In 1973, Larry Mawby was just the second grower to plant vines in the Leelanau Peninsula, putting in a few as an experiment. Bernie Rink had planted the first 15 acres of commercial vineyards in the peninsula in 1970, and the jury was still out on whether enough grapes could survive the harsh winters off Lake Michigan and the short growing season to make wine making commercially viable. via CrainsDetroit.com Have you met Larry Mawby? Continue reading

In 1964, it was assumed that grapes wouldn't grow in the Leelanau. It was too cold or too windy or not enough summer or the wrong soil. But Bernie Rink, the son of an Ohio grape grower and a librarian by trade who spent 30 years as chief librarian at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, didn't much care for perceived wisdom and certainly didn't like to be told what to do. via CrainsDetroit.com Did you get a chance to meet the legendary Bernie Rink? Continue reading

Modales Wines opened a temporary tasting room outside Fennville in western Michigan this past summer inside of a remodeled cinder block building that sits on their 74-acre estate, void of vineyards. Already, thousands of tourists have stopped by to sample familiar red and white varietals, including pinot noir, cabernet franc, riesling and pinot gris. via CrainsDetroit.com Have you visited Modales yet? Continue reading

Submitted by Michigan Craft Beverage Council LANSING, Mich. – Today, the Michigan Craft Beverage Council (MCBC) announced the launch of its website, MichiganCraftBeverage.com. The site features many resources to support the growing industry, including a detailed research finder, an industry marketplace, and business development and support information. “The Council is very excited to see the new site go live and to share it with Michigan’s booming craft beverage industry,” said MCBC Chair Gary McDowell, who is also director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. “The energy and vision of the Council has been tremendous, and the new... Continue reading

Welcome to the latest edition of This Weekend in Michigan Wine, a listing of what's happening now, what's coming up and what's ongoing in the world of Michigan wine! We regularly check dozens of wine websites and sift through tons of weekly press releases to round up what's scheduled around the state. Wineries, if you'd like your event listed, please email us with all of the pertinent information, and we'd be happy to post it. MBTB fans, we hope this serves as your weekly "go-to" guide for finding the best options for getting your Michigan wine on! Cheers! Right now...... Continue reading

From their ancient origins in the Caucasus region, orange wines have arrived Up North to smash the autumn duopoly long held by maple trees and pumpkin patches. Visit these Northern Michigan wineries making orange wine on your fall color tour. via MyNorth.com Have you had an orange wine yet? Continue reading

What’s the best wine to drink in the fall? How can you get the most bang for your buck at the local wine shop? What trends or challenges are currently shaping the world of wine? Northern Expresstapped three wine experts to find out what’s tasty, trending (and a steal!) locally and internationally, which varietal is making a major comeback, and why canned wine is cooler than your average wine connoisseurs might think. via NorthernExpress.com Blaufrankisch and Gruner and Marquette, oh my! MBTB's Cort gets tapped along with two other sommeliers to dish on fall wines, drinking local, hot varietals and... Continue reading

Welcome to the latest edition of This Weekend in Michigan Wine, a listing of what's happening now, what's coming up and what's ongoing in the world of Michigan wine! We regularly check dozens of wine websites and sift through tons of weekly press releases to round up what's scheduled around the state. Wineries, if you'd like your event listed, please email us with all of the pertinent information, and we'd be happy to post it. MBTB fans, we hope this serves as your weekly "go-to" guide for finding the best options for getting your Michigan wine on! Cheers! Right now...... Continue reading

Submitted by New Buffalo Harvest & Wine Fest In Southwest Michigan, nothing says “Autumn” quite like the harvesting of fully ripened crops and plump fruits. In preparation and celebration of this plentiful season the New Buffalo Business Association is hosting its 14th Annual New Buffalo Harvest & Wine Fest on Saturday, October 12 from noon to 9:00 p.m. EST. The festival will take place in Lion's Pavilion Park adjacent to the boat launch and beach parking lot in downtown New Buffalo. Representing all that the season has to offer, the Harvest & Wine Fest boasts an abundance of family-friendly activities... Continue reading

Submitted by Harbor Hill Six Best of Class, 14 Double Golds, 15 Golds and 39 Silvers, all won at the Michigan Wine Competition over the course of the last three years: the medals keep rolling in for wines that have been guided from ground to glass by Harbor Hill, the premier Custom Crush operation in the Midwest. In addition to the competition awards, this custom crush facility has produced wines that have garnered 16 James Suckling Ratings with scores ranging from 86-91 points, and 16 Wine Enthusiast ratings with scores ranging from 86-91. This family-owned company, now helmed by siblings... Continue reading

We want to congratulate the organizers of the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer and Food Festival. Forbes.com writer, Sandra MacGregor, just published an article highlighting a dozen “Fall Wine Festivals In North American You Don’t Want to Miss” including the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival. The Grand Rapids festival now in its 12th year is one of only two U.S. events listed not on the West Coast. via MyNorth.com Woot! This is a great festival — have you been? Continue reading

The tasting room at Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery has taken the air of a casual party as Dustin Stabile brings a bottle from a private stash, then pours small splashes of the dark, rich nectar. The 30-something winemaker and operations director is one of the first ever to have made ice wine from this red wine grape called Marquette—named after a renowned French explorer, and being fashioned into increasingly beloved wines of all styles through such experimentation. He left just six rows to freeze on the vines here at Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery and made little more than... Continue reading

In the latest edition of our weekly podcast, we chat with Ashley Nitz about Chill Hill Winery, her family's new winery in Southwest Michigan, and discuss upcoming events, what we've been drinking, new additions to the MBTB Tasting Room menus and more. You can listen in by clicking here. The podcasts are available via the link above, the "MBTB Radio" button at right, on Podbean.com, or on iTunes. You also can subscribe on iTunes so they download directly to your smartphone when they go live! Check out our previous episodes here and feel free to drop us a line and... Continue reading

Welcome to the latest edition of This Weekend in Michigan Wine, a listing of what's happening now, what's coming up and what's ongoing in the world of Michigan wine! We regularly check dozens of wine websites and sift through tons of weekly press releases to round up what's scheduled around the state. Wineries, if you'd like your event listed, please email us with all of the pertinent information, and we'd be happy to post it. MBTB fans, we hope this serves as your weekly "go-to" guide for finding the best options for getting your Michigan wine on! Cheers! Right now...... Continue reading

While you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can definitely judge these Northern Michigan wines by their labels! Creativity reigns in wine country with these witty names. via MyNorth.com Which of these wines have you tried? And did you know the story behind them? Come discuss with us on Facebook! Continue reading

Welcome to the latest edition of This Weekend in Michigan Wine, a listing of what's happening now, what's coming up and what's ongoing in the world of Michigan wine! We regularly check dozens of wine websites and sift through tons of weekly press releases to round up what's scheduled around the state. Wineries, if you'd like your event listed, please email us with all of the pertinent information, and we'd be happy to post it. MBTB fans, we hope this serves as your weekly "go-to" guide for finding the best options for getting your Michigan wine on! Cheers! Right now...... Continue reading

The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail has taken second place in a national poll conducted by USA Today and its travel site, 10Best.com, for Top Wine Region in North America. A panel of wine experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees. The top 10 winners were then ranked by popular vote. The Finger Lakes Wine region of New York, which boasts three American Viticultural Areas and over 130 wineries, came in first. The Leelanau Wine Trail beat out wine trails and regions in California, Arizona, Washington, Texas and Virginia to earn second place. via TraverseTicker.com LP pulling... Continue reading

Submitted by Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail has taken 2nd place in a national poll conducted by USA Today and its travel site, 10Best.com, for Top Wine Region in North America. A panel of wine experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees. The top 10 winners were then ranked by popular vote. “We’re excited to take 2nd Place for the Best Wine Region in North America,” states Lorri Schreiber, Executive Director of the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. “This recognition acknowledges the hard work and dedication of our owners, winemakers, vineyard crews and... Continue reading

In the latest edition of our weekly podcast, we chat with Paul Hamelin, owner of Verterra Winery, about his Best in Class Dry White AND Best in Class Rosé wins at the 2019 Michigan Wine Competition and discuss upcoming events, what we've been drinking, new additions to the MBTB Tasting Room menus and more. You can listen in by clicking here. The podcasts are available via the link above, the "MBTB Radio" button at right, on Podbean.com, or on iTunes. You also can subscribe on iTunes so they download directly to your smartphone when they go live! Check out our... Continue reading

On a recent trip to Burgundy, France, my husband and I had hoped to learn extensively about the region’s wine — and drink it extensively, too. Mission accomplished. Although, I hadn’t expected that my most memorable experience would be entirely devoid of alcohol. When Gina Shay — a friend who works for the North American arm of Tonnellerie Cadus, a French cooperage — heard of our plans to travel to the region, she offered to arrange a tour of the Cadus facility in Ladoix-Serrigny. via HourDetroit.com Cort recaps a memorable visit to the Cadus cooperage in Burgundy, France, in a... Continue reading

Welcome to the latest edition of This Weekend in Michigan Wine, a listing of what's happening now, what's coming up and what's ongoing in the world of Michigan wine! We regularly check dozens of wine websites and sift through tons of weekly press releases to round up what's scheduled around the state. Wineries, if you'd like your event listed, please email us with all of the pertinent information, and we'd be happy to post it. MBTB fans, we hope this serves as your weekly "go-to" guide for finding the best options for getting your Michigan wine on! Cheers! Right now...... Continue reading

In the latest edition of our weekly podcast, we chat with Michael, Emily and Matthew Goodell of Amoritas Vineyards about their Best in Class Semi-Dry White win at the 2019 Michigan Wine Competition and discuss upcoming events, what we've been drinking and more. You can listen in by clicking here. PLEASE NOTE: We are aware that there are some sound quality issues with this week's podcast. We're working to pinpoint the problem and get this fixed for next week's episode. The good news is that our interview with the Goodells is not affected! However, you may notice some rougher transitions... Continue reading

Welcome to the latest edition of This Weekend in Michigan Wine, a listing of what's happening now, what's coming up and what's ongoing in the world of Michigan wine! We regularly check dozens of wine websites and sift through tons of weekly press releases to round up what's scheduled around the state. Wineries, if you'd like your event listed, please email us with all of the pertinent information, and we'd be happy to post it. MBTB fans, we hope this serves as your weekly "go-to" guide for finding the best options for getting your Michigan wine on! Cheers! Right now...... Continue reading

“The wine industry is a sea of men,” confirmed Kasey Wierzba, head winemaker at Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay, as we sat down to discuss her experiences in the wine industry and the path she took to arrive where she is—in charge of production at one of the region’s most beloved wineries, winning accolades alongside her colleagues. In fact, this is not the first time we have met though it is only the second occasion. Kasey surprised me by remembering a moment seven years prior when I had purchased bikes from her and her husband’s new shop in Suttons... Continue reading

In the latest edition of our weekly podcast, we chat with Jess Youngblood about Youngblood Vineyard's Best in Class Dry Red win at the 2019 Michigan Wine Competition and discuss upcoming events, what we've been drinking and more. You can listen in by clicking here. The podcasts are available via the link above, the "MBTB Radio" button at right, on Podbean.com, or on iTunes. You also can subscribe on iTunes so they download directly to your smartphone when they go live! Check out our previous episodes here and feel free to drop us a line and let us know what... Continue reading