Sure, summer and fall are glorious times to visit wineries across Michigan. Vineyards are flourishing, and the weather is perfect for being outside with a glass of wine overlooking a tableau of a lake, rows of grapevines, the countryside, or some scenic combination.
But winter and spring also bring their own distinct aesthetics to Michigan wineries. Some — typically in more rural or outlying areas — pare hours during these slower times of the year. Others find ways to embrace all four seasons by offering events and activities to keep business thriving and give guests new reasons to come back.
“Events mean offseason cash flow and keeping [wineries] top of mind for guests and locals for things to do,” says Matthew Moersch, CEO of Moersch Hospitality Group, which owns Tabor Hill, Round Barn, and Free Run Cellars in southwestern Michigan. “People still want to get out of the house. … It’s a way for us to extend our season.”
All that to say, any time of year is a good time to visit a Michigan winery. Here’s a sampling of what you can expect at different tasting rooms in each season.
Spring
The laid-back vibes of winter carry over into early spring at Michigan wineries, and warming temperatures signal that it’s time to get outdoors again. This bridge season, in many ways, marries the best of winter and summer.
Marie-Chantal Dalese, president and CEO of Chateau Chantal on Traverse City’s Old Mission Peninsula, says lodging rates are lower in the spring, wineries are less crowded, and the “vibe is mellow and relaxed, unless you choose a fun event to attend.” At Chateau Chantal, spring brings an exclusive yoga weekend that combines lodging at the bed-and-breakfast with wine-pairing sessions and a wine-paired dinner. Chateau Chantal’s cooking class series also continues through spring; 2024 themes included a Piedmontese menu and learning how to make pasta from scratch.
At Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery in Grand Rapids, administrative assistant Kerrie Van Eck says guests can enjoy wagon rides through the apple blossoms come spring.
In Harbor Springs, Pond Hill Farm’s trail network offers opportunities for biking and hiking, so guests can get outside and enjoy the warmer weather after sipping a glass of wine or eating at the café.
The peak of the season is in May, when tasting rooms throughout the state celebrate Michigan Wine Month with special events. The designation pays homage to the significant impact of Michigan’s wine grape and wine industry — a $6.3 billion economic punch with $209 million in tourism spending and the creation of nearly 47,000 jobs, according to a 2023 proclamation by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Summer
Where to begin when it comes to summer at Michigan wineries? They are truly in their glory now. Grapevines are thriving — in fact, anything that blooms is. Patios, decks, and expansive lawns await with outdoor furniture, lawn games, firepits, and other features. Indoors, tasting rooms are humming.
Many proprietors host special activities and events during this season as well. At family-friendly Pond Hill Farm, children can explore the playground, participate in a gnome house hunt, and feed farm animals and the fish in the trout pond while their parents enjoy a wine, beer, or cider tasting. There’s also live music in the tent on select summer days.
At Round Barn Winery & Estate in Baroda, the Jammin’ in the Vineyard outdoor concert series is augmented by several other summer events, including an artisan market. Nearby Free Run Cellars has a summer dinner series, which Moersch describes as “long farm tables out in the vineyard.”
At Mawby in Leelanau County, intimate Table Four2 tasting experiences are held outdoors in the vineyard during the summer. “It’s four courses — four small food pairings with wine,” says part owner Mike Laing.
Jessica Youngblood, co-owner of Youngblood Vineyard in Ray, says goat yoga is a popular summer activity — though it’s not limited to just goats.
“We do a goat yoga class with baby pigs, Nigerian dwarf goats, chickens, Great Pyrenees dogs — they’re working dogs, and they’re part of the class as well,” Youngblood says. “The chickens walk around, and sometimes they lay eggs on people’s mats. It’s very entertaining — not so much yoga — and [results in] lots of hysterical selfies.”
Youngblood also hosts Fourth of July fireworks, an annual 5K run, and painting in the vineyard, which involves participants gathering under a tent for art classes. A lobster boil overseen by Natasha Vitti, former executive chef of The Whitney in Detroit, uses a “giant Cowboy Cauldron” and culminates with dinner in the vineyard.
Around the state, other wineries offer concerts, festivals, and seasonal treats like wine slushies. Many wineries welcome pets, too.
“It’s a fun time to come when a lot of people are on property having a good time,” Moersch says. “That’s really what it’s about: getting people out to taste Michigan craft wines.”
Autumn
Fall is when it gets real at Michigan wineries. Not only does autumn bring the grape harvest, but it’s a spectacularly beautiful time to visit.
As Dalese puts it, autumn is “crunch, or rather crush, time. Fall color tours abound on the weekends, and daily harvesting and crushing of grapes takes place.”
Visitors can take in stunning views, and Dalese recommends participating in a vineyard tour to see grapes on the vine.
“The weekend vibe is full on — lots of groups and parties,” she says. “Visit during the week to enjoy the fall scenery without the parties.”
Laing says fall Saturdays are the busiest in terms of the volume of guests. “People are timing their visit so it coincides with the color tour,” he says. “School is also back in session, so … it’s more of a wine-centric crowd versus the summer, where it’s families.”
Winter
If there’s ever a time of year to be cozy indoors at a Michigan winery, winter is it. Besides gathering in a warm tasting room area, guests may also be able to enjoy special dinners, cooking classes, exercise options, and musical events.
Youngblood hosts a Blue Christmas concert and a New Year’s Eve bash, and her pre-Christmas wreath-making classes are popular. Participants build wreaths from vines grown on the property while the wine flows.
“I teach people how to make a bow,” Youngblood says. “We have fresh-cut greenery from trees my mother-in-law’s father planted 60 years ago.”
While Leigh’s Garden Winery in Escanaba shortens its hours from January through April, the winery continues to host “Friday night piano” weekly and live music most Saturdays all year long, says co-owner Julie Lambert.
At the same time, wineries continue to embrace the outdoors, as do many customers. The pandemic-era igloos have in many cases remained. At Round Barn, about 30 igloos go up in November and stay through March, Moersch says. They’re free and available first come, first served.
“People just enjoy that idea of being outside but protected,” Moersch says, adding that walking trails enable guests to ski or snowshoe and connect to Tabor Hill.
“We put those in during COVID for people to be outside and social distance, but they’ve become extremely popular,” he says. “You can walk from one winery to the other with a glass of wine or beer. It’s almost 4 miles of walking trails in our woods.”
The barn itself also doubles as a space for Round Barn Unplugged acoustic music events. Five minutes away at Round Barn Brewery & Public House, winter activities include a Chili Cook-Off, trivia on Sundays, Brews & Bingo, and more.
Besides wine, Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery now specializes in coffee. That means guests can warm up with a seasonal coffee flight of four preselected latte flavors.
Guests who want to get out into the crisp winter air can also take advantage of snowshoeing trails in the Petoskey area.
In fact, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular at multiple Michigan wineries when there’s snow on the ground. This past winter, Grand Traverse Bike Tours partnered with several Leelanau County wineries to offer guided snowshoe tours on private trails between Big Little Wines, Ciccone Vineyard & Winery, and Suttons Bay Ciders. Grand Traverse Bike Tours also hosted Sip & Ski tours that included guided cross-country skiing, lunch at Farm Club, and wine tasting at Shady Lane Cellars.
Put it all together, and Michigan wineries make the case for visiting any time of year.
“We don’t want people coming once,” Youngblood says. “We want people coming back time and time again.”
This article originally appeared in the 2024 Michigan Wine Country magazine.
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