Michigan—popular for various things, including its Great Lakes and Big Ten college football—isn’t as well known for its vineyards and wine. But it should be.
Grapes have made themselves at home here over the years, and today the state is top shelf among Midwest purveyors of reds and whites.
Following are just a few of the many opportunities awaiting groups that would like to enjoy a tasting during their next Michigan meeting.
A popular standby in the Great Lakes Bay Region is St. Julian Winery, Michigan’s oldest and largest wine company, located in Frankenmuth.
According to Sonja Wood, manager of meetings and conventions for the Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB, the “enhanced” tour at St. Julian includes wine tasting, appetizers and a take-home souvenir wine glass.
Frankenmuth FunShips, she adds, is a unique option, as 10 to 20 guests can taste Michigan wines during a cruise on the Cass River. FunShips also has a gazebo that holds more than 20 people.
In Traverse City there are more than 30 wineries on the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas, according to Michael Norton, spokesman for Traverse City Tourism, who adds that most of them offer group tours and tastings.
And of those, he adds, several accommodate large group gatherings, including Black Star Farms, which has an inn on-site, and Chateau Chantal, which has an on-site bed-and-breakfast and offers cooking classes.
“Both have been around for a while, and both are pretty special,” Norton says.
Wine exploration continues in Grand Rapids at Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery, a unique fruit winery that offers wine-tasting featuring Michigan wines and cider, according to Andie Newcomer, convention and visitor services manager at Experience Grand Rapids CVB.
“Groups can do an inside tour of the Apple Haus and an orchard tour on a tractor pull wagon ride to learn how the wines and cider are made,” she adds.
And in downtown Kalamazoo is Tempo Vino Winery, which offers wine tastings, wine-making classes and custom wine labels for groups and businesses.
— Carolyn Blackburn
