A Bottle, a Beach and a Baguette
Leelanau Peninsula winemakers have a bad case of spring fever. All winter, they have been styling wines, tinkering with tanks and tasting in earnest, waiting to uncork perfect new bottles for the half million visitors, faithful local fans and supportive neighbors who appreciate the finesse and success of our local winemakers.
Lorri Hathaway is executive director for the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. “Leelanau Peninsula wineries are producing a lot of exciting new not-so-common wine varietals that are growing very well in our cool climate region. Some of these are Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, Blaufränkisch and more,” she said. “We are still seeing beautiful rosés being produced and, as always, fantastic Rieslings—lots of dry styles—and Chardonnays—both oaked and steel-fermented.”
We asked a few local entrepreneurial winemakers what they will be drinking this spring and what they might pack for a picnic (along with a few bottles from their own cellars, of course). Cheers!
KASEY WIERZBA
SHADY LANE CELLARS
Drink this: 2016 Hennessy Chardonnay will be uncorked and it promises a more fruit-forward character, aged partially in oak for rounder mouthfeel and partially in stainless tanks to preserve the freshness of the fruit. Our Hennessy Vineyard is on a south-facing slope at French and Gauthier Roads so the soil heats up nicely. Also, our 2016 Franc ‘n’ Franc is a Shady Lane proprietary blend. After harvest these red grapes are de-stemmed and cold soaked for three days, laying out plush velvety flavors of dark cherry and rustic blackberry.
Pack this: Our family goes to The Cheese Lady, where our kids are developing an appreciation for excellent cheeses at a very early age. Mary’s Kitchen Port is our go-to for sandwiches and salads and we’ll spread out the Adirondack chairs under the trees at the top of our vineyard or find a spot on North Beach in Leland.
Taste for yourself: The estate borders the TART trail with easy access during your bike ride. 9580 E. Shady Lane, Suttons Bay; 231-947-8865
MAGGIE THOMPSON
BRENGMAN BROTHERS
Drink this: This spring I’m looking forward to trying some of the rosé wines from this region. We will have a blushed Pinot Gris rosé out for the summer. The skin contact on the Pinot Gris gives the wine such a nice grapefruit aromatic quality and some thickness too.
Pack this: Good Harbor Beach means I’ll be grabbing some Indian food from NJ’s Grocery in Lake Leelanau and a bottle of bubbly from Mawby. Elberta Beach is a sandwich from East Shore Market in Beulah and a growler of Stormcloud Beer. If I’m on a sailboat I’ll pack charcuterie classics of cheese, nuts, bread (Bay Bread has my heart, locally) from Burritt’s.
Taste for yourself: 9720 S. Center Hwy., Traverse City; 231-421-5611
SUSAN BRAYMER
LAURENTIDE WINERY
Drink This: We’ve been making Sauvignon Blanc since 2011, but our latest from 2017 is a real blockbuster, great big grapefruit provided in spades, it will be fabulous this season with seafood. We’re having fun with our first fizzy wine, too, called Bubble to Bubble. Made with our Chardonnay grapes, it has an incredible floral aroma. It’s fun, flirty and made for everyday; just above brut. And our new release Pinot Noir Rosé is perfect for casual summer days, with beautiful pomegranate and strawberry notes.
Pack this: Picnics are near and dear to my heart, in fact picnicking was our theme in the tasting room last year, complete with quotes from Ernest Hemingway! Leelanau Cheese Raclette is my first go-to for picnics. Another thing that’s fun is the bar chicken from Fischer’s Happy Hour—it’s always a hit.
Taste for yourself: 56 S. French Rd., Lake Leelanau; 231-994-2147
DAVID HILL
LEELANAU WINE CELLARS
Drink this: Our Baco Noir is the standard red go-to for me. I’m always taken with how dramatic its bottled evolution is month to month. It is unique in that I don’t find the “foxy,” “grapey” or “peppery” character common to so many other red hybrids. Our Sauvignon Blanc is the white that makes my summer. Produced in small batches, it always has intense character and firm structure from acids that cold-climate grapes do best.
Pack this: We have three kids so fortunately the Village Cheese Shanty, in Leland, can accommodate the whole family. Their sandwich and cheese selections are fantastic and pair well with our white and rosé wines. My favorite spots involve narrow winding paths through the woods that end at a sandy beach.
Taste for yourself: 5019 N. West Bay Shore Dr. (M-22), Omena; 231-386-5201
PAUL HAMELIN | VERTERRA
Drink this: Each year, late winter we start bottling the fresh bright wines from the preceding harvest and 2017 was a spectacular harvest. Harvest was delayed as the weather was so warm in the fall and we wanted to give each grape as much time as possible to ripen perfectly. Our 2017 Dry Rosé we made from Pinot Noir is perfect salmon pink and is like fresh strawberries in a glass. Our 2017 Dry Rosé made from Cabernet Franc expresses red raspberries.
Pack this: We always stop in Traverse and pick up cheeses from the Traverse City Cheese Lady. Our favorite spot in Leland is the Village Cheese Shanty with amazing pretzel bread sandwiches. For years our favorite picnic spot is Van’s beach on Lake Michigan just four blocks from our tasting room in Leland.
Taste for yourself: Tasting room 103 E. River St., Leland; 231-256-2115
At the vineyard, The Ridge terrace patio will be open on select days this summer.
EMILY GOODELL | AMORITAS
Drink this: 2015 was our first vintage that we were able to harvest and a historically challenging year for growing grapes, so I’m really proud of our efforts in the vineyard. One of my favorite wines right now is the 2015 Chardonnay. Our Chardonnay is done in stainless steel with no oak and really retains the flavor of the grape, with a long mineral finish that adds complexity. The 2016 Dry Riesling, my other favorite, has just enough sweetness to it to really pop the classic Riesling notes of peaches, tropical fruit and spice and it has this great backbone of acidity that makes it excellent for pairing with a wide range of foods.
Pack this: I grab some samosas with green curry from NJ’s Grocery in Lake Leelanau. For bread and cheese my favorites are a baguette from 9 Bean Rows, a fromage blanc from Leelanau Cheese, and Idyll Farms makes my favorite goat cheese. We usually take our picnics up to the top ridge at our vineyard where we can look down at all our hard work or at South Lake Leelanau.
Taste for yourself: 6701 E. Duck Lake Rd., Lake Leelanau; 231-994-2300
JAY BRIGGS
45 NORTH VINEYARD & WINERY
Drink this: Our 2016 Winemakers Reserve Riesling just keeps evolving in the bottle with lush fruit and an enduring structure. I like the way the spice characters blend with the classic Riesling fruit like that perfectly placed feedback in a guitar solo, and where would rock ‘n’ roll be without feedback? Also, the 2016 45 White is aromatic and fruity with a nice acid backbone that makes this a great versatile white wine. I have to include the @45 North, our rebranded hard cider line now available in 12-ounce six packs for picnics.
Pack this: Picnics for our family usually consist of local fruit, Great Lakes potato chips, Leelanau Raclette, olives and possibly Carlson’s smoked salmon or fried chicken from Tom’s. We tend to frequent the beaches of Good Harbor.
Taste for yourself: 8580 E. Horn Rd., Lake Leelanau; 231-271-1188
MIKE LAING | MAWBY
Drink this: ONCE, a sparkling Riesling, is being uncorked for the first time this spring. All the fermentation happens once (hence, the name) by the Charmat Method, a tank method used for sparkling wine where all the fermentation takes place in a closed pressure tank. The complex grape makes for nice aromatics and should be chilled and enjoyed at once. WILD is a sparkling cider made primarily from Northern Spy and Ida Red apples grown in Acme, just the other side of the bay. This full bubbly promises more than just a pop, with layers of tart cherry Montmorency cherries.
Also this summer, watch for a wine tribute to Bernie Rink, a neighbor and Leelanau wine pioneer who ran Boskydel Vineyard for 42 years, shuttering earlier this year. “This tribute wine will be a sparkling Dechaunac, made from grapes grown on Bernie’s land. Proceeds will go to a nonprofit of Bernie’s choice,” says Laing. Rosé but very dark in color, off dry but balanced with the acidity that’s present, fruit forward with medium and dark berry aromas and flavors.
Pack this: Pâté and cured meats from Raduno. Double-cream Brie from The Cheese Lady and a baguette from Common Good are the favorites.
Taste for yourself: 4519 S. Elm Valley Rd., Suttons Bay; 231-271-3522
LEE LUTES | BLACK STAR FARM
Drink this: The 2016 Arcturos Pinot Noir is a new release, on the tails of the popular 2013 vintage. The harvest was optimal for producing reds and offers distinct character, pairing well with a wide variety of foods. Also, the 2016 Arcturos Pinot Gris does well with a little bottle age so will be an excellent choice this summer. The vintage is starting to develop fruity characteristics and the tree fruit tones burst as the wine sits in the bottle, which offers a minerality that complements the season’s lighter fare.
Pack this: Jamon, a Spanish ham, or Italian bresaola, a cured beef tenderloin, and a quarter pound of a variety of cheeses from Burritt’s with fresh olives and a baguette or small focaccia for an on-the-go charcuterie board make a perfect picnic.
Taste for yourself: Special events celebrating 20 years of winemaking are planned for 2018.
10844 E. Revold Rd., Suttons Bay; 231-944-1270
CHARLES EDSON | BEL LAGO
Drink this: Try the Pinot Grigio & Chardonnay, NV. It’s a fresh and delicious wine, round and satisfying with nice citrus notes that complement both salads and grilled chicken and even brats. Pop the Sparkling Auxerrois, 2017. I love the variety Auxerrois, introduced to Leelanau Peninsula by Bel Lago 30 years ago. Historically, we have crafted a rich Auxerrois in neutral barrels, and still do. But in 2017 we were inspired to create a new version of Auxerrois: sparkling.
Pack this: We are fans of the sandwiches made at the Cheese Shanty in Leland with cookies by Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor or Sisson’s in Leland. While there are hikes to beaches at Sleeping Bear Dunes Park or on Leelanau Conservation Preserved lands, our favorite picnic spot is on the deck at homes of friends and family.
Taste for yourself: Celebrating 20 years.
Bel Lago, 6530 S. Lake Shore Dr., Cedar; 231-228-4800
TOM KNIGHTON
BLUSTONE VINEYARDS
Drink this: In 2016 we decided to do Riesling three ways—a dry Riesling, Late Harvest Riesling and Sparkling Riesling—and all three have won double-gold medals. Blustone Rieslings are known for their minerality, which comes from the granite boulders that are under the topsoil at the highest point of our vineyard. Our dry Riesling is extremely food friendly, our Late Harvest a favorite with cheese and our bubbly ... well, it’s just good any time.
Pack this: A spring and summer picnic brings back wonderful memories of wandering around Europe so my favorite picnic fare is fresh baguette from 9 Bean Rows, a wedge of Raclette from Leelanau Cheese and a good salami and olives from Burritt’s.
Taste for yourself: 780 N. Sylt Rd., Lake Leelanau; 231-256-0146
