Michigan Wine Country

Michigan wine enthusiasts will want to mark their calendars for June 27, because the Michigan Wine Festival is taking over the Michigan Firehouse Museum in Ypsilanti.Joining the Michigan Firehouse Museum in hosting and organizing...

Shady Lane Cellars was named the best winery in Michigan in a recently published list by Mashed, an online food and beverage outlet. In her “Best Winery in Every State” piece, reporter Kelsey Juntwait wrote...

As many American adults cut down on drinking and wineries ramp up family-friendly activities, nonalcoholic options have become more popular around the country — including in Michigan. Local wineries have found a variety of...

Michigan by the Bottle (MBTB) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 12 celebrating the opening of its fourth location in downtown Lake Orion.The crisp, yet sunny, winter day brought out a sizable crowd....

Ever since Ken Schramm received a home-brewing kit for Christmas in 1987, his life has revolved around beverage production. But after more than three decades of producing award-winning honey wine and craft beer, Schramm,...

Michigan’s wine trails make it easy to visit multiple tasting rooms in one trip and get a well-rounded sampling of what an individual region has to offer. During your next visit to Michigan wine...

Fennville Fennville in southwestern Michigan was the state’s first AVA — and one of the first in the nation — when it was established in 1981. It’s encompassed within the larger Lake Michigan Shore AVA...

Think Napa Valley and wine, and what springs to mind? Cabernet Sauvignon. What about Oregon? Pinot Noir. And Michigan?So far, Michigan boasts no “state” wine grape, though there has been considerable debate over the...

Not too long ago, while visiting a winery with a small group of friends, I was summoned to uncork a bottle of sparkling wine — with a saber.Though unpracticed in this legendary French technique,...

Here is how to read a wine label:1. Winery Name or Brand2. Bottle Capacity3. Grape Variety/Wine Name: Wines are often named after the grape variety from which they are made. Sometimes, especially with blends,...

Dennis Devitt estimates that he planted nearly 10,000 acres of vineyards during the many years he spent working in California wine country. A viticulturist who is now a sales manager covering northwestern Lower Michigan...

When Wyncroft owner James Lester first started planting grapes in 1984, he was a trailblazer in insisting on growing grapes that few others in Michigan’s fledgling wine industry had tried.“I sought out the very...

Sean O’Keefe has followed the weather patterns on the Old Mission Peninsula for decades. His father moved the family there to start Chateau Grand Traverse, the area’s first commercial winery, in 1974; the trailblazing...

Make the most of your next winery visit with these tasting room tips from the experts.Don’t chew gum or drink coffee or consume “anything that’s going to skew your palate” immediately before going...

There may have been a time when visiting a tasting room at a Michigan winery could have been somewhat predictable as far as what the process was like. Guests likely would wait their turn...

As far as the Michigan Wine Country team is concerned, pink is the color of summer. In order words, rosé is on the drink list all season long, and there’s no better way to...

Less than two hours northeast of Traverse City, a lesser-known viticultural haven awaits Michigan wine lovers: the Petoskey Wine Region, a trail spanning just over 50 miles from Central Lake to Indian River and...

Make room on your rack between those after-work whites and dinner reds for something truly indulgent: ice wine. It’s the ultrarich and supersweet dessert wine that makes for the perfect post-meal treat, and for...

Kris Baguzis has attended quite a few events at Youngblood Vineyard south of Armada. She lives not far away in Richmond and says she has helped with harvest and vine suckering. She joined an...

Day trips are fun, but if you really want to experience the full Michigan viticultural scene, why not plan to stay awhile? Several of the state’s wineries offer lodging on-site, giving guests a chance...