Bernie Rink is the octogenarian owner and founder of the small, private Boskydel 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 to taste (and buy a case of) the quality French-American hybrid "vin ordinaires" . Boskydel's wines sell out every season.
All of Boskydel wines are 100-percent estate-bottled. That means the grapes used to make the wine came from our "estate" or property. Some wineries would lead you to believe that you are drinking a local product, but if it doesn't say Leelanau Peninsula or Old Mission Peninsula on the label, the grapes could have come from just about anywhere.
All Boskydel wines are French-American hybrids, grown to withstand the cold winters while producing a high-quality stock of vin ordinaires, which can be enjoyed at substantially lower prices than wines of "higher breeding."