The winery, which officially opened in September 2023, is family owned and affiliated with a nearby 22-acre vineyard that has been grown from the dirt up using regenerative farming practices. In the restaurant, each dish is prepared using locally sourced produce, including from Gilchrist Farm itself.

417 N. Saint Joseph St. Suttons Bay, MI 49682 gilchristfarmwinery.com

Stone House Vinyards

This family-run vineyard and winery, which opened its doors in September 2023, was more than 100 years in the making. The Evart-based farm has been in the family since 1910, and the vineyard there was planted in 2018. The winery currently offers 11 varieties of wine, a hard cider, and wine and cider slushies.

7850 21 Mile Road Evart, MI 49631 stonehousevinyards.com

Fox and Hen Winery

2024 Festivals and Events

WJUNE

ine festivals and events happen throughout the year in Michigan. Scan the QR code to visit Michigan Wine Country’s events page to see what we have on the calendar for 2024. rough that webpage, we also welcome submissions for relevant new events to be added to the lineup. Here are just a few of the many festivities to check out this year.

Art, Beer, and Wine Festival (June 8, Jackson) Enjoy Michigan wine and beer at Ella Sharp Museum. ellasharpmuseum.org/classes-andevents/annual-art-beer-wine-festival

AUGUST

Suds on the Shore Craft Beer and Wine Festival (Aug. 17, Ludington) Head to the beach town of Ludington to sip on Michigan wine, cider, mead, and beer. sudsontheshore.com

SEPTEMBER

Wine and Harvest Festival (Sept. 6-8, Paw Paw) Celebrate harvest with wine tasting, grape stomping, reworks, and more at this lively festival in Paw Paw. wineandharvestfestival.com

NOVEMBER

Toast the Season (Nov. 1-3 and 8-10, Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail)

Mark the start of the holidays with wine and food pairings at participating wineries. lpwines.com/toast-the-season

Event information is subject to change. Con rm the details before you attend.

Making a New ‘Dream’

LATEST VARIATIONS OF THE MICHIGAN WINE COLLABORATIVE’S CUSTOM WINE WILL BENEFIT SCHOLARSHIP FUND

BY JORDAN JEWELL

Following the success of the rst installment of e Dream, a custommade wine whose proceeds bene ted the scholarship fund of the Michigan Wine Collaborative’s Inclusion and Expansion Committee, the Collaborative has been busy working on follow-up variations.

e Dream 2.0 is taking on two forms, both sparkling. St. Julian Winery, based in Paw Paw, is producing e Dream 2.0A, a 100% Riesling bubbly that is being made via the Charmat method. e Dream

2.0B is a sparkling rosé that blends Cabernet Franc and Traminette. Bottled in June 2023, this wine is being produced following the traditional method of sparkling wine production, or méthode Champenoise. Students in the Wine and Viticulture Technology program at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor are making e Dream 2.0B as part of their hands-on learning.

Looking even further ahead, e Dream 3.0 and 4.0 are already in the works. e Dream 3.0 will be a red blend of Blaufränkisch and Cabernet Franc, with Bryan Ulbrich at Left Foot Charley in Traverse City as the point person. e Dream 4.0 will be a brut sparkling wine, with Michael Laing from Mawby and Big Little Wines in Suttons Bay as the point person for the project.

As with e Dream, proceeds from these latest wines will go toward scholarships for Michigan-based students of color to support their wine education and encourage diversity in the Michigan wine industry. Last year, following the success of e Dream, the Collaborative awarded scholarships to Carmen Davis, Misha Byrd, and Antoniues Gregory.

With the Lake Michigan College team hard at work, e Dream 2.0B is nearly ready for release. e sparkling rosé will serve as a prize at a silent auction at Uncork Me Michigan in Detroit on May 18. Learn more at michiganwinecollaborative.com

MOTORIZED VINEYARD TOURS

Cool Continues to Be Hot

CAMPAIGN FOR STATEWIDE TASTE MICHIGAN BRAND IS STILL GOING STRONG

BY JORDAN JEWELL

What started as a monthlong ad campaign — complete with billboards, a radio commercial, a custom dance track, and more — has led to the popularization of a fun slogan in the Michigan wine industry: Cool Is Hot

The slogan, developed and rolled out last year by the Michigan Wine Collaborative and Royal Oak ad agency Factory Detroit Inc., publicizes the state’s distinctive cool-climate wines as part of the industrywide Taste Michigan brand. The goal of the federally funded brand is to sustain and boost Michigan grape sales by promoting the state’s wine.

“Taste Michigan has infused some excitement and energy into the Michigan wine industry,” says Emily Dockery, the executive director of the Collaborative. “We wanted it to be new, bold, and bright — something the Michigan wine industry hadn’t necessarily resembled in quite some time in terms of marketing but is very reflective of the wines the state is producing.”

The introduction of Taste Michigan and

“The whole [Cool Is Hot] campaign is about capturing curiosity, educating the public, and unifying and celebrating the various varieties of grapes we are able to grow in the state.”

—Emily Dockery, Michigan Wine Collaborative

Cool Is Hot coincides with Michigan’s growing prominence in the broader wine world.

“Michigan is proving to be the emerging wine region that we always knew we were but now has caught the eyes of our peers in serious conversations and print throughout the U.S.,” says Brian Lillie, president of the Collaborative.

Lillie points to a shout-out in a recent Forbes article titled “7 Wine Regions to Watch in 2024, According to Sommeliers.” In that piece, Bertil Jean-Chronberg, an award-winning sommelier and the owner of Bonde Fine Wine Shop in Massachusetts, predicts that consumers will “discover regions or states that have been snubbed or forgotten.” More specifically, “you’ll see more wines from the Finger Lakes, Long Island, Vermont, Michigan, Canada, Armenia, Hungary, Japan, or Patagonia.”

The Cool Is Hot campaign capitalizes on this increasing attention to Michigan as a high-quality wine-producing region.

“The whole campaign is about capturing curiosity, educating the public, and unifying and celebrating the various varieties of grapes we are able to grow in the state,” Dockery says.

There is no sign of this momentum slowing down as 2024 continues. Dockery says the Collaborative is trying to keep the cool times rolling with new marketing strategies this year that encompass targeted billboard placements, boosted social media posts, print advertising, radio spots, and more.

“The Taste Michigan brand is something that was needed to accommodate recognition like the Forbes article,” Lillie says. “Cool definitely is hot!”

Visit tastemichigan.org to learn more.

Michigan’s Next AVA Could Be Berrien Ridge

UNIQUE GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES MAKE THE AREA A CANDIDATE FOR FEDERAL DESIGNATION

BY LAUREN WETHINGTON

Maxwell Eichberg still remembers the day he realized his vineyard in Buchanan was special.

“I moved to Buchanan from Fennville in January of 2021, and I was sitting there in my tractor one day, looking at my land,” Eichberg, co-owner of Stranger Wine Co., recalls. “I’d farmed three other vineyards just an hour and a half north, but there was something di erent down here.”

e nearly two years of research that followed proved Eichberg’s impulse correct: e area is special. So special, in fact, that it may become Michigan’s sixth AVA, or American Viticultural Area — a zone designated by the federal government in which unique climatic or geographic characteristics create a distinctive environment for growing wine grapes.

“For the past 23 months, I’ve been working with USGS [U.S. Geological Survey] and Michigan State University geologists,” Eichberg says. “I learned that Berrien County was at the epicenter of glacial retreat activity, which gave us all the beautiful northwest-running ridges that are visible from the lake.

ose ridges produce a lot of viticulturally signi cant aspects.”

Eichberg is working on his petition to submit to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which oversees the AVA designation process. e new Berrien Ridge AVA would lie within a small subsection of the Lake Michigan Shore AVA, encompassing vineyards in Baroda, Buchanan, and Berrien Springs. e state’s other four AVAs are Fennville, Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula, and Tip of the Mitt.

e designation of a new AVA is inherently good for Michigan’s wine scene, says Paolo Sabbatini, a professor of horticulture at MSU.

“By o cially recognizing and de ning unique grape-growing regions within the state, AVAs provide Michigan winemakers with a platform to showcase the distinctive qualities of their wines,” he says. “Furthermore, the in uence of AVAs extends to the cultivation of grape varieties that thrive in the speci c conditions of each region, [which] has led to a more focused and distinctive range of wine styles.”

PHOTO: BY ALISHA TOVA

Maxwell Eichberg

Field Blends Comes to Traverse City

IMMERSIVE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE WILL SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON MICHIGAN’S WINE AND FOOD SCENE

BY JORDAN JEWELL

Michigan’s wine scene is getting noticed once again. e third annual Field Blends, an immersive wine and food travel experience from Maryam + Company, is landing in Traverse City from June 3 to 7 to guide 14 participants in an epicurean exploration of Michigan wine country.

Field Blends, hosted previously in Walla Walla and the Finger Lakes, invites passionate wine lovers and media representatives to explore emerging wine regions in the U.S., highlighting their best attributes and drawing attention to underrepresented areas in the industry.

“While the event is being hosted in Traverse City, other regions will be showcased as well, displaying the entire state’s wine industry,” says Emily Dockery, executive director of the Michigan Wine Collaborative, which has been coordinating with Field Blends.

As with the previous two iterations of Field Blends, the Michigan adventure will feature a community partner (seasoned winery professional Simonne Mitchelson) who is intimately familiar with the region and will guide the trip. In a state with a wine scene as vibrant as Michigan’s, there will be plenty to discuss.

“We have a lot of passionate people working diligently to advance things like sustainability in the vineyard and winery, increasing access points and safe spaces to ensure ongoing inclusion and expansion for those historically excluded from wine, innovating workforce developments and educational resources, and, of course, highlighting the world-class wines that Michigan is producing with the help of responsible grape growing happening around the state,” Dockery says.

e experience is geared toward aspiring and established industry members and media representatives as well as individuals who are passionate about wine and food.

Dockery calls the Field Blends trip to Traverse City one of the most “exciting, rewarding, and ful lling partnerships” the Collaborative has had and thinks it will be “incredibly bene cial for the industry.”

“ e event has the potential to really open doors for the Michigan wine industry, aid us in recruiting new talent to the state, and serve as a unifying experience for members of the industry.”

Learn more about Field Blends at maryamandcompany.com/ eldblends.

-

permitting, enjoy our beautiful outdoor seating! Charcuterie plates or cheese and crackers available for purchase. Consider reservations for your visit. Groups limited to no more than eight people.

Simonne Mitchelson

Four-Season Fun

MICHIGAN WINERIES OFFER REASONS TO VISIT ANY TIME OF YEAR

BY KATHY GIBBONS

Sure, summer and fall are glorious times to visit wineries across Michigan.

Vineyards are flourishing, and the weather is perfect for being outside with a glass of wine overlooking a tableau of a lake, rows of grapevines, the countryside, or some scenic combination.

But winter and spring also bring their own distinct aesthetics to Michigan wineries. Some — typically in more rural or outlying areas — pare hours during these slower times of the year. Others find ways to embrace all four

seasons by offering events and activities to keep business thriving and give guests new reasons to come back.

“Events mean offseason cash flow and keeping [wineries] top of mind for guests and locals for things to do,” says Matthew Moersch, CEO of Moersch Hospitality Group, which owns Tabor Hill, Round Barn, and Free Run Cellars in southwestern Michigan. “People still want to get out of the house. … It’s a way for us to extend our season.”

All that to say, any time of year is a good time to visit a Michigan winery. Here’s a sampling of what you can expect at different tasting rooms in each season.

Michigan wineries keep the good times going (and the wine flowing) all year round.

“[The spring] vibe is mellow and relaxed, unless you choose a fun event to attend.”

—Marie-Chantal Dalese, Chateau Chantal

Spring

The laid-back vibes of winter carry over into early spring at Michigan wineries, and warming temperatures signal that it’s time to get outdoors again. This bridge season, in many ways, marries the best of winter and summer.

In Harbor Springs, Pond Hill Farm’s trail network offers opportunities for biking and hiking, so guests can get outside and enjoy the warmer weather after sipping a glass of wine or eating at the café.

During the spring and summer, there’s no better place to be than outside at a Michigan winery — by the vineyard, on the patio, or even in a horsedrawn wagon.

Marie-Chantal Dalese, president and CEO of Chateau Chantal on Traverse City’s Old Mission Peninsula, says lodging rates are lower in the spring, wineries are less crowded, and the “vibe is mellow and relaxed, unless you choose a fun event to attend.” At Chateau Chantal, spring brings an exclusive yoga weekend that combines lodging at the bed-and-breakfast with wine-pairing sessions and a wine-paired dinner. Chateau Chantal’s cooking class series also continues through spring; 2024 themes included a Piedmontese menu and learning how to make pasta from scratch.

At Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery in Grand Rapids, administrative assistant Kerrie Van Eck says guests can enjoy wagon rides through the apple blossoms come spring.

The peak of the season is in May, when tasting rooms throughout the state celebrate Michigan Wine Month with special events. The designation pays homage to the significant impact of Michigan’s wine grape and wine industry — a $6.3 billion economic punch with $209 million in tourism spending and the creation of nearly 47,000 jobs, according to a 2023 proclamation by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Summer

Where to begin when it comes to summer at Michigan wineries? They are truly in their glory now. Grapevines are thriving — in fact, anything that blooms is. Patios, decks, and expansive lawns await with outdoor furniture, lawn games, firepits, and other features. Indoors, tasting rooms are humming.

Many proprietors host special activities and events during this season as well. At family-friendly

Pond Hill Farm, children can explore the playground, participate in a gnome house hunt, and feed farm animals and the fish in the trout pond while their parents enjoy a wine, beer, or cider tasting. There’s also live music in the tent on select summer days.

At Round Barn Winery & Estate in Baroda, the Jammin’ in the Vineyard outdoor concert series is augmented by several other summer

events, including an artisan market.

Nearby Free Run Cellars has a summer dinner series, which Moersch describes as “long farm tables out in the vineyard.”

At Mawby in Leelanau County, intimate Table Four2 tasting experiences are held outdoors in the vineyard during the summer. “It’s four courses — four small food pairings with wine,” says part owner Mike Laing.

Jessica Youngblood, co-owner of Youngblood Vineyard in Ray, says goat yoga is

“It’s a fun time to come when a lot of people are on property having a good time [in the summer]. That’s really what it’s about: getting people out to taste Michigan craft wines.”

—Matthew Moersch, Moersch Hospitality Group

a popular summer activity — though it’s not limited to just goats.

“We do a goat yoga class with baby pigs, Nigerian dwarf goats, chickens, Great Pyrenees dogs — they’re working dogs, and they’re part of the class as well,” Youngblood says. “The chickens walk around, and sometimes they lay eggs on people’s mats. It’s very entertaining — not so much yoga — and [results in] lots of hysterical selfies.”

Youngblood also hosts Fourth of July fireworks, an annual 5K run, and painting in the vineyard, which involves participants gathering under a tent for art classes. A lobster boil overseen by Natasha Vitti, former executive chef of The Whitney in Detroit, uses a “giant Cowboy Cauldron” and culminates with dinner in the vineyard.

Around the state, other wineries offer concerts, festivals, and seasonal treats like wine slushies. Many wineries welcome pets, too.

“It’s a fun time to come when a lot of people are on property having a good time,” Moersch says. “That’s really what it’s about: getting people out to taste Michigan craft wines.”

the winter.

Autumn

Fall is when it gets real at Michigan wineries. Not only does autumn bring the grape harvest, but it’s a spectacularly beautiful time to visit.

As Dalese puts it, autumn is “crunch, or rather crush, time. Fall color tours abound on the weekends, and daily harvesting and crushing of grapes takes place.”

Visitors can take in stunning views, and Dalese recommends participating in a vineyard tour to see grapes on the vine.

“The weekend vibe is full on — lots of groups and parties,” she says. “Visit during the week to enjoy the fall scenery without the parties.”

Laing says fall Saturdays are the busiest in terms of the volume of guests. “People are timing their visit so it coincides with the color tour,” he says. “School is also back in session, so … it’s more of a wine-centric crowd versus the summer, where it’s families.”

Winter

If there’s ever a time of year to be cozy indoors at a Michigan winery, winter is it. Besides gathering in a warm tasting room area, guests may also be able to enjoy special dinners, cooking classes, exercise options, and musical events.

Youngblood hosts a Blue Christmas concert and a New Year’s Eve bash, and her preChristmas wreath-making classes are popular. Participants build wreaths from vines grown on the property while the wine flows.

“I teach people how to make a bow,” Youngblood says. “We have fresh-cut greenery from trees my mother-in-law’s father planted 60 years ago.”

While Leigh’s Garden Winery in Escanaba

“Fall color tours abound on the weekends, and daily harvesting and crushing of grapes takes place.”

—Marie-Chantal Dalese, Chateau Chantal

shortens its hours from January through April, the winery continues to host “Friday night piano” weekly and live music most Saturdays all year long, says co-owner Julie Lambert.

At the same time, wineries continue to embrace the outdoors, as do many customers. The pandemic-era igloos have in many cases remained. At Round Barn, about 30 igloos go up in November and stay through March, Moersch says. They’re free and available first come, first served.

“People just enjoy that idea of being outside but protected,” Moersch says, adding that walking trails enable guests to ski or snowshoe and connect to Tabor Hill.

“We put those in during COVID for people to be outside and social distance, but they’ve become extremely popular,” he says. “You can walk from one winery to the other with a glass of wine or beer. It’s almost 4 miles of walking trails in our woods.”

The barn itself also doubles as a space for Round Barn Unplugged

acoustic music events. Five minutes away at Round Barn Brewery & Public House, winter activities include a Chili Cook-Off, trivia on Sundays, Brews & Bingo, and more.

Besides wine, Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery now specializes in coffee. That means guests can warm up with a seasonal coffee flight of four preselected latte flavors.

Guests who want to get out into the crisp winter air can also take advantage of snowshoeing trails in the Petoskey area.

In fact, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular at multiple Michigan wineries when there’s snow on the ground. This past winter, Grand Traverse Bike Tours partnered with several Leelanau County wineries to offer guided snowshoe tours on private trails between Big Little Wines, Ciccone Vineyard & Winery, and Suttons Bay Ciders. Grand Traverse Bike Tours also hosted Sip & Ski tours that included guided cross-country skiing, lunch at Farm Club, and wine tasting at Shady Lane Cellars.

Put it all together, and Michigan wineries make the case for visiting any time of year.

“We don’t want people coming once,” Youngblood says. “We want people coming back time and time again.”

“We don’t want people coming once. We want people coming back time and time again.”

—Jessica Youngblood, Youngblood Vineyard

Michigan wineries are great places to stop during a fall color tour, and many offer seasonal activities such as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing once there’s snow on the ground in

BETTER with TIME

MICHIGAN’S SWEET WINES MERIT ANOTHER SIP

BY GREG TASKER

Ionly drink dry wines. at’s a common refrain echoed in tasting rooms across Michigan and beyond.

Everyone’s tastes are di erent, of course, but our state’s sweet wines merit another sip. After all, part of the fun of wine tasting is sampling new styles, and sweet wines have only gotten better with time. ey’re not all sugar and little else.

“It’s all about the balance between acidity and sugar,” says Coenraad Stassen, the director of winemaking and the estate manager at Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery on the Old Mission Peninsula.

“Sweet wines in Michigan have come a long way in the past 20 years. e wines are way more balanced, and the quality is so much better.”

e next time you go wine tasting in Michigan,

consider checking out some of these wellcrafted sweet wines.

2022 Riesling Reserve, Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Old Mission Peninsula: An outstanding Riesling that is well balanced, with notes of stone fruits and slight tones of citrus on the nish. e residual sugar level is 4.6%. Decanter included this 2022 Riesling Reserve among 15 American wines to pair with anksgiving dinner last fall.

2022 Brandistar, Youngblood Vineyard, Ray: A forti ed sweet wine that is a blend of Prairie Star and Frontenac Blanc — cold-hardy wine grapes — and produced in collaboration with Detroit City Distillery. It has a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, with peach, nectar, and pear on the palate and apricot and wild ower on the nose.

RIESLING RANGE

All Rieslings are sweet. That’s a common misconception. Like many other wines, Riesling can fall anywhere on a spectrum from bone dry to very sweet depending on how it’s made.

To help consumers determine just how sweet or dry their wine is, wine producers might use the scale from the International Riesling Foundation on the label on the back of their bottles. There are four categories: dry, medium dry, medium sweet, and sweet. The scale includes a small arrow pointing at the wine’s particular level.

“The scale really helps people visually get a sense of where the wine is,” says Lee Lutes, head winemaker at Black Star Farms, which uses the scale for its Rieslings. “It can help people determine whether the wine is sweet enough or dry enough for them.”

Black Star Farms, which has tasting rooms on both the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas, produces a variety of Rieslings, from dry to sweet to dessert-style. Its 2017 Arcturos Dry Riesling was named best wine at the annual Canberra International Riesling Challenge in Australia in 2018.

Greg Tasker

Guests at Amoritas Vineyards (above and below), and the tasting room and vines at Dablon Vineyards (bottom right).

2017 Sweet Folly, Amoritas Vineyards, Lake Leelanau: This is the sweet version of the winery’s popular Mary’s Folly field blend, a mixture of Muscat Ottonel, Auxerrois, and Pinot Blanc. The flavor profile mimics a white port, but this is not a fortified wine. Some floral notes are detectable. The residual sugar is about 10%.

2022 Sweet Riesling, Dablon Vineyards & Winery, Baroda: Winemaker Rudy Shafer describes this sweet Riesling as an Alsatian-style wine, with moderate acidity that balances well with the sweetness. It has flavors of apricot, peach, and honeysuckle, and the residual sugar is 7%.

Foxhole Red, Boyne Valley Vineyards, Petoskey: A sweet red wine can be difficult to find, but Boyne Valley manages to fill that void with its Foxhole Red. It’s a blend of Marquette and Petite Pearl, cold-hardy hybrid grapes that grow well in northern Michigan. Blueberry and raspberry aromas lead to a sweet, juicy finish.

2022 Joy, Verterra Winery, Leland: My own journey to appreciating sweet wines has not been without struggle, but this sparkling wine from Verterra Winery, where I work part time during the tourist season, changed my palate. This nontraditional sparkling wine, a blend of Gewürztraminer and Merlot, is bright pink and has gentle bubbles. Joy is easy on the palate, with berry notes and hints of grapefruit.

Greg Tasker, a former arts and entertainment editor at The Detroit News, is a freelance writer based in Traverse City. He writes frequently about Michigan’s wine industry and works part time at a winery on the Leelanau Peninsula. He is level 1 certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust through the Napa Valley Wine Academy and is wrapping up WSET level 2.

Journey through the River Raisin Wine Trail where every sip tells a story of heritage, craftsmanship, and the bountiful beauty of our region UPCOMING EVENTS

MICHIGAN WINERIES USE A VARIETY OF GRAPES AND METHODS TO CREATE CRISP, REFRESHING ROSÉ

BY LAUREN WETHINGTON

othing says warm weather quite like popping a bottle of rosé. e blush beverage — traditionally made by allowing red wine grapes to soak on their richly colored skins for just a short amount of time, imparting a pale hue — comes in an assortment of crisp, summer-ready avor pro les. Michigan winemakers use a variety of grapes and methods to create rosés, some of which are now gaining recognition on a national scale.

“What makes Michigan wines unique in the whole scheme of wines from around the world is there’s so much vintage variation,” says Kasey Wierzba, executive winemaker and general manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay. e winery’s 2022 Pinot Noir rosé received a silver award at the 2023 International Women’s Wine & Spirits Competition in Santa Rosa, California.

“Every year, our [Pinot Noir rosé] is a little di erent,” Wierzba says. “We often get a real strawberries-and-cream avor, but this year, we’re getting more raspberry, fresh fruit, and orange peel.”

Using the traditional skin-contact method, Wierzba makes the wine entirely from Pinot Noir grapes grown in the winery’s estate vineyard. e grapes are harvested during the third week of September and put right away into the press for a 15-hour cold soak.

“When the grapes are in the press doing their cold soak, the natural enzymes are breaking down the pulp, breaking down the skins, and all of those wonderful anthocyanins and avors and aromatics from the skins are being kind of bled into the juice itself,” Wierzba explains.

“And that’s where we get the color, as well as a little bit more structure and tannin in uence.”

“What makes Michigan wines unique in the whole scheme of wines from around the world is there’s so much vintage variati on.”

grapes are looking like that particular year,” says winemaker Holly Peterson. “It usually has lots of strawberry and cherry avors and is more of a dry, sophisticated, French-style rosé.”

Pressing — which removes all the seeds and skins from the juice — happens the following day, and then the juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks.

—Kasey Wierzba, Shady Lane Cellars

Another excellent Michigan-made option for a traditional skin-contact rosé comes from Sandhill Crane Vineyards in Jackson. e winery’s Sassy Rosé — named for the winery’s tenacious late vineyard dog Rosie — is made from 100% Michigan-grown Cabernet Franc grapes.

“We crush the Cabernet Franc and let it soak on the skins for somewhere between 12 and 24 hours, depending on what the

e skin-contact method isn’t the only way of making rosé. At Domaine Berrien Cellars in Berrien Springs, winemaker Amy Birk uses a direct-press method to produce the winery’s refreshing and fruity Pink Satin rosé.

“We use a hybrid grape known as St. Vincent, which is a rarer grape you don’t see planted a lot of places, and it’s very deeply colored,” Birk says. e grapes are harvested and then immediately pressed and separated from their skins. e resulting rosé is surprisingly rich in color, thanks to the natural pigment of the St. Vincent grapes, and features a juicy, tart acidity.

“It’s very lively; it doesn’t sit on the palate very

much,” Birk says. “It’s got notes of cranberry and watermelon Jolly Rancher, but without the sweetness. It’s the sta ’s favorite thing to drink in the summer!”

Of course, no spring or summer soiree is complete without bubbles. At Mawby in Suttons Bay, sparkling is the specialty. And while Michigan wine lovers may be rather familiar with Sex, the winery’s bestselling brut rosé, Claire Lepine — manager of the winery’s Fizz Club — recommends trying Grace, Mawby’s higher-end sparkling rosé.

“Grace is crafted in the traditional Champagne method, or méthode Champenoise, which means the bubbles occur in the bottle,” Lepine says.

Following a brief skin-contact period, “the juice is pressed, it ferments, it goes into the bottle. en we add something called a dosage, which starts that secondary fermentation. e wine then hangs out in the bottle for two to ve years.”

Made from a combination of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Regent grapes, Grace boasts numerous national and international accolades. It took home a silver medal at the 2023 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships in London. e wine also received a score of 90 points from wine critic James Suckling, and a score of 91 points from Wine & Spirits magazine.

Lepine says that compared with Sex, which is crafted in what’s known as the cuve close method, Grace o ers a ner bubble and a more complex avor. ( e cuve close method entails a secondary fermentation that happens outside of the bottle, in a pressurized tank.)

Top right and left: Domaine Berrien

Cellars’ Pink Satin rosé during bottling and ready to pour.

“It’s de nitely more re ned, for lack of a better word,” Lepine says. “We love when people get to try [Sex and Grace] side by side, because they’re not that di erent in color, but they are a very di erent tasting experience.”

Above: Shady Lane

Cellars’ executive winemaker and general manager, Kasey Wierzba (left), and assistant winemaker, Maddie Vint.

Grape Crush

THESE MICHIGAN WINE ENTHUSIASTS TAKE THEIR DEDICATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL

BY BECKY KALAJIAN

As Michigan wine country has developed and grown over the years, it has garnered quite a following.

There are fans, and then there are superfans. These are the Michigan wine enthusiasts who systematically tick off visits to the state’s nearly 200 wineries, annually haul vanloads of friends to the same tasting rooms, or simply visit their one favorite place — a lot. Meet a few of them here.

Dave and Kay Erickson

Sunbury, Ohio, and Curtis Dave and Kay Erickson live in Ohio but are quick to beg forgiveness for it.

A 1992 Michigan Technological University graduate, Dave loves the Upper Peninsula and recently purchased a cottage in the small town of Curtis.

The semiretired couple’s newfound foothold held a nearby surprise: Germfask’s End of the Road Winery.

“We had never been to a U.P. winery before,” says Dave, who along with Kay has been visiting northern Michigan wineries for 20-

plus years. “It was just down the road from our new cottage — bonus!”

The Ericksons enthuse about the owners, Jim and Robin Barker, who invited the couple and other customers to join one of their recent harvests.

“We picked and crushed the grapes,” Dave says. “What better way to exercise?”

The couple has zeroed in on special favorites, such as the winery’s cranberry-raspberry wine (All That Crazz) and award-winning cherry wine (Mount Me Cherry).

The wine, the people, and the atmosphere keep them coming back to the End of the Road.

“It’s great now to take a short drive on any given day to enjoy a favorite glass or something we haven’t had in a while,” Dave says. “It’s always fascinating to see a variety of folks, both travelers and locals, enjoying good wine and conversation.”

Mandy and Matt Caterino Grand Ledge

After her first wine-tasting trip to northern Michigan in 2009, Mandy Caterino was hooked.

The line and sinker came seven years later when she booked a surprise winter birthday stay for her husband, Matt, at Chateau Chantal’s bed-and-breakfast on the Old Mission Peninsula. The experience was so memorable that the couple decided to share the joy. They started inviting their friends to participate in a special getaway to their newfound vacation spot.

Kay and Dave Erickson have become regulars at End of the Road Winery in Germfask.

“Getting to know the people that work [at the wineries] and hearing the stories has been our favorite part. They are now longdistance friends that we love visiting over and over again.”

—Mandy Caterino

“We needed to share this experience with friends so they could see Traverse City in a slower time,” says Mandy, who along with Matt works for the state of Michigan.

Since their first trip, the couple have booked multiple stays at Chateau Chantal, which they always schedule for March.

It’s not just Chateau Chantal that the Caterinos enjoy. The couple are also fond of Amoritas Vineyards in Lake Leelanau. In fact, these two tasting rooms are always on the itinerary, and the Caterinos are enthusiastic wine club members at both. They visit other wineries as well while they’re Up North; at press time, the group planned to visit 2 Lads Winery and Peninsula Cellars during the 2024 trip.

Aside from going on the big annual trip

with friends, the Caterinos have also made summertime tasting room stops when they’ve gone camping Up North.

From these regular visits through the years, relationships have blossomed, Mandy says.

“Getting to know the people that work there and hearing the stories has been our favorite part,” she says. “They are now long-distance friends that we love visiting over and over again.”

Katie and Ross Abraham Brighton

“Superfan” might seem like a superlative already, but Katie Abraham takes it one step further.

“To say my husband and I are superfans might be an understatement; we are superduperfans!” says Katie, who lives with her husband, Ross, and

Mandy and Matt Caterino (right) visit Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate in Traverse City with friends.

three children in Brighton.

The Abrahams’ journey to superduperfandom started during their 2015 honeymoon in northern Michigan. There, the newlyweds — who weren’t particularly into wine before — started morphing into bona fide buffs.

“What keeps us coming back [to the Michigan wineries] every single time is [when] we go, we meet someone, whether it’s the owner or another guest. It’s never failed to be a magical experience.”

—Ross Abraham

even with their family in tow.

At one of the first tasting rooms they visited, they picked up a copy of Michigan Wine Country and discovered the magazine’s regional listings.

“Goal-oriented husband and wife that we are, we decided we wanted to visit all of them,” Katie says. Seven years later, she and Ross celebrated their 100th winery visit at Ferndale’s B. Nektar meadery.

You might think that after so many visits, the tasting rooms would start to blend together, but “each Michigan winery is unique and special,” Katie says.

The pair have been to every region in the state and have loved every minute of it, Katie says,

“We have fun making them part of the adventure as well,” she says. “We have even set up scavenger hunts at wineries to keep them occupied while we taste away. Of course, the wineries that have embraced family by providing yard games, toys, activities, juice boxes, oyster crackers, and other snacks are always a hit!”

It also doesn’t hurt the Abrahams’ hobby that Katie’s job as the executive director of the Michigan Municipal Electric Association means frequent trips up and down the state to visit the organization’s 40 members.

“I have to say, the geography works out really well because any time I go visit a member, we

look at the map and research which wineries are in the area,” Katie says. Visiting the wineries is a “wonderful way to end the day,” or they might even tack on a vacation day to the trip for that purpose.

Undaunted by work and family obligations, the Abrahams say they will continue their quest to visit all of Michigan’s wineries — and not just for the wine.

“What keeps us coming back every single time is [when] we go, we meet someone, whether it’s the owner or another guest,” Ross says. “It’s never failed to be a magical experience.”

Editor’s note: In response to a prompt from Michigan Wine Country, these interviewees emailed the magazine detailing why they considered themselves Michigan wine superfans. They were later interviewed via phone. The quotes included here come from both the original written responses and the follow-up calls.

Katie and Ross Abraham want to visit every winery in Michigan. They’ve hit 100-plus so far.

A Taste of Country Life

THESE MICHIGAN VINEYARDS OFFER A FULL-BLOWN FARM EXPERIENCE

BY WENSDY VON BUSKIRK

Jessica Youngblood is busy pruning vines on her 46-acre farm in Ray during a phone interview with Michigan Wine Country magazine. January in the Mitten is no match for this seasoned viticulturist, who is tending to Petite Pearl vines used for a red wine and a rosé at the winery.

“It’s nice weather,” Youngblood says. “It’s not snowing or raining or super windy, so as long as you’re moving …”

With her electric shears buzzing in the background, Youngblood explains that she enjoys sharing the realities of farm life, which is why she and her husband, David, offer various tastings, animal experiences, and events to the public.

Each December, they host classes where attendees weave grapevines into holiday wreaths. In the spring, guests return for goat yoga followed by a glass of wine (estate-grown Marquette is a favorite). All year round, visitors can interact with the farm’s Nigerian dwarf goats; Kunekune pigs; Buff Orpington chickens; Flemish giant rabbits; and four fluffy, friendly Great Pyrenees working dogs. Guests can learn about the farm’s 11 beehives, tended in partnership with Bees in the D, or hike the property, where six varieties of grapes are grown.

Getting to Youngblood Vineyard is an easy

jaunt for metro Detroiters looking to escape the city or suburbia and head to greener pastures, and a new 16,000-square-foot facility for tasting, events, and production expands the owners’ hosting capabilities.

“We want people to come and see the vineyard and have that personal connection to where their wines come from,” Youngblood says. “They can look at the glass of wine in their hand as they’re walking the trails and think, ‘My wine came from this vine.’ It’s a cool experience.”

“We consider ourselves to be farmers first. We try to spend as little time in the wine cellar making wine and as much time in the field tending each vine as possible.”

—Tim Hearin, Green Bird Cellars

Wine Tourism

Wine is an agricultural product by definition, and vineyards are technically farms. Many Michigan viticulturists grow other crops in addition to grapes, and some raise livestock as well.

When these farmers open their properties to visitors, they blend “agritourism” and “oenotourism” to offer immersive, handson experiences that are worth the trip. The financial opportunity is certainly there:

According to WineAmerica’s 2022 National Economic Impact Study of the Wine Industry by John Dunham & Associates, Michigan’s wine country attracts more than 180,000 tourists across 600,000-plus visits and generates almost $209 million a year.

There’s more to opening a farm to the public than profit, of course. At Green Bird Cellars, co-owner Tim Hearin’s focus is on helping oenophiles appreciate where their wine comes from.

“We’re not trying to be a palatial tasting room that is separate from the winemaking and grapegrowing process,” Hearin explains. “Everyone who’s tasting our wine can be in the fields with us. That’s integral to what’s in our bottle.”

AGRITOURISM (continued on page 38)

Youngblood Vineyard in Ray (right and below) has 25 acres of grapes and farm animals galore.

AGRITOURISM (continued from page 36)

Dirt to Glass

Green Bird Cellars in Leelanau County, high up on the Leelanau Peninsula, is nestled in a valley. Visitors turn off M-22 onto a country road and drive past planted vines to reach the 15-acre old-world farm and its brightly colored buildings that pay tribute to Hearin’s native New Orleans. At Green Bird, Hearin and his wife, Betsy Sedlar, grow organic grapes and apples to make wine and cider.

“We consider ourselves to be farmers first,” Hearin says. “We try to spend as little time in the wine cellar making wine and as much time in the

FINDER HERE’S A LOOK

Black Star Farms | Suttons Bay

A 160-acre winery estate with an equestrian facility, hiking and biking trails, snowshoe rentals, animal experiences, and farm-to-table dining with award-winning wine pairings. blackstarfarms.com

Green Bird Cellars | Northport

A 15-acre organic, regenerative farm with tours, tastings, animals, and an Airbnb. Cider, wine, and eggs available. greenbirdcellars.com

Pond Hill Farm | Harbor Springs

On-farm vibe with a trout pond,

field tending each vine as possible.”

From June through October, Hearin hosts weekly farm tours, during which he walks visitors through the grounds and describes Green Bird’s regenerative agricultural practices.

“I might ask them to do a little farming,” Hearin says. “Because we’re organic and don’t use pesticides, they might have to crush a bug or two, pull a weed for us, or catch a chicken that’s escaped their pasture.”

At the end of the tour, guests have the option to add a winemaker-guided tasting.

For an extended stay, guests can book Green Bird’s cozy Airbnb by the vines.

“I think as the public becomes more interested in the integration of farming and food, and farming and drink, places like Green Bird will only grow,” Hearin says.

Farm to Table

Farther south off M-22, in Suttons Bay, Black Star Farms’ flagship location offers guests an “agri-estate” experience against the backdrop of manicured vineyards and bright red barns.

livestock and a mobile chicken wagon, 5 acres of vineyards, and 20 acres of vegetables. Trails, live entertainment, and café dining. Pet- and family-friendly, with a gnome house hunt where kids can search for clues to a prize. pondhill.com

Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery | Grand Rapids

A 125-acre farm with a cider haus and winery, gift barn, and bakery with fresh doughnuts all year round. Activities include a seasonal petting zoo, a corn maze, hayrides, and a jumping pillow. Peaches, nectarines, and

Visitors enter the gates and pass a terraced vineyard before coming upon the stately equestrian facility full of horses — including a pony and a “mini” — and a feed station, where they can grab some grain for the goats.

“They are a delight to our guests,” says managing owner Sherri Campbell Fenton.

Like some other Michigan vineyards, Black Star grows produce, and a big focus is helping tourists experience the farm through food. The garden generates a bounty of heirloom tomatoes, beans, peppers, squashes, and herbs, which are used in complimentary breakfasts for guests at the inn, lunches and dinners at Bistro Polaris, and catered functions in the Pegasus Barn.

Guests can take cooking classes followed by dinner with chef John Korycki, or join progressive wine and food tastings with a farmto-table focus.

“Chef is very particular about sourcing everything as fresh and local as can be,” Campbell Fenton says.

Visitors can also take part in seasonal horsedrawn sleigh rides and hayrides as well as hike and bike the extensive trail system. In the winter, guests love to rent snowshoes and explore the grounds before warming up with hot mulled wine on the heated Terrace Patio.

“We like to get people out in our pastures and have an experience that, if you live in a city, is more difficult to find,” Campbell Fenton says.

U-pick apples and cherries. robinettes.com

Virtue Cider | Fennville

A 48-acre farm experience with a farmhouse, a farm truck, a flower and herb garden, and three heated greenhouses available for rent to enjoy hand-pressed hard ciders and seasonal meals. The farm raises Gloucestershire old spot pigs, heritage breed chickens, and bees. virtuecider.com

Youngblood Vineyard | Ray An estate winery on 46 acres

(25 of which are for grapevines) with goat yoga, plenty of animals, classes, and space for tasting and events. youngbloodvineyard.com

*Check for hours and seasonality.

Farming comes first at Green Bird Cellars in Northport (left).

Made in the Mi en

THESE

TASTING ROOMS SERVE MICHIGAN WINE EXCLUSIVELY

BY BECKY KALAJIAN

IF YOU LIVE IN THE MITTEN — OR EVEN A SHORT WAYS OUTSIDE OF IT — YOU’RE NEVER TOO FAR FROM A GLASS OF MICHIGAN WINE.

That’s partly thanks to these tasting rooms that partner with local producers to serve and sell Michigan wine exclusively.

Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room | Metro Detroit

When Cortney and Shannon Casey opened their rst Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room in Shelby Township in 2012, they introduced consumers to a novel concept: Michigan wine from a variety of producers under a single roof.

e wife-and-husband team had launched a successful blog celebrating the state’s wineries but say they felt a “black hole” for nding Michigan wines in metro Detroit beyond the larger grocery stores they frequented. ey sensed that many others felt the same, Cortney says.

“After we opened, we discovered that there

were so many Michigan wine lovers out there that just hadn’t been united in a meaningful way before,” says Cortney, who along with Shannon is a certi ed sommelier and now owns two more tasting room locations, in Royal Oak and Auburn Hills.

Besides o ering wine by the tasting ight, glass, and bottle, the tasting rooms sell locally sourced snacks. ey also host live music, wine education classes, wine release parties, winemaker’s dinners, pop-up food events, a book club, live trivia, crafting classes, and more.

In the 12 years the Caseys have spent promoting their passion, one story never gets old.

“ ere are a lot of people who are under the misconception that Michigan can’t produce high-quality red wines due to our climate,” Cortney says. “We love changing their minds when they come in and taste!”

Local Pour | Sawyer, Michigan

Southwest Michigan is home to a tasting room with a twist.

Owner Chalet Sturgeon opened Local Pour in Sawyer three years ago to educate visitors on Michigan wines and also o er locally sourced beer and cider.

“We want to include everybody,” says Sturgeon, who estimates that 80% of her visitors come from out of town.

Even though any thirsty adult can nd a beverage that suits, Sturgeon says wine is a passion of hers and her good friend Jayme Neumann, the general manager.

“A lot of people [used to] say Michigan doesn’t know how to make good wine, … so we wanted to change the perception,” Neumann says.

In addition to their tastings, the pair host “Wine Education Wednesdays,” when winemakers and/or winery owners come and bring ve vinos to present.

“We love telling the wineries’ stories to customers; it gets them really excited to come in,” says Neumann, who along with Sturgeon worked in other tasting rooms prior to opening Local Pour.

With their eye on Michigan’s winemaking future, both women agree that the state is on the cusp of something special.

“We’ve got some amazing young winemakers here that are just going to blow the roof o the industry,” Neumann says.

Up North Wine Tasting Room | Geneva, Illinois

Tucked into the small town of Geneva, west of Chicago, is an unusual voice trumpeting Michigan wine country: Up North Wine Tasting Room, situated in a cozy, Petoskey stone-infused space that echoes the owners’ love of northern Michigan.

In 2022, Cathy Humphreys, her daughter Amy Goedken, and her daughter-in-law Mary Humphreys — who frequently vacation Up North and

“We believe in supporti ng and showcasing the incredible quality and diversity of wines produced right here in our home state.”

—Tamela C. Todd, T&T Sip-n-Read Book Bar

visit their favorite wineries — blended their talents to open the tasting room in their hometown.

“One day, we were like, ‘We have to gure out a way to bring that here to Illinois, because these wines are just phenomenal,’” Cathy says. “ e response has been equally phenomenal.”

Along with other events, each month the women feature a winery and put that winery’s o erings on the menu. ey also host the owner, the winemaker, or another winery representative to speak about the wines.

e education underpins the experience, which drives the passion, Cathy says.

“ e wineries I liked the most were where I wasn’t just poured

Clockwise from left (and left to right): Michigan by the Bottle Tasting Room owners Cortney and Shannon Casey; Local Pour owner Chalet Sturgeon and general manager Jayme Neumann; Up North Wine Tasting Room owners Mary Humphreys, Amy Goedken, and Cathy Humphreys; and T&T Sipn-Read Book Bar owner Tamela C. Todd.

tastings of wine — I actually learned,” says Cathy, who frequently takes her sta to northern Michigan for training. “We tell our visitors to keep an open mind and use the experience of our tasting room to try things that maybe they’d never try.”

T&T Sip-n-Read Book Bar | Detroit

Tamela C. Todd’s take on living well is a unique recipe that mixes books, luxe seating, and a glass of Michigan wine at her upcoming Detroit “wine-brary.”

Todd says the cozy and inviting space on Michigan Avenue — made possible in part by the small-business-launching Motor City Match program — was designed to provide a comfortable setting for exploring the state’s nest wines in the company of literature.

Creating a haven for people to gather, relax, read, and sip a wine from the book bar’s curated Michigan-only wine list has been a dream of Todd’s for a long time.

Follow T&T Sip-n-Read Book Bar on Instagram (@sipnreadbookbar) and keep an eye out for the tasting room’s opening.

“ e inspiration behind exclusively featuring Michigan wines stems from a deep appreciation for the local winemaking scene,” she says. “We believe in supporting and showcasing the incredible quality and diversity of wines produced right here in our home state.”

Just like her tailored selection of books and comfy nooks, Todd says her wines have an equally compelling story to tell.

“Showcasing Michigan wines is a point of pride for us,” she says. “Michigan wines attract customers with their unique local avors, innovative winemaking, family-owned charm, and commitment to sustainability.”

AMaking e Menu

s Cassandra Poné describes it, Michigan’s warm days enable grapes to develop fruit avors and sugar levels slowly, while cool nights help them maintain high acidity.

“It’s this balance between bright fruit and vibrant acidity that helps make a wine foodfriendly,” says Poné, director of the wine club at St. Julian Winery, which is based in Paw Paw.

And what a friend food has in the wines produced here in Michigan. “Michigan has amazing food-friendly wines,” Poné says. “ ey’re nessed and balanced [and] have super-fresh fruit avors and elegant tannins.”

BY KATHY GIBBONS

MICHIGAN WINE COMPLEMENTS EVERYTHING FROM APPETIZERS TO DESSERTS

Chef Randy Minish, who at one time worked for Michael Symon at Roast in Detroit and later co-owned Terrain in Bellaire, had come home to Michigan from California when he discovered “there’s a lot more variety in Michigan wines than people might suspect.” He began hosting wine dinners featuring Michigan-made wines and says he became partial to serving Pinot Blanc with vegetables: It was “something that had minerality and crispness to work with vegetables but wasn’t necessarily overpowering.” He also favors Blaufränkisch, which pairs well with duck or lamb or can be fruity enough to be served with dessert.

sometimes we’d use it as a wine with the rst course or appetizers or with desserts. … Sparkling wine is great with desserts.”

Michigan is known for Rieslings, and Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay makes six di erent types that range from dry to sweet. Not only do they complement light meats, sh, and seafood, but managing owner Sherri Campbell Fenton recommends trying them with roasted turkey and appetizers like baked brie and creamy crab dip. “It can also hold its own with Asian cuisine, mildly spiced curry, and sushi,” she says.

“One thing we do well here is sparkling wines,” Minish says. “ ey’re very versatile, because

Deborah Pallas, owner of Vineyard 2121 in Benton Harbor, says Michigan reds are typically lighter bodied than those that come from

“Michigan has amazing foodfriendly wines. They’re fi nessed and balanced [and] have super-fresh fruit fl avors and elegant tannins.”

—Cassandra Poné, St. Julian Winery

A variety of foods, including (clockwise from left) Green Thai curry, beef, pizza, lasagna, and sea bass, pair well with Michigan wines.

California and hot climates “because our grapes go dormant and theirs do not.”

“So you don’t have [those] real heavy tannins in most Michigan reds, but we still produce amazing reds and have won numerous international competitions with our reds and rosés,” Pallas says.

Vineyard 2121’s Merlot is fruity and, like a Pinot Noir, pairs well with beef, chicken, and pork. Pallas would serve steak with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc. e vineyard’s Seyval Blanc, a hybrid with “a nice light citrus and lemon at the end,” pairs well with sh, shrimp, chicken piccata, and lemon desserts.

Campbell Fenton says Pinot Noir is one of the most versatile Michigan red wines. She suggests pairing it with fresh salmon or roasted game birds or rabbit. “It would pair equally well with a good chicken or nice loin of pork, grilled herb-crusted lamb or salmon, portobello mushroom burgers, as well as mild and creamy cheeses,” she adds.

Kate Vilter Stassen, who owns Peninsula Provisions, a specialty wine and food shop in Lake Leelanau, gravitates toward local Rieslings and Gewürztraminers that have “a wonderful, heady nose” and go well with cheeses, char-

cuterie boards, and salads.

“Our Chardonnays, since they aren’t quite as big and voluptuous as the West Coast Chardonnays, really pair well with all sorts of sh dishes and pastas,” she adds.

Metro Detroit sommelier Kristen Carlson, aka Mrs. Vino, prefers to start with food rst and then choose the wine. Take goat cheese: She loves to pair it with a Michigan Cabernet Franc. Gouda? Give her Mawby’s Gold, a Pinot Noir-based brut sparkling wine. “You get a 10- or 20-year aged Gouda, it’s got those little crystals in there, so you get the bite and pop of the cheese with the bite and pop you get with the sparkling wine,” she says.

Carlson also says the canned bubbly Brio wine from Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay goes well with fresh fruit.

Ultimately, Michigan wine’s pairing potential is vast, and there’s no need to get hung up on whether a speci c pairing is “correct.”

“People get all worked up in their head: ‘Does this wine go with this food?’” Poné says. “If it’s balanced and has some good fruit and acidity, it’s going to go well with a lot of di erent avors. You want to pair the wine to you and take it from there.”

WINE COUNTRY

WINE & TOURING GUIDE

libations here, as well as additional tasting rooms around the state.

Southwest

1 | 12 Corners Vineyards

2 | 468 Urban Winery

3 | The 707 Winery and Brewery

4 | Baroda Founders Wine Cellar

5 | Chill Hill Winery

6 | Cody Kresta Vineyard & Winery

7 | Cogdal Vineyards - Home of Little Man Winery

8 | Contessa Wine Cellars

9 | Corey Lake Orchards

10 | Country Mill Orchard & Winery

11 | Crane’s Winery

12 | Dablon Vineyards, Winery & Tasting Room

13 | Diamond Lake Orchard

14 | Domaine Berrien Cellars

15 | Farmhaus Cider Co.

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 | Great Mead Hall and Brewing Co.

24 | Hickory Creek Winery

25 | Hudsonville Winery

26 | Kayla Rae Cellars/Cascade Winery

27 | Lake Michigan Vintners

28 | Lawton Ridge Winery

29 | Lazy Ballerina Winery

30 | Lehman’s Orchard

31 | Lemon Creek Winery

32 | Michigan Wine Co.

33 | Modales Wines

34 | Moonrise Winery

35 | Native Species Winery

36 | Painted Turtle Hard Cider

37 | Peat’s Cider Social

38 | Pink Barrel Cellars

39 | Red Top Winery

40 | Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery

41 | Round Barn Estate

42 | St. Julian Winery & Distillery

43 | Stoney Ridge Winery & Vineyards

44 | Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant

45 | Tanglewood Winery

46 | Twine Urban Winery

47 | Vander Mill

48 | Vineyard 2121

49 | Virtue Cider

50 | Warner Vineyards

51 | White Pine Winery

52 | Wyncroft

Southeast & Thumb

53 | 3 North Vines

54 | B&B Wines

55 | Belle River Winery

56 | Black Fire Winery

57 | Blake’s Hard Cider Co.

58 | Bløm Meadworks

59 | B. Nektar Mead, Cider, Beer

60 | Burgdorf’s Winery

61 | Cellar 104

62 | Chalice Craft Wine

63 | Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery - Airpark

64 | Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery - Irish Hills

65 | Cherry Creek Cellars

66 | Detroit Vineyards

67 | Dizzy Daisy Winery and Vineyard

68 | Fenton Winery & Brewery

69 | Filipo Marc Winery

70 | Flying Otter Vineyard and Winery

71 | Fourth Coast Ciderworks

72 | Green Barn Winery

73 | Hoffman Farms Winery & Tasting Room

74 | Howell’s MainStreet Winery

75 | JK’s Farmhouse Ciders

76 | Maria’s Uncorked

77 | Meckley’s Cidery

78 | Northville Winery and Brewing Co.

79 | Obstbaum Orchards

80 | Pentamere Winery

81 | Russell B. Gregory Winery

82 | Sage Creek Winery

83 | Sandhill Crane Vineyards

84 | Shiny Apple Wines

85 | Sleepwalker

86 | Spicer’s Winery

87 | Superior Lakes Mead, Wine, and Cider

88 | Tennerra Winery

89 | Twisted Cork Winery

90 | Twisted Rivers Winery

91 | TwoRivers Winery

92 | Uncle John’s Fruit House Winery

93 | Unwined Winery

94 | Vine-N-Berry

95 | Vinomondo Winery

96 | Vintner’s Canton Winery

97 | Washington Street Wine House

98 | Westview Orchards & Winery

99 | Whole Hearted Winery

100 | The Winery North of 12

101 | Youngblood Vineyard

Northwest

102 | 2 Lads Winery

103 | 45 North Vineyard & Winery

104 | Amoritas Vineyards

105 | Aurora Cellars

106 | Bee Well Mead & Cider

107 | Bel Lago

108 | Black Star Farms - Leelanau

109 | Black Star Farms - Old Mission

110 | Blu Dot Farm & Vineyard

111 | Blustone Vineyards

112 | Boathouse Vineyards

113 | Bonobo Winery

114 | BOS Wine Garden

115 | Bowers Harbor Vineyards

116 | Boyne Valley Vineyards

117 | Brengman Brothers

118 | Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery

119 | Cadillac Winery

120 | Cellar 1914

121 | The Cellars of Royal Farms

122 | Chateau Chantal

123 | Chateau Fontaine

124 | Chateau Grand Traverse

125 | Chateau Lake Charlevoix

126 | Cherry Republic Winery

127 | Ciccone Vineyard & Winery

128 | Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery

129 | Dune Bird Winery

130 | FarmHouse Vineyards

131 | The Fox Barn Market & Winery

132 | French Valley Vineyard

133 | Gabriel Farms & Winery

134 | Gilchrist Farm Winery

135 | Good Harbor Vineyards

136 | Green Bird Organic Cellars & Farm

137 | Gwin Girls Winery and Tasting Room

138 | Hawthorne Vineyards

139 | Heavenly Vineyards

140 | Jomagrha Vineyards & Winery

141 | Laurentide Winery

142 | Leelanau Cellars

143 | Left Foot Charley

144 | Lost Cellars

145 | Love Wines

146 | Mackinaw Trail Winery

147 | Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery

148 | Mari Vineyards

149 | Mawby/Big Little Wines

150 | Nathaniel Rose Wine

151 | North Branch Winery

152 | Northern Natural Cider House & Winery

153 | Oceana Winery & Vineyard

154 | Peninsula Cellars

155 | Pere Marquette Winery

156 | Petoskey Farms Vineyard. Winery. Coffeehouse.

157 | Pleasant Valley Farm and Vineyard

158 | Pond Hill Farm

159 | Resort Pike Cidery & Winery

160 | Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate

161 | Rudbeckia Farm, Winery, and Brewery

162 | Seasons of the North Winery

163 | Shady Lane Cellars

164 | Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery

165 | Soul Squeeze Cellars

166 | Spare Key Winery

167 | St. Ambrose Cellars

168 | Stone House Vinyards

169 | Suttons Bay Ciders

170 | Tabone Vineyards

171 | Tandem Ciders

172 | Torch Lake Cellars

173 | Townline Ciderworks

174 | Two K Farms Cidery & Winery

175 | Verterra Winery

176 | Vista Ridge Vineyards

177 | Walloon Lake Winery

178 | WaterFire Vineyards

179 | Willow Winery - A Faulkner Family Vineyard

180 | The Winery @ Young Farms

Northeast

181| Burrone Family Vineyards & Winery

182 | Country Corner Winery

183 | Crazy Vines Winery

184 | Currant Mist Winery

185 | Grape Beginnings Winery

186 | The Merry-Hearted Cidery

187 | Modern Craft Winery

188 | Nicholas’ Black River Vineyard & Winery

189 | Rose Valley Winery

190 | Three Bridges Distillery & Taproom

191 | Thunder Bay Winery

Upper Peninsula

192 | 1668 Winery and Soo Brewing Co.

193 | End of the Road Winery

194 | Leigh’s Garden Winery

195 | Northern Sun Winery

196 | Threefold Vine Winery

197 | 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 facebook.com/707-Winery-andBrewery-100387471663163 616-710-0796 9175 Cherry Valley Ave. SE, Suite H Caledonia 49316

4 | Baroda Founders Wine Cellar founderswinecellar.com / 269-426-5222 8963 Hills Road / Baroda 49101

SOUTHWEST

5 | Chill Hill Winery chillhill.net / 269-326-7173 8986 First St. / Baroda 49101

6 | Cody Kresta Vineyard & Winery codykrestawinery.com / 269-668-3800 45727 27th St. / Mattawan 49071

7 | Cogdal VineyardsHome of Little Man Winery cogdalvineyards.com / 269-637-2229 7143 107th Ave. South Haven 49090

8 | Contessa Wine Cellars contessawinecellars.com 269-468-5534 3235 Friday Road / Coloma 49038

9 | Corey Lake Orchards coreylakeorchards.com 269-244-5690 12147 Corey Lake Road Three Rivers 49093

10 | Country Mill Orchard & Winery countrymillfarms.com / 517-543-1019 4648 Otto Road / Charlotte 48813

11 | Crane’s Winery cranespiepantry.com / 269-561-2297 6054 124th Ave. / Fennville 49408

12 | Dablon Vineyards, Winery & Tasting Room dablon.com / 269-422-WINE (9463) 111 W. Shawnee Road Baroda 49101

13 | Diamond Lake Orchard diamondlakeorchard.com 269-470-4548 62216 Eaglepoint Road Cassopolis 49031

14 | Domaine Berrien Cellars domaineberrien.com / 269-473-9463

398 E. Lemon Creek Road Berrien Springs 49103

15 | Farmhaus Cider Co. farmhauscider.com / 616-920-1867 5025 Stanton St. Hudsonville 49426

16 | Fenn Valley Vineyards fennvalley.com 269-561-2396

6130 122nd Ave. Fennville 49408

17 | Filkins Vineyards filkinsvineyards.com 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 | Great Mead Hall and Brewing Co. greatmeadhall.net / 269-427-0827 215 W. Monroe St. / Bangor 49013

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

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 | Fenn Valley Vineyards fennvalley.com / 269-857-5170

310 Butler St. / Saugatuck 49453

E | Gravity gravitywine.com / 269-767-7437

512 Phoenix St. / South Haven 49090

F | Lazy Ballerina Winery lazyballerinawinery.com 269-759-8486

4209 Lake St. / Bridgman 49106

26 | Kayla Rae Cellars/Cascade Winery kaylaraecellars.com / 616-951-7001

31 Courtland St. / Rockford 49341

27 | Lake Michigan Vintners lakemichiganvintners.com 269-927-4731

2774 E. Empire Ave. Benton Harbor 49022

28 | Lawton Ridge Winery lawtonridgewinery.com / 269-372-9463 8456 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo 49009

29 | Lazy Ballerina Winery lazyballerinawinery.com 269-363-6218

321 State St. / St. Joseph 49085

30 | Lehman’s Orchard lehmansorchard.com / 269-683-9078 2280 Portage Road / Niles 49120

31 | Lemon Creek Winery lemoncreekwinery.com / 269-471-1321 533 E. Lemon Creek Road Berrien Springs 49103

32 | Michigan Wine Co. michiganwineco.com / 269-543-5011 6781 124th Ave. / Fennville 49408

33 | Modales Wines modaleswines.com / 269-772-3505 2128 62nd St. / Fennville 49408

34 | Moonrise Winery moonrisewinery.com / 269-468-4056 7785 Hill Road / Watervliet 49098

35 | Native Species Winery nativespecieswinery.com 928 Wealthy St. SE Grand Rapids 49506

36 | Painted Turtle Hard Cider paintedturtlehardcider.com 616-987-3182

3550 Alden Nash Ave. NE (Red Barn Market) / Lowell 49331

37 | Peat’s Cider Social peatscider.com / 269-465-6814 6201 Red Arrow Highway Stevensville 49127

38 | Pink Barrel Cellars pinkbarrelcellars.com / 616-784-0058 3025 Six Mile Road Grand Rapids 49544

39 | Red Top Winery redtopwinery.com / 269-473-2711 482 E. Snow Road Baroda 49101

40 | Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery robinettes.com 616-361-5567

3142 Four Mile Road NE Grand Rapids 49525

41 | Round Barn Estate roundbarn.com / 269-422-1617 10983 Hills Road / Baroda 49101

42 | St. Julian Winery & Distillery stjulian.com / 800-732-6002 716 S. Kalamazoo St. / Paw Paw 49079

43 | Stoney Ridge Winery & Vineyards stoneyridgevineyards.com 616-498-5468 2255 Indian Lakes Road Kent City 49330

44 | Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant taborhill.com / 269-422-1161 185 Mount Tabor Road Buchanan 49107

45 | Tanglewood Winery tanglewoodwinery.com 616-375-9648 15811 Riley St. Holland 49424

46 | Twine Urban Winery therochecollection.com 269-270-3278 1319 Portage St. / Kalamazoo 49001

47 | Vander Mill vandermill.com / 616-259-8828 505 Ball Ave. NE Grand Rapids 49503

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 | Round Barn Brewery & Public House roundbarn.com / 269-326-7059 9151 First St. / Baroda 49101

K | Round Barn Winery, Tabor Hill, and Free Run Cellars Tasting Room roundbarn.com / 269-469-6885 9185 Union Pier Road Union Pier 49129

L | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com / 616-263-9087 4425 14 Mile Road NE, Suite 1 Rockford 49341

M | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com / 269-469-3150 9145 Union Pier Road Union Pier 49129

N | Tabor Hill Tasting Room & Wine Shop taborhill.com / 269-465-6566 10243 Red Arrow Highway Bridgman 49106

O | Warner Vineyards warnerwines.com / 616-394-9002 26 E. Eighth St. / Holland 49429

P | Warner Vineyards warnerwines.com / 269-637-6900 515 Williams St. South Haven 49090

48 | Vineyard 2121 vineyard2121.com / 269-849-0109 4110 Red Arrow Highway Benton Harbor 49022

49 | Virtue Cider virtuecider.com / 269-722-3232 2170 62nd St. / Fennville 49408

50 | Warner Vineyards warnerwines.com / 800-756-5357 706 S. Kalamazoo St. Paw Paw 49079

51 | White Pine Winery whitepinewinery.com / 269-281-0098 317 State St. / St. Joseph 49085

52 | Wyncroft wyncroftwine.com / 269-409-1855 1055 64th St. / Pullman 49450 (By appointment — please call)

SOUTHWEST ADDITIONAL TASTING ROOMS

Saginaw

BAY CIT Y

SOUTHEAST & THUMB

53 | 3 North Vines 3northvines.com / 810-956-2706 5940 Peck Road / Croswell 48422

54 | B&B Wines facebook.com/barbandbob 989-658-8387 4320 S. Bad Axe Road / Ubly 48475

55 | Belle River Winery facebook.com/belleriverwine 586-808-2696 2405 Arlington Road Columbus 48063

56 | Black Fire Winery blackfirewinery.com / 517-424-9232 1261 E. Munger Road Tecumseh 49286

57 | Blake’s Hard Cider Co. blakeshardcider.com / 586-784-9463 17985 Armada Center Road Armada 48005

58 | Bløm Meadworks drinkblom.com / 734-548-9729

100 S. Fourth Ave., Suite 110 Ann Arbor 48104

59 | B. Nektar Mead, Cider, Beer bnektar.com / 313-744-6323 1511 Jarvis / Ferndale 48220

60 | Burgdorf’s Winery burgdorfwinery.com / 517-655-2883 5635 Shoeman Road / Haslett 48840

61 | Cellar 104 cellar104.com / 586-242-2222 104 Macomb Place Mount Clemens 48043

62 | Chalice Craft Wine chalicewinery.com / 810-245-9463 1779 W. Genesee / Lapeer 48446

63 | Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery - Airpark chateauaeronautiquewinery.com 517-569-2132 / 1849 Rives-Eaton Road / Jackson 49201

64 | Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery - Irish Hills chateauaeronautiquewinery.com 517-446-4052 / 12000 Pentecost Highway / Onsted 49265

65 | Cherry Creek Cellars cherrycreekwine.com / 517-592-4663 11500 Silver Lake Highway Brooklyn 49230

66 | Detroit Vineyards detroitvineyards.com / 313-265-3938

1000 Gratiot Ave. / Detroit 48207

67 | Dizzy Daisy Winery and Vineyard dizzydaisywinery.com 989-269-2366

1288 Crown Road / Bad Axe 48413

68 | Fenton Winery & Brewery fentonbrewery.com / 810-373-4194

1370 N. Long Lake Road Fenton 48430

69 | Filipo Marc Winery filipomarcwinery.com / 586-226-3990

39085 Garfield Road Clinton Township 48038

70 | Flying Otter Vineyard and Winery flyingotter.com / 567-302-0476 3402 Chase Road / Adrian 49221

71 | Fourth Coast Ciderworks fourthcoastciderworks.com 947-300-6016 2365 Joslyn / Lake Orion 48360

72 | Green Barn Winery greenbarnwinery.com 810-367-2400

775 N. Wadhams Road Smiths Creek 48074

73 | Hoffman Farms Winery & Tasting Room facebook.com/hoffmanfarmswinery 248-714-5953 2521 Rose Center Road Highland 48356

74 | Howell’s MainStreet Winery howellsmainstreetwinery.com 517-545-9463

201 W. Grand River Ave. / Howell 48843

75 | JK’s Farmhouse Ciders jksfarmhouseciders.com 810-659-6568 1431 Duffield Road / Flushing 48433

76 | Maria’s Uncorked mariasuncorked.com 269-781-9128

116 E. Michigan Ave. / Marshall 49068

77 | Meckley’s Cidery flavorfruitfarm.com / 517-688-3455 11025 S. Jackson Road Cement City 49233

78 | Northville Winery & Brewing Co. thenorthvillewinery.com 248-320-6507 / 630 Baseline Road Northville 48167

80 | Pentamere Winery pentamerewinery.com / 517-423-9000 131 E. Chicago Blvd. (Highway 50) Tecumseh 49286

81 | Russell B. Gregory Winery russellbgregorywinery.com 810-241-0945

1911 Miles Road / Lapeer 48446 (Tastings by appointment)

82 | Sage Creek Winery sagecreekmi.com / 810-392-5007 35050 Bordman Road Memphis 48041

83 | Sandhill Crane Vineyards sandhillcranevineyards.com 517-764-0679 4724 Walz Road / Jackson 49201

84 | Shiny Apple Wines shinyapplewines.com 517-242-3902

2588 Pinckney Road / Howell 48843

85 | Sleepwalker drinksleepwalker.com 517-918-4046

1101 S. Washington Ave. Lansing 48910

86 | Spicer’s Winery spicerorchards.com / 810-632-7692 10411 Clyde Road / Fenton 48430

87 | Superior Lakes Mead, Wine, and Cider superiorlakes.com / 586-231-9501 36285 Jefferson Harrison Township 48045

Q | Belle River Winery belleriverwinery.com 586-808-2696

902 Military St. Port Huron 48060

R | Black Star Farms blackstarfarms.com 989-652-2483

925 S. Main St., B-6 Frankenmuth 48734

S | Blue Skies BreweryAuburn Hills blueskiesauburn.com 248-564-2710

3358 Auburn Road Auburn Hills 48326 (Chateau Aeronautique wine tastings)

T | Cherry Republic Winery cherryrepublic.com 734-585-5231

223 S. Main St. Ann Arbor 48104

U | Cherry Republic Winery cherryrepublic.com 231-226-3039

925 S. Main St., Unit H2 Frankenmuth 48734

V | The Coop at Damouni Orchards damouniorchards.com 810-620-1830

2391 W. Reid Road Flint 48507

79 | Obstbaum Orchards obstbaum.com / 734-453-9346 9252 Curie Road / Northville 48167 SOUTHEAST

& THUMB ADDITIONAL TASTING ROOMS

W | Dizzy Daisy WineryTiny Tasting Room on the Village Green dizzydaisywinery.com

8650 Line St. Port Austin 48467 (Only open during farmers market 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

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 734-889-9463 8 N. Monroe St. Monroe 48162

BB | Modern Craft Winery moderncraftwine.com

989-598-5378

401 Center Ave. Bay City 48708

CC | Modern Craft Winery moderncraftwine.com 989-652-3566

925 S. Main St. Frankenmuth 48734

DD | Modern Craft Winery moderncraftwine.com 734-486-6538 138 Sycamore St. Wyandotte 48192

EE | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com 734-529-3700 700 Freedom Court Dundee 48131

FF | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com 989-652-3281 127 S. Main St. Frankenmuth 48734

GG | St. Julian Winery stjulian.com 248-951-2113 518 W. 14 Mile Road Troy 48083

SOUTHEAST (Continued)

88 | Tennerra Winery tennerra.com / 586-884-7868 44443 Phoenix Drive Sterling Heights 48314

89 | Twisted Cork Winery twistedcorkwinery.com 248-437-9463

105 N. Lafayette St., Suite 100 South Lyon 48178

90 | Twisted Rivers Winery facebook.com/twistedriverswinery 269-425-0688 131 W. Michigan Ave. Marshall 49068

91 | TwoRivers Winery 2riverswinery.com / 810-420-0604 218 S. Water St. / Marine City 48039

92 | Uncle John’s Fruit House Winery ujcidermill.com / 989-224-3686 8614 N. U.S. 127 / St. Johns 48879

93 | Unwined Winery uwwinery.com / 586-932-2600 47653 Van Dyke Ave. Shelby Township 48317

94 | Vine-N-Berry vinenberry.com / 989-551-1616 3475 Stein Road / Bad Axe 48413

95 | Vinomondo Winery vinomondowinery.com 810-385-4062 4505 Lakeshore Road Fort Gratiot 48059

96 | Vintner’s Canton Winery vintnerscanton.com / 734-354-9463 8515 N. Lilley Road / Canton 48187

97 | Washington Street Wine House washingtonstreetwinehouse.com 586-273-7140 50969 Washington St. New Baltimore 48047

98 | Westview Orchards & Winery westvieworchards.com 586-752-3123 65075 Van Dyke Washington Township 48095

99 | Whole Hearted Winery winethatgives.com / 248-667-8441 56808 Grand River, Building A New Hudson 48165

100 | The Winery North of 12 northof12.com 517-592-5909

12775 Knapp Road Brooklyn 49230

101 | Youngblood Vineyard youngbloodvineyard.com 586-770-5220

61829 Ray Center Road Ray 48096

NORTHWEST

102 | 2 Lads Winery 2lwinery.com / 231-223-7722

16985 Smokey Hollow Road Traverse City 49686

103 | 45 North Vineyard & Winery 45north.wine / 231-271-1188

8580 E. Horn Road Lake Leelanau 49653

104 | Amoritas Vineyards amoritasvineyards.com 231-994-2300

6701 E. Duck Lake Road Lake Leelanau 49653

105 | Aurora Cellars auroracellars.com / 231-994-3188

7788 E. Horn Road Lake Leelanau 49653

106 | Bee Well Mead & Cider beewellmeadery.com 231-350-7116

116 N. Bridge St. / Bellaire 49615

107 | Bel Lago bellago.com / 231-228-4800

6530 S. Lake Shore Drive Cedar 49621

108 | Black Star Farms - Leelanau blackstarfarms.com 231-944-1270

10844 E. Revold Road Suttons Bay 49682

109 | Black Star Farms - Old Mission blackstarfarms.com 231-944-1300

360 McKinley Road East Traverse City 49686

110 | Blu Dot Farm & Vineyard bludotwine.com / 231-622-3753

11399 Boyne City Road Charlevoix 49720

111 | Blustone Vineyards blustonevineyards.com 231-256-0146

780 N. Sylt Road, P.O. Box 292 Lake Leelanau 49653

112 | Boathouse Vineyards boathousevineyards.com 231-256-7115

115 St. Mary’s St. Lake Leelanau 49653

113 | Bonobo Winery bonobowinery.com 231-282-WINE (9463) 12011 Center Road Traverse City 49686

114 | BOS Wine Garden boswine.com / 707-815-3226 135 Ames St. / Elk Rapids 49629

115 | Bowers Harbor Vineyards bowersharbor.com / 231-223-7615 2896 Bowers Harbor Road Traverse City 49686

116 | Boyne Valley Vineyards boynevalleyvineyards.com / 231-373-2090 5325 U.S. 131 North / Petoskey 49770

117 | Brengman Brothers brengmanbrothers.com 231-421-5611 9720 S. Center Highway Traverse City 49684

118 | Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery brysestate.com / 231-223-9303 3309 Blue Water Road Traverse City 49686

119 | Cadillac Winery cadillacwinery.com / 989-392-2044 17480 18 Mile Road / LeRoy 49655

120 | Cellar 1914 cellar1914.com / 231-676-8743 5833 Shooks Road / Central Lake 49622

121 | The Cellars of Royal Farms royalfarmsinc.com / 231-599-3222 10445 N. U.S. 31 / Ellsworth 49729

122 | Chateau Chantal chateauchantal.com / 231-223-4110 15900 Rue de Vin / Traverse City 49686

123 | Chateau Fontaine chateaufontaine.com / 231-256-0000 2290 S. French Road Lake Leelanau 49653

124 | Chateau Grand Traverse cgtwines.com / 231-938-6120 12239 Center Road Traverse City 49686

125 | Chateau Lake Charlevoix facebook.com/chateaulakecharlevoix 231-582-1000 551 N. Snyder Road Boyne City 49712

126 | Cherry Republic Winery cherryrepublic.com / 231-226-3016

6026 S. Lake St. / Glen Arbor 49636

127 | Ciccone Vineyard & Winery cicconevineyard.com / 231-271-5553

10343 E. Hilltop Road Suttons Bay 49682

128 | Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery crookedvinewine.com / 231-203-4790

8370 Lakeview Road / Alanson 49706

129 | Dune Bird Winery dunebirdwinery.com / 231-613-4100

2724 N. Manitou Trail Northport 49670

130 | FarmHouse Vineyards facebook.com/fhvpetoskey 231-338-6632

8450 Channel Road / Petoskey 49770

131 | The Fox Barn Market & Winery thefoxbarn.com / 231-861-8050

500 S. 18th Ave. / Shelby 49455

132 | French Valley Vineyard fvvineyard.com / 231-228-2616

3655 S. French Road / Cedar 49621

133 | Gabriel Farms & Winery gabrielfarmsandwinery.com 231-622-8880

2800 E. Mitchell Road / Petoskey 49770

134 | Gilchrist Farm Winery gilchristfarmwinery.com 231-916-3902

417 N. Saint Joseph St. Suttons Bay 49682

135 | Good Harbor Vineyards goodharbor.com / 231-256-7165 34 S. Manitou Trail Lake Leelanau 49653

136 | Green Bird Organic Cellars & Farm greenbirdcellars.com / 231-386-5636 9825 Engles Road / Northport 49670

137 | Gwin Girls Winery and Tasting Room gwingirls.com / 517-282-7100 3600 Nine Mile Road / Remus 49340

138 | Hawthorne Vineyards hawthornevineyards.com 231-929-4206 1000 Camino Maria Drive Traverse City 49686

139 | Heavenly Vineyards heavenlyvineyards.weebly.com 616-710-2751 15946 Jefferson Road / Morley 49336

NORTHWEST (Continued)

140 | Jomagrha Vineyards & Winery jomagrha.com / 231-869-4236 7365 S. Pere Marquette Highway Pentwater 49449

141 | Laurentide Winery laurentidewinery.com / 231-994-2147 56 S. French Road Lake Leelanau 49653

142 | Leelanau Cellars lwc.wine / 231-386-5201

5019 N. West Bay Shore Drive Omena 49674

143 | Left Foot Charley leftfootcharley.com / 231-995-0500 806 Red Drive / Traverse City 49684

144 | Lost Cellars lostvino.com / 231-499-4755

04434 U.S. 31 South Charlevoix 49720

145 | Love Wines ludingtonwine.com / 231-843-3363 925 S. Washington Ave. Ludington 49431

146 | Mackinaw Trail Winery mackinawtrailwinery.com 231-487-1910

3423 U.S. 131 / Petoskey 49770

147 | Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery mmsyrup.com / 231-487-9058 4454 Atkins Road / Petoskey 49770

148 | Mari Vineyards marivineyards.com / 231-938-6116 8175 Center Road Traverse City 49686

149 | Mawby/Big Little Wines mawby.wine / 231-271-3522 4519 S. Elm Valley Road Suttons Bay 49682

150 | Nathaniel Rose Wine nathanielrosewine.com 231-271-5650

1865 N. West Bay Shore Drive Suttons Bay 49682

151 | North Branch Winery northbranchwinery.com 231-631-8408

126 S. Main St. Scottville 49454

152 | Northern Natural Cider House & Winery northernnaturalwinery.com 231-889-0064 7220 Chief Road / Kaleva 49645

153 | Oceana Winery & Vineyard oceanawinery.com / 231-343-0038

4980 S. 52nd Ave. / New Era 49446

154 | Peninsula Cellars peninsulacellars.com / 231-933-9787 11480 Center Road Traverse City 49686

155 | Pere Marquette Winery peremarquettewinery.com 231-233-0201 6540 Iris Road Ludington 49431

156 | Petoskey Farms Vineyard. Winery. Coffeehouse. petoskeyfarms.com 231-290-WINE (9463) 3720 Atkins Road / Petoskey 49770

157 | Pleasant Valley Farm and Vineyard pleasantvalleyfarmandvineyard.com 616-288-4229 522 N. 69th Ave. / Hart 49420

158 | Pond Hill Farm pondhill.com / 231-526-3276

5699 S. Lake Shore Drive Harbor Springs 49740

159 | Resort Pike Cidery & Winery resortpike.com / 231-753-2508

3471 Resort Pike Road Petoskey 49770

160 | Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate roveestate.com / 231-421-7001

7007 E. Traverse Highway Traverse City 49684

161 | Rudbeckia Farm, Winery, and Brewery rudbeckiafarm.com / 231-622-4173

3379 Lake Grove Road Petoskey 49770

162 | Seasons of the North Winery seasonsofthenorth.com 231-548-1280 9090 W. M-68 / Indian River 49706

163 | Shady Lane Cellars shadylanecellars.com / 231-947-8865

9580 E. Shady Lane Suttons Bay 49682

164 | Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery silverleafvineyard.com 231-271-3111

11087 E. Silver Leaf Farm Road Suttons Bay 49682

165 | Soul Squeeze Cellars soulsqueezecellars.com 231-994-2156

105 E. Philip St. / Lake Leelanau 49653

166 | Spare Key Winery sparekeywinery.com 231-237-4785

06872 Upper Bayshore Road Charlevoix 49720

167 | St. Ambrose Cellars stambrosecellars.com 231-383-4262

841 S. Pioneer Road / Beulah 49617

168 | Stone House Vinyards stonehousevinyards.com 231-385-0051

7850 21 Mile Road / Evart 49631

169 | Suttons Bay Ciders suttonsbayciders.com 231-271-6000

10530 E. Hilltop Road Suttons Bay 49682

170 | Tabone Vineyards tabonevineyards.com 231-223-4101 14916 Peninsula Drive Traverse City 49686

171 | Tandem Ciders tandemciders.com 231-271-0050

2055 N. Setterbo Road Suttons Bay 49682

172 | Torch Lake Cellars torchlakecellars.com 231-377-9109

5245 Clam Lake Drive Bellaire 49615

173 | Townline Ciderworks townlineciderworks.com 231-883-5330

11595 U.S. 31 South Williamsburg 49690

174 | Two K Farms Cidery & Winery twokfarms.com 231-866-4265

3872 S. West Bay Shore Drive Suttons Bay 49682

175 | Verterra Winery verterrawinery.com / 231-256-2115

103 E. River St. / Leland 49654

NORTHWEST ADDITIONAL TASTING ROOMS

HH | 1918 Cellars Tasting Room and Gourmet Grab and Go castlefarms.com/wine 231-237-0884, ext. 250

5052 M-66 North / Charlevoix 49720

II | Big Little Wines biglittlewines.com / 231-714-4854

4519 S. Elm Valley Road

Suttons Bay 49682

JJ | Cherry Republic Winery cherryrepublic.com 231-226-3006

221 Bridge St. / Charlevoix 49720

KK | Cherry Republic Winery cherryrepublic.com 231-932-9205

154 E. Front St. / Traverse City 49684

LL | M-22 Glen Arbor crystalriveroutfitters.com/m22glen-arbor / 231-334-4425

6298 W. Western Ave. (M-22) Glen Arbor 49636

MM | The Ridge at Verterra verterrawinery.com / 231-386-2473 8080 Swede Road Northport 49670

NN | Thunder Bay Winery thunderbaywinery.com 231-622-8563

438 E. Mitchell St. Petoskey 49770

176 | Vista Ridge Vineyards vistaridgevineyards.com 231-331-5511 9104 Helena Road / Alden 49612

177 | Walloon Lake Winery walloonlakewinery.com 231-622-8645 3149 Intertown Road / Petoskey 49770

178 | WaterFire Vineyards waterfirewine.com / 231-498-2753 12180 Sutter Road / Kewadin 49648

179 | Willow Winery - A Faulkner Family Vineyard willowvineyardwine.com 231-271-4810

10702 E. Hilltop Road Suttons Bay 49682 (Call ahead for hours)

180 | The Winery @ Young Farms thewineryatyoungfarms.com 989-506-5142

8396 70th Ave. / Mecosta 49332

NORTHEAST

181 | Burrone Family Vineyards & Winery burronefamilyvw.com 989-379-1050 212 Pinebrook Drive Lachine 49753

182 | Country Corner Winery facebook.com/valleymisttastingroom 989-965-6395 2498 M-33 / Rose City 48654

183 | Crazy Vines Winery crazyvineswinery.com 989-687-4488

37 E. Saginaw Road / Sanford 48657

184 | Currant Mist Winery currantmist.com / 989-615-4765 2724 N. Lewis Road Coleman 48618

185 | Grape Beginnings Winery grapebeginningswinery.com 989-486-9569

244 E. Main St. / Midland 48640

NORTHEAST

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

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

186 | The Merry-Hearted Cidery localhardcider.com / 989-578-2225 5740 W. M-61 / Gladwin 48624

187 | Modern Craft Winery moderncraftwine.com / 989-876-4948

211 E. Huron Road / Au Gres 48703

188 | Nicholas’ Black River Vineyard & Winery nicholasblackriverwinery.com 231-625-9060 6209 N. Black River Road Cheboygan 49721

189 | Rose Valley Winery rosevalleywinery.net / 989-685-9399 3039 Beechwood Road Rose City 48654

190 | Three Bridges Distillery & Taproom threebridgesdistillery.com 989-423-1533

240 E. Main St. / Midland 48640

191 | Thunder Bay Winery thunderbaywinery.com 989-358-9463

109 N. Second St., Suite 101/103 Alpena 49707

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.

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

OO | Mackinaw Trail WineryMackinaw Crossings mackinawtrailwinery.com

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

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.

192 | 1668 Winery and Soo Brewing Co. soobrew.com / 906-259-5035 100 W. Portage Ave. Sault Ste. Marie 49783

193 | End of the Road Winery endoftheroadwinerymi.com 906-450-1541 or 906-450-1549 6917 Burns Road Germfask 49836

194 | Leigh’s Garden Winery leighsgarden.com / 906-553-7799 904 Ludington St. Escanaba 49829

195 | Northern Sun Winery northernsunwinery.com 906-399-9212 983 10th Road Bark River 49807

197 | Yooper Winery yooperwinery.com 906-361-0318 915 48th Ave.

49858

196 | Threefold Vine Winery exploringthenorth.com/threefold/vine.html 906-753-6000 S232 Menominee St. Stephenson 49887

SS | Mackinaw Trail WineryManistique on the Harbor Tasting Room mackinawtrailwinery.com 906-341-2303 103 W. Lakeshore Drive Manistique 49854

At their vineyard (right and below), Stranger Wine Co. owners Sidney Finan and Maxwell Eichberg use regenerative viticultural practices.

Going Green

SUSTAINABILITY-FOCUSED PILOT PROGRAM KICKS OFF AT MICHIGAN VINEYARDS

BY WENSDY VON BUSKIRK

As buds break on vines across Michigan this spring, an exciting pilot program is helping viticulturists become more environmentally conscious.

Launched by the Michigan Wine Collaborative, the effort has growers testing out a workbook developed in New York to assess the sustainability of their vineyard management practices.

The goal is to establish a certification process that ensures vineyards are operating in a manner that minimizes environmental impact, decreases economic risk, and protects the health and safety of workers.

Sidney Finan, who co-chairs the Collaborative’s Sustainability Committee with her husband, Maxwell Eichberg, has been reaching out to growers throughout the state to enlist volunteers to test out the workbook shared by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation.

Growers will use New York’s VineBalance workbook to track measures of sustainability relating to climate-smart farming, social

equity, economic viability, and more. They’ll track their results this year, and their feedback will help the Collaborative optimize the workbook for Michigan’s unique growing conditions.

Organizers hope the workbook can be applied with minimal adjustments.

“We’re feeling really confident we won’t have to tweak it too much,” Finan says. “It was developed in places in New York that are climatically similar to Michigan, so hopefully it will be easy to adopt.”

In New York, growers who meet minimum standards outlined in the VineBalance workbook get a certification logo they can use to show consumers that their wine is environmentally sound, financially sustainable, and socially equitable.

The hope is that a similar certification mark can be developed for Michigan wines.

“We believe consumers have the right to know where the grapes are coming from and how they are grown. People who prefer organic products have the choice at the grocery store. The same idea should exist for wines, especially in Michigan, one of the most biodiverse states in the U.S.,” Eichberg says. “We pride ourselves on our agriculture, but consumers are left at the wayside, not really as certain about how the process works. Now there will be transparency.”

Viticulturists interested in participating in the pilot program should email Finan at sidney.finan@gmail.com.

Michigan Wine’s Pure Di erence

BY GREG TASKER

LUNIQUE TERROIR , “STELLAR” VINO, AND AFFORDABLE TASTINGS SET THE MITTEN APART

ake Michigan is a key player in what makes Michigan wine country so special, much as the Mediterranean-like climate fosters favorable growing conditions in California’s famed Napa Valley.

In the Mitten, Lake Michigan’s lake e ect moderates the climate, extends the growing season (harvest can stretch into November), and protects vines from severe cold and early frosts, particularly on the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas. is “inland sea” also creates a benevolent climate in Michigan’s southwestern corner. In fact, all ve of the state’s American Viticultural Areas — or AVAs — touch the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Michigan’s terroir leads to vibrant, fruit-forward white wines and nuanced, light- and medium-bodied red wines, which are increasingly attracting the attention of

both national wine critics and the public.

“Michigan is truly a unique wine-growing region with terri c merit and ongoing potential as a cool-climate region, beautifully moderated by the Great Lakes, and with unlimited potential for making stellar wines,” says Madeline Tri on, a master sommelier, who directs wine tasting events and selects wines for Plum Market, an upscale grocery chain in metro Detroit.

“ e e ect of Lake Michigan speci cally can’t be overstated, from arresting spring frosts to extending the growing season, especially [on] the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas.”

It’s no wonder these two peninsulas are home to more than 30 wineries.

“People are surprised by the number of wineries, for sure,” says Josh Golnick, wine club and tasting room manager at Mari Vineyards on the Old Mission Peninsula. “And then they’re surprised that they nd good wine, because there is this generalization that newer or

“Michigan is truly a unique wine-growing region with terrifi c merit and ongoing potenti al as a cool-climate region, beauti fully moderated by the Great Lakes, and with unlimited potenti al for making stellar wines.”

—Madeline Triffon, master sommelier

unknown wine regions equals aws. People are pleasantly surprised.”

High-quality wine is part of the appeal, of course, but Michigan wine country is also accessible — a few hours’ drive from major Midwest cities — and a ordable. Many wineries are clustered along easy-to-follow wine trails (see page 12).

Winery tasting room fees in Michigan have remained reasonable. You can still nd free samples (check out Chateau Fontaine on the Leelanau Peninsula), and three to ve pours at many wineries will cost you $10 to $20. Some wineries waive tasting fees with wine purchases.

Compare Michigan with the West Coast. In Napa Valley, tasting room fees range widely depending on the experience, from $20 to $200, according to Visit Napa Valley. ose experiences can vary from a simple threesample ight of wine to a full-scale wine and food pairing, prepared on-site by a chef, to even more-exclusive activities. A recent survey by the wine division of Silicon Valley Bank, part of First Citizens Bank, indicates that the average cost of a standard wine tasting in Napa is $81, the highest in the country. e average tasting fee in Oregon is $32.

“In my experience, people coming from more well-known regions are expecting to pay, as it is the norm,” Golnick says. “Being cheaper than out West is hopefully just a pleasant surprise and an excuse to take some wines home.”

Lake Michigan helps foster just the right environment for growing grapes.