Whether groups like to argue the finer points of riesling or buy a couple of bottles of locally made cherry wine to take home, the Midwest boasts both serious sips and novel nips. In addition to the variety of wines, the Midwest’s burgeoning wine country offers event space amid spectacular scenery.
Groups heading to heartland destinations can add exploring the wine country to the list of activities to do before or after
the meeting. And planners may want to check out the Midwest’s many wineries to host engaging outings, meetings and corporate retreats.
“Many [DMCs] craft wine tasting trips for groups, or groups can tour wine trails on their own,” says Linda Jones, director of the Michigan Grape & Wine Industry Council. “It’s important to note that many wineries aren’t off the beaten track. Some are located within easy reach of major cities.”
Not only are many wineries easy to get to, they also produce award-winning wines.
“The Midwest produces some serious wines,” Jones notes. “There are still notions that wine in Michigan and other parts of the Midwest only produce sweet wines. That was once the case, but not anymore. Our wines have won national accolades.”
Jones says that Michigan produced only sweeter dessert and fortified wines up until the 1970s, when food and wine enthusiasts such as legendary chef Julia Child raised interest in fine wines.
Traversing Wine Country
In Michigan, the Traverse City area is increasingly popular with groups because of its 200-plus miles of contiguous shoreline, historic lighthouses, sandy dunes and meetings-friendly facilities. The area is also a burgeoning wine country.
For a winery experience within city limits, Left Foot Charley Winery and Tasting Room (www.leftfootcharley.com) offers several options for groups. The winery is located in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, a mixed-use development with 480 acres of preserved parkland, which was the former site of the state psychiatric hospital.
Converted from the hospital’s former laundry facility, the winery, which focuses on white wines such as riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot grigio and pinot blanc, offers space for groups of up to 100 people. It also operates Cafe Leftique on the site, which includes a patio next to a creek.
Traverse City’s other wineries are located on Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula, just north of town. The two headlands are separated by the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay.
Bowers Harbor Vineyards (www.bowersharbor.com), named for the nearby harbor, offers breathtaking views of the water framed by sunlit rows of grapevines. The winery hosts tours of up to 35 people, according to Kristy McClellan, Bowers Harbor’s tasting room manager.
The winery is a member of the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP). The seven wineries hold many events throughout the year that have become increasingly popular with meeting attendees.
“The Great Macaroni & Cheese Bake-Off is one of the most popular events we do,” McClellan says. “People visit each winery to sample different mac and cheese dishes cooked by local chefs, which are paired with wines.”
The event is held in November. Many other WOMP events are scheduled throughout the year. Tickets to the mac and cheese event are available through the Traverse City CVB, which is a good source for planners looking to hold events at area wineries.
Beyond the Beer
Do you want some wine with that cheese (and beer)? Wisconsin has plenty of options for groups looking to explore all things viniculture.
“Wineries in Wisconsin run the gamut from small tasting rooms that only offer tastings by appointment to wineries that include restaurants and have relationships with limousine companies,” says Susan Rees, executive director of the Wisconsin Winery Association.
Captain’s Walk Winery (www.captainswalkwinery.com) is just one example of a Wisconsin winery that’s easily accessible to groups. The venue is located in downtown Green Bay just one block east of the Fox River. The winery is housed in a home built by real estate and lumber magnate Elisha Morrow in 1857.
About 200 people can be accommodated on the grounds behind the winery during the summer months. Groups of up to 35 may reserve the entire winery, which includes wine tasting, winemaking lessons and run of the winery’s tasting room and reception room.
The building’s tasting room includes a window built into the floor, to allow guests to view the French oak barrels resting in the cellar. The bar was found at an antique shop in Door County and is thought to be from a 1920s speakeasy bar.
The winery’s porch and front lawn accommodate 30 to 40 people and are popular for company functions. The porch can also accommodate music acts.
The winery produces 11 wines, including recognizable favorites like chardonnay, riesling, cabernet sauvignon and the winery’s special Maiden Voyage, a rosé wine that features Northeast Wisconsin-grown grapes. Two hotels offer free tasting cards to Captain’s Walk.
“That’s one thing that planners should ask about when arranging travel,” Rees says. “Many hotels in the state offer free or inexpensive tasting cards to nearby wineries.”
She adds that tasting cards are perfect for groups that might not have room on the agenda for a wine trail excursion. For groups that do have some time, the popular Door County region, located east of Green Bay, boasts award-winning wineries and offers something brand new for 2009: five-hour wine tours by trolley.
The weekday tours premier in June and continue through mid-October. The tour takes visitors to four wineries to sample wines made with the famous Door County cherries, along with reds, whites and dessert wines. One of the wineries, Simon Creek Winery (www.simoncreekwines.com), located on a tranquil pond in rural Carlsville, received two 2008 medals for its wines at the American Wine Society Competition.
Show Me the Wine
Groups looking for a bucolic winery experience in the Show Me state can look no further than Sugar Creek Winery & Vineyards (www.sugarcreekwines.com) in Defiance, Mo., west of St. Louis and just outside of St. Charles. The winery features an outdoor terrace for up to 400 people, an outdoor pavilion for up to 100 people and indoor space for another 100 people. It offers barbeques from May through October, along with live music on weekends.
“We’re doing more events now than ever,” says Ken Miller, co-owner of the winery. “We work a lot with the St. Charles CVB to put on events.”
The couple’s son studied winemaking in Napa, Calif., and brings his expertise to Sugar Creek’s 15 wines, including unique dessert wines like Peach Hollow and Blackberry Thicket.
“Our philosophy is, ‘drink what you like,’” Miller says. “There are no wine police here.”
