Things to do / Travel Guide
Wine connoisseurs with even the most sophisticated palates will be pleasantly surprised by Michigan's northern region. Thanks to the gentle lake currents and insulating snows, the region boasts a wide array of award-winning wine producers. In fact, in 2005 Michigan wineries won 81 gold, 211 silver, and 204 bronze medals in national and international wine competitions.
There are more than 20 wineries in both the Upper Peninsula and throughout the Grand and Little Traverse Bays. Overlooking breathtaking panoramas of the bays, these vineyards produce best-selling Merlots and Rieslings, among others. Those who appreciate good wine will find everything from family-run vineyards with touching personal stories and quaint, regional flavors, to large wineries that widely distribute premium wines. Most of the wineries are open for visitors year-round, in which they have tastings and run tours of the vineyards and the winemaking operations. Here are some of the best of these areas:
Old Mission Peninsula
- Chateau Chantal Winery and Bed & Breakfast: With eye-catching views of the Grand Traverse Bay, the complex of Chateau Chantal combines a winery, vineyard, and bed and breakfast. The winery produces Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Riesling, among others.
- Chateau Grand Traverse: This winery was the first to bring a selection of European vinifera wines to the Midwest. As you relax in the extraordinary tasting room overlooking spectacular views of the outside environment, you can sample the winery's international-award-winning Rieslings and Chardonnays.
Leelanau Penninsula
- Boskydel Winery: Bernie Rink is the octogenarian owner and founder of this small, private winery that overlooks Lake Leelanau on the Leelanau Peninsula. He was the first to propose the region's grape-growing potential and planted the first vineyard 35 years ago. Rink has long-since taken down his roadside sign but visitors are still welcome. Boskydel's wines sell out every season.
- Leelanau Wine Cellars: This winery in Omena offers a tasting room open year-round, and walking trails through vineyards with panoramic views of Grand Traverse Bay. Visitors can enjoy complimentary samples of the wine cellars' award-winning Chardonnays and Rieslings as well as seasonal selections and fruit wines.
Upper Peninsula Vineyards
- Mackinaw Trail Winery: Their wine tasting room in Manistique offers a wide variety of premium table wines and fruit wines, with a beautiful marina ambience. Raffael Stabile, owner and winemaker, incorporates old world techniques gained from his Italian background. The Mackinaw Trail produces an un-oaked Chardonnay, a fruity Cabernet Franc; while their flagship blend is Big Red, a semi-dry red blend.
Wineries in Great Lakes, Traverse City, Upper Peninsula, Mackinac Island, Northern Michigan
Wineries
Chateau Chantal Winery and Bed & Breakfast
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