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| Black Star Farms on Old Mission Peninsula |
A few months ago, when a few friends tossed out the idea of a spring wine tasting tour, we imagined a sunny Saturday along northern Michigan's Old Mission Peninsula, sipping vino in sunglasses and floppy hats. Or something to that effect.
Instead, it was snowing. That's right. Snowing. In late April. And rather than a floppy hat, I was zipped into a puff vest. But then again, it's Michigan, so a little bit later that week, it was 70 degrees without a cloud in the sky. It might sound like I'm complaining, but really, who can complain when you're vineyard hopping on a weekend away? Not this girl.
With Traverse City, Mich. as our home base for the weekend, we (and when I say "we," I mean one of my much more organized friends) mapped out the plan for winery visits. We opted to hit
Old Mission Peninsula - home to eight unique vineyards - although more ambitious folks might consider neighboring
Leelanau Peninsula, which offers 25 to choose from. Both take advantage of weather, and a location on the 45th parallel, that's ideal for growing wine varietal grapes.
Our itinerary included the following stops, ordered northernmost to southernmost:
Two Lads Winery
This sleek, architecturally appealing winery is perched atop a slope and overlooks the bay. In terms of atmosphere and view, it easily takes top place; it's wine selection - while limited - was good, but not necessarily noteworthy. Two Lads is also the newest of the vineyards we visited, converted from an old fruit farm in 2007.
Bottom line: Worth the drive; bring your camera.
Bowers Harbor Vineyard
The most unexpected portion of our stop into Bowers Harbor was when Brix, the winery's Bernese Mountain Dog, eagerly ambled out to greet us. His sweet face takes up real estate on select bottle labels - but not that of my favorite sip, the sparkling Blanc de Noir. (Side note: I'm not typically a fan of sparkling wines, but I couldn't pass up the fresh bubbles of this whole-cluster pressed wine.)
Bottom line: The homey atmosphere is on par with a well-rounded selection of wines.
Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery
My hands-down favorite, this sophisticated winery offered up a private tasting room (and bar) that was perfect for our group of 20 and boasted a very Restoration Hardware type vibe. The presentation was top notch and the blends were delicious. I tend to gravitate toward dry white wines and fell for the Pinot Blanc - ripe with notes of pear and golden apple.
Bottom line: Save time for the full tasting experience here.
Stay the night: Why leave? You can book the estate's barn-turned-
private guest house and extend your stay as long as you'd like.
Black Star Farms
Of Black Star Farms' three tasting rooms, the one on Old Mission may be the stepchild. It ended our tour, which may mean I was just getting tired, but it felt a little less special than the others. There wasn't any explanation given on the wines, and the winery seemed to be short-staffed, but I did find a Hard Apple Cherry Cider that was a fun departure to end the day on.
Bottom line: Visit the Black Star Farms' Leelanau Peninsula tasting room instead.
Stay the night: I hear Black Star Farms boasts a
lovely inn on Leelanau Peninsula.
Which non-Napa wine destinations are on your list? I anticipate that Leelanau will be next on mine...
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| 2 Lads Winery (above) and the Barrel Room at Brys Estate (below) |
