Michigan Wine?
To most, Michigan might seem like America’s high five, the mitten state, or a state in the north that really tries to be like the south. When I ventured ‘up north’ (a relative term for anything north of Grand Rapids), I discovered Michigan Wine Country. I was in for a surprise.
The Traverse city area is beginning to be known for their wines. There are vineyards (and breweries) popping up everywhere. A lot of the vineyards only produce enough bottles for wine tastings and bottle distribution directly from the vineyard. That means there is no other way to taste this wine other than from the source. There are a handful of vineyards that distribute to the entirety of Michigan as well.
Countless trips have been made to this region with the Leelanau Peninsula being our favorite area. Here are our 5 favourite vineyards!
There are many vineyards in a concentrated area and they work with their competition rather than fighting each other. There is a union between most of the vineyards and they are distribute a Wine Trail Map, with locations and descriptions of stop along the way. There are buses, biking tours, and other mass transit that go between these places and it has become a hot spot over the last few years.
Bikes + Wine
We have our own bikes and a bike rack, so on many occasions… we have done our own biking wine tour.
*Please note that this area is full of hills and is often windy. Please look at the distance between vineyards and access before you set out on a bicycle. Maxwell and I made this mistake once and accidentally biked 41 miles.*

Helmet for safety, backpack for wine
We always wear our helmets for safety š

Accidental 41 miles
Michigan is not known for its great weather but for some reason this area is commonly an oasis. We have been there in various months, seasons, and times, and somehow it always is beautiful. There are a few key spots that make you question if you are in the Midwest or if you are in South Africa/France/Italy/Chile.
Unfortunately, unlike South Africa’s wine tasting, each tasting does typically cost $1 a pour or 5 tastings for $5. But in an effort to justify us spending a ton of money on wine, it would be roughly $5 for a glass (5oz) at a restaurant anyway. Support Local Businesses!

L. Mawby vineyard

Leelanau Peninsula Bike trail
Northern Michigan might not be famous to people outside of Michigan, but this place is deeply special to us as a couple. As Maxwell described in Petoskey, it is where our relationship went from just a relationship to a lifelong commitment.
-Leeann

Lake Leelanau
6 Comments
Pictured Rocks – The Passport Pair
February 1, 2017 at 8:06 am[…] had previously been there with his family during childhood. It was a far excursion in comparison to our normal trips around Michigan, but this meant it was different than anything we had experienced together. We […]
Petoskey, Michigan – The Passport Pair
February 1, 2017 at 11:24 am[…] I’ve grown I have come to appreciate Petoskey even more for its gorgeous scenery, nestled on Little Traverse Bay, and its fantastic […]
Tunnel of Trees – The Passport Pair
February 1, 2017 at 11:29 am[…] the first few miles of the Tunnel of Trees roadway from Harbor Springs is Tunnel Vision Vineyard, Brewery, and Farm (they call it Pond Hill Farm). We happened upon Tunnel Vision purely by mistake, […]
Outdoor Adventure Accessories – The Passport Pair
February 1, 2017 at 11:46 am[…] has a pair of Saucony PeregrineĀ trail shoes. These are recommended for trails and outdoors only. The treads are pretty aggressive and walking on concrete for long periods of time, it starts to […]
5 Favorite Michigan Vineyards – The Passport Pair
February 1, 2017 at 12:09 pm[…] Michigan Wine Country is home to many great vineyards and wineries, ranging from tiny, low key producers that do not distribute, to relatively huge national distributors. The wine scene in northern Michigan, specifically the Traverse City area, is exploding as of late, and it is one of our favorite quick getaways from home. […]
Stellenbosch – The Passport Pair
February 5, 2017 at 5:18 am[…] surface of Stellenbosch, and we will continue to visit and explore! It reminds us of an even larger Michigan wine region, which we loved so much. There are still innumerable vineyards for us to visit and restaurants to […]