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The Tip of the Mitt AVA
This Northern Michigan wine region sits on the 45th parallel, along with many of the other wonderful wine regions of the world—the Willamette Valley in Oregon, the Piedmont region of Italy, and France’s Bordeaux region.
Established in 2016, the Tip of the Mitt AVA is the newest of the federally recognized AVAs in Michigan’s Wine Country. The characteristics of the AVA include a less extreme climate than the region to the south, more growing days, and a longer frost-free growing season. The soil is lighter and sandier, allowing it to warm up faster in the spring. These conditions result in higher-quality grapes, which require a more extended growing season to ripen or wouldn’t ripen in the more extreme winter lows.
During the summer of 2024, two blogging friends joined me on two separate Michigan Road Trip Adventures. In June, Roxie Yonkey of Roxie on the Road joined me on a 25-day trip through Michigan and parts of Indiana. During that time, we explored some wineries. In July, Stacey Wittig of Unstoppable Stacey and I took a 7-day road trip through Michigan, and again, wine was a highlight of this tour.
Roxie and Stacey have each contributed a portion of this article. Take some time to check out the links to their blogs. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.
Download the Petoskey Wine Region app to create your own wine-tasting tour of the wineries in the Petoskey, Michigan Wine Region. You can also take a professional wine tour using one of the providers mentioned in the Getting Around section of this article.
Piper’s Pro Planning: Buy a Wine Passport to enjoy all the wineries in the Petoskey Wine Region. The passport never expires, and you’ll receive a $5 discount on tastings in each of the wineries in the region. That’s a significant savings!
Petoskey
Boyne Valley Vineyards
By Stacey Wittig of Unstoppable Stacey
Boyne Valley Vineyards is a dog-friendly and kid-friendly winery offering a delightful experience for wine enthusiasts and their families, which might include a four-legged family member. Set within a scenic 113-acre nature preserve, the vineyard features a modern, two-story tasting room with glass roll-up doors, allowing natural light and fresh air to flow in.
The neutral tones, wood beams in the soaring ceiling, and leather couches strewn with textured throws reminded me of Napa Valley-tasting barns. The welcoming atmosphere enticed amiable locals and their pooches to gather well-crafted lounge chairs around low coffee tables made of wine barrel halves.
Boyne Valley Vineyards on the Petoskey Wine Trail offers a diverse selection of wines, each crafted to reflect the unique terroir of Northern Michigan. We savored the crisp, refreshing whites known for their balanced acidity and vibrant fruit notes. The expert staff guided us through the tasting for an enjoyable and enlightening visit.
At Boyne Valley Vineyards, you can enjoy light bites like charcuterie, cheese plates, and hummus. The outdoor patio is perfect for guests with dogs, making it an ideal destination for a relaxing day out.
Harbor Springs and Alanson
Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery
By Roxie Yonkey of Roxie on the Road
There was a Crooked Man who drank Crooked Vine wine near the Crooked Lake that flows into the Crooked River. Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery, 15 miles northeast of Petoskey, between Alanson and Indian River, is beautiful. Fields of wildflowers and grape vines surround the tasting room. The vineyard grows five different grape varietals and crafts its wines on-site.
From the expansive patio, soak in views of Deadman’s Hill and Boyne Mountain in the distance. It’s the perfect venue for a destination wedding. However, don’t wait for a wedding. Instead, enjoy live music on the weekends.
The tasting room is open from June to September on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. From October to May, the hours are from noon to 5 p.m., from Friday to Sunday.
Inside the tasting room, nibble on snacks while sipping wine. A three-wine flight costs $3. Add two more wines for $5. I tried the Frontenac, Just Peachy Sangria, Cottage White, Lakeview Red, and Caramel Cider. Each was delicious, but my favorites were the Just Peachy and the Lakeview Red. Drink the Just Peachy for a decadent brunch with lime, mango, pineapple, and melon flavors. Pair the Lakeview Red with pasta and dark chocolate. It features notes of cherry, raspberry, and plum. At the end, the flavors combine into mixed berry jam.
If you can’t visit, experience a virtual tasting. During a Zoom call, the winery will ship three white and three red wines to sip. The owner and tasting room manager will explain the wine, the winery, and how to pair your selections with food. Unfortunately, only Michigan residents can take part.
We enjoyed the panoramic views of the Petoskey hills and the wine; you will, too.
Pond Hill Farm Vineyards and Winery
Situated on the northern edges of Harbor Springs, a short drive along the Tunnel of Trees, Pond Hill Farm is a family-owned winery that is fun for the whole family. The farm includes livestock that they breed and nurture, including cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, and geese. The littles can spend quality time feeding and playing with the animals. You’ll also find a vast fishpond here, another attraction for many.
The Pond Hill Farm houses a farm market that sells the freshest and best farm produce, like organic dairy products. The event barn also has the farm fresh café, a great place to grab a tasty lunch of wood-fired pizzas.
In their café, I enjoyed a 2022 Pond Hill Red, which was 75 percent Marquette and 25 percent Frontenac. Aged three months in medium oak, preserving this crowd-pleasing red wine’s fruit-forward, light body.
I love to visit Pond Hill Farm during Fall Fest Weekends. They offer so much fall fun for the whole family, including hayrides, pumpkin bowling, the corn maze, pumpkin smashing, apple cannons, and pumpkin patches.
Piper’s Pro Planning: Keep in mind that their busiest times during Fall Fest are Noon to 3:00 p.m. The farm may be at capacity during those times, so you may need to leave and return later. But don’t worry. You’ll find other things to do in the area, and you can return later in the day.
Charlevoix
1918 Cellars at Castle Farms
The 1918 Cellars Wine Tasting Room, located in a historic wing of Castle Farms, features outdoor and indoor seating. The space features barn wood ceilings and a herringbone pattern floor with the original floor tiles dating back to the construction of the 1918 building. Combined with the original stonework, these historical accents create an unforgettable experience.
The 1918 Cellars Wine Tasting Room at Castle Farms features 11 local Michigan wines available as tastings, glass pours, and bottles. The rustic tasting room also has a café with a delicious variety of gourmet grab-and-go food options, including starters, salads, and sandwiches. They selections the kids will love too. Other Michigan-based products, including Northwoods Soda, Cherry Republic, and the Great Lakes Potato Chip Company are also on offer. So, those visiting Michigan for the first time can try some of Michigan’s specialty treats. While the options were grab-and-go, we sat and enjoyed our lunch and wine in the tasting room.
Piper’s Pro Planning: Plan your visit when you have time to explore all of the activities available at Castle Farms. The grounds are stunning in the summer and fall, and you’ll want to walk around the property. They also have a small World War I Museum on site that history buffs will want to save time for.
Blu Dot Farm & Vineyards
The 50-acre property owned by Paul and Jenny Silva has known many iterations. Once a horse training facility, then an asparagus farm, today you’ll find Blu Dot Farm & Vineyards, known for its summer Airstream Tasting Room. When the weather is nice, sit with friends on the patio in front of the Airstream. The environment is so pleasant, plan to sit and stay a while. The breeze from Oyster Bay and Lake Michigan and the soil from limestone, sand, and clay make some of the world’s greatest wines.
Their portfolio includes seven wines. One of my favorites is the dry, medium-bodied white Frontenac Gris, a cold-hardy hybrid made from 100% Frontenac Gris. You’ll find notes of honey and melon on the nose, with peach, pineapple, and nectarine on the palate.
It was a hot summer day when I visited, so I also enjoyed a glass of the Frosé, a wine slushie of frozen Rosé. If you stop by when you’re hungry, they have pizza on offer and charcuterie boards to accompany your wine.
For places to eat in Petoskey, check out this article:
If You Go
Getting There
Petoskey is in the Eastern time zone and Emmett County. The closest airport to Petoskey is Pellston Regional Airport (PLN), 16 miles from Petoskey, where you’ll find flights on Delta Airlines—for a wider variety of flights, consider flying into Cherry Capital International Airport (TVC) in Traverse City, which is about 67 miles away.
How Far is Petoskey from?
| City | Distance |
| Chicago, Illinois | 360 miles |
| Detroit, Michigan | 248 miles |
| Grand Rapids, Michigan | 186 miles |
| Indianapolis, Indiana | 458 miles |
| Lansing, Michigan | 209 miles |
| Pellston, Michigan | 16 miles |
| Traverse City, Michigan | 67 miles |
Getting Around
The best way to get around Petoskey is by car. If you fly in, you’ll likely want to rent a car. If you plan to explore the Petoskey wine region and participate in wine tastings, consider using a Sunset Premier Shuttle to do a wine tour safely. Another option is the Vine Ride, a tour company that typically offers tours of four wineries using a minivan shuttle.
Alternatively, have a designated driver who can enjoy the views, walk the vineyards, and participate in these wineries’ activities.
When traveling between Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and Bay Harbor, consider using the Little Traverse Bay Ferry Company as transportation. You can take your bike along and avoid the traffic.
Where to Stay
The Highlands at Harbor Springs make a great home base from which to explore the area. While the upscale resort is known for skiing, you find a lot of activities to do year-round. In the summer, after a day of hiking and zip lining, take an evening and enjoy the Highlands Dinner Theater, the Young Americans, where the cast is also your servers.
Pin this to your favorite Michigan Wineries Board.
While Piper is a lifelong Michigander, she’s had adventures worldwide. Bomb-sniffing dogs chased her in the middle of the night in Bogota (working late), gate agents refused her boarding to Paraguay (wrong visa), and US Marshals announced her seat number on a plane while looking for a murder suspect (she’d traded seats). It’s always an adventure! She even finds exciting activities in her home state of Michigan, where she lives in Lansing with her husband, Ross Dingman, her daughter, Alexis, and two granddaughters.
I never associated Michigan with wine! The Tasting Room at Boyne Valley Vineyards looks like a very cool place!