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Napa Of The Midwest

Taste Buds Delight Along Michigan's Bay View Wine Trail

Taste Buds Delight Along Michigan’s Bay View Wine Trail

Christi Petersen, co-owner of Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery in Petoskey, Michigan, pours a sample of Blueberry Wine in the winery’s tasting room.

If you venture just beyond the eastern fringes of downtown Petoskey, Michigan — like I did with a friend — head to the tasting room at Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery to sample wine made with cherries, a host of cold-weather grapes and — surprise! — maple syrup.

“Try this one,” offered Christi Petersen, co-owner of Maple Moon, as she handed me a sample-size pour of pale beige wine. “This Early Spring Reserve is my driest maple wine. It’s actually fermented syrup. There is zero residual sugar.”

As I sipped my first ever “maple” wine, all traces of skepticism melted away. Petersen grinned at my reaction. The smooth, no-maple-syrup-taste wine was really good.

Michelle Waller of Flushing, Michigan, is a frequent Maple Moon visitor with her husband, Greg. “We quickly learned that the wine is delicious.” Smiling and knowledgeable staff are an added bonus, she said.

Tap-to-table dry and sweet wines, hard cider, non-alcoholic drinks, made-on-site pure maple syrup and an assortment of “take away” edibles are available. On Saturdays, one-hour free tours begin at 4 p.m.

Maple Moon, snuggled among maple groves in a serene, northwestern countryside neighborhood in Michigan’s Mitt, is one of a dozen diverse wineries along the Bay View Wine Trail. Thanks to a magical mix of breezes, bluffs, land and location, grapevines flourish here. Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan shorelines are a 30-minute jaunt or less from the kid-friendly wineries. The majority of the trail wineries are open year round.

Behind the tasting room at The Cellars of Royal Farms, hardy souls stroll through the hilly vineyards to peek at the ever-changing-always-riveting Lake Michigan. Sara McGuire, co-owner of Royal Farms, talked about their bakery’s sweet treats and wine pairings: “It might be chocolate-cream-cheese coffee cake or maybe ginger cookies paired with one of our three cherry wines.”

Food and wine pairings are available at Walloon Lake Winery in Petoskey, Michigan.

Like her sister wineries on the trail, stopovers at Walloon Lake Winery involve more than wine sipping. When I visited, best book club reads and how to build a cairn were hot topics at the tasting counter. Marta Dennis, the congenial, energetic owner, constructed a cairn in her winery’s backyard. Spirited conversations and friendly chats with owners, winemakers, and guests — in a carefree, happy setting — are common happenings on the wine trail.

When first-time visitor, Lisa Hall of Portage, Michigan, hung out with a friend at Walloon Lake, she sampled a sweet sparkling peach wine and nibbled on locally sourced cheese, dark chocolate and nut mix. She told me: “I think it’s fantastic that the winery is super committed to sustainability and really interested in the environment.”

Dennis proudly explained: “An important part of our philosophy is treating the farm gently in the decisions we make each day. Our unique cordwood tasting building was built from wood harvested off the property. It was built by the family and overlooks rolling vistas and the vineyards.”

Some people say that “… when they drive in through our vineyards, they feel like they are in Napa Valley. They get the WOW factor — not what they expected.” said Raffaele Stabile, president of Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery.

Dave Cytacki, and a handful of his friends, stopped at Mackinaw Trail to sample beer, hard cider and wine. “The apple-cranberry and apple-peach cider were quite good, as was the blueberry wine. What really stood out with all three is the fact that you could really taste the cranberry, peach and blueberry,” commented Cytacki of Livonia, Michigan. An onsite bistro features grub suitable for pairing.

Atmosphere. That’s what lured Darlene Isaacs and her husband, Scott, of Amherst, Ohio, to Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery. “I love walking into the tasting room.” she exclaimed. The earthy wine smells, the beautiful views of grapes growing on the hillside, and, the calming quiet of the countryside and local farms relax her.

“We learn more about the wine-making process each time we go,” Isaacs said. She recalled a visit when co-owner Tracie Roush explained why the flavors of the wine change each season.

Petoskey Farms tops Colleen Schomaker’s trail favorites. “As soon as you turn down their winding driveway, you feel the stress of life lighten. The view is spectacular as you look over endless rolling hills and trees, and, the owners are warm and friendly,” said Schomaker, of Rochester, Michigan. She and her husband, Mike, like to share flights of wine and nibble on cheese and crackers. Other snack-size fare includes smoked whitefish dip, local gourmet popcorn, charcuterie boards and assorted chocolates.

“The hills are always beautiful — just different in each season — from the green in summer to the rainbow of color in the fall, to the white fluffy slopes in the winter, and the breath of fresh spring air … a must see all year long!” Roush said, smiling.

IF YOU GO

– Bay View Wine Trail: www.bayviewwinetrail.com– Walloon Lake Winery: 231.622.8645 or www.walloonlakewinery.com– Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery: 231.290.9463 or www.petoskeyfarms.com– Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery: 231.487.9058 or www.mmsyrup.com– The Cellars of Royal Farms: 231.599.3222 or www.royalfarmsinc.com– 1918 Cellars at Castle Farms: 231.237.0884 or www.castlefarms.com/wine– Spare Key Winery: 231.250.7442 or www.sparekeywinery.com– Pond Hill Farm Vineyards and Winery: 231.526.3276 or www.pondhill.com– Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery: 231.881.6582 or www.crookedvinewine.com– Seasons of the North: 231.548.1280 or www.seasonsofthenorth.com– Rudbeckia Farm and Winery: 231.622.4173 or www.rudbeckiafarm.com– Resort Pike Cidery and Winery: 231.753.2508 or www.resortpike.com– Mackinac Trail Winery & Brewery: 231.487.1910 or www.mackinawtrailwinery.com

For more information on area wineries, lodging, eateries and attractions, contact the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau at 800.845.2828 or go online to: www.petoskeyarea.co

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