Located squarely on the famed 45th parallel, Forty-Five North uses its distinct location as the driving force behind its approach to crafting world-class wines that represent the region. Using grapes from estate and regional vineyards, everything is hand-crafted on-site with the ultimate goal of producing the most approachable, elegant wines possible.
Aside from red and white varietals, they also make a variety of fruit wines sourced from locally-grown fruits like peaches and strawberries as well as experimental dessert wines such as 45 Gold, a bourbon-barrel-aged apricot wine.
The rustic, post-and-beam barn nestled in the trees sets the scene for an unforgettable tasting experience.
Forty-Five North Vineyard and Winery
8580 E. Horn Road
Lake Leelanau, MI 49653
231-271-1188
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Getting its French title from proprietor Lucie Matthies’ middle name and paying homage to the French immigrants who settled in the area, Chateau Fontaine was a deserted potato farm and cow pasture when Dan Matthies discovered the property in the 1970’s with its favorable south-facing slopes for growing grapes.
Today, the cow pasture is one of three vineyards totaling 22 acres of grapes, including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Merlot, among others.
Chateau Fontaine’s dry white wines include a fruit-forward Chardonnay, crisp Pinot Gris, Dry White Riesling and unique “Woodland White”, made from Auxerrois, a little known grape variety in this country, originally from France.
Semi-dry Gewurztraminer and semi-sweet White Riesling are our less dry selections. Our dry red wines are Pinot Noir and “Woodland Red”, an estate grown blend of Cabernets, Merlot, and Syrah.
Popular Big Paw Red makes an excellent and affordable speghetti and pizza wine. We also have an delicious cherry wine made from local cherries. Our wines are available at the tasting room near Lake Leelanau, at fine wine shops in the Leelanau and Grand Traverse area, and at select retailers around the state.
Chateau Fontaine
2290 South French Road
Lake Leelanau, MI 49653
231-256-0000
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The vineyard, the orchard, the farm animals, the wildlife, the forest, and our families are all one living organism that make up our farm. By treating the farm using sustainable, organic practices we are taking responsibility for the long term viability of the whole and we think this sense of character and pride comes through in our products.
A true way to taste
Our tasting room is located amongst a 67 acre organic farm on the Leelanau Peninsula. We are two miles south of the picturesque waterfront community of Northport. Come visit the tasting room to try our estate made wines, handcrafted hard ciders, and locally made microbrews. Get a glass of your favorite and stay to experience the serenity of the farm.
Organic Farming
We follow a holistic approach to carrying for and managing the land. Rather than using conventional methods, such as strictly foliar feeding and using synthetic chemicals, we opt to amend the soils with nutrient rich compost and fish fertilizer. Our foliar feeding and pest management is done using natural methods such as neem oil, seaweed, probiotic culture, fermented herbal teas, and kaolin clay. We believe by following these practices we have a more symbiotic relationship between us, the earth, and the fruit it provides. We are Michigan’s only certified organic vineyard, orchard, and winery. Green Bird Cellars and Organic Farms is annually inspected and certified by Indiana Certified Organic (ICO) LLC, which is licensed by the USDA.
Green Bird Cellars & Organic Farms
9825 Engles Road
Northport, MI 49670
231-386-5636
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Welcome to Longview Winery, where estate-grown wines are the signature of our boutique style winery. Our wines are available for complementary tasting at our tasting room, which is located next door to the Cedar Rustic Inn, just north of the village of Cedar.
Five Michigan ‘Best of Class’ trophies in our first five years! Come taste the best!
Longview Winery is about the possibilities in life. The life of our grapes, our wines and ourselves. We are making the best wines possible from the grapes we grow to reflect the moment in time when they were created. We are about discovery, learning, and the development of new knowledge. Ours is an evolving story built on love and respect and change. We hope that you will come and share what we have discovered on this journey. Take a bottle or two home and enjoy our creation. From our family to yours.
Longview Winery and Vineyard
8697 Good Harbor Trail (CR 651)
Cedar, MI 49621
231-228-2880
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First a dairy enterprise, and then a cherry orchard, this farm now annually produces over 1000 cases of Bordeaux varietal red wines, including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, and also produces fine Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer white wines.
Brothers Warren and Curtis Raftshol began the latest incarnation of their family farm in 1985. They were the first vineyard in the area to grow commercial-sized plantings of red vinifera grapes, which most local growers believed would fail in our northern climate. Their gamble paid off, as they are still renowned for Raftshol Red, one of the first red wines made in Northern Michigan (produced by Peninsula Cellars of Old Mission). Other local vineyards have since followed the Raftshol’s lead and are now growing red grapes.
A picture of the Raftshol’s mother Jean when she was twenty, graces the sign at the road. Because of Jean’s foresight in keeping the farm for her children, the Raftshol brothers are able to continue the long and honorable family tradition of earning a living from the land. The Raftshol Vineyards’ wine tasting room is open from noon until 5 p.m., seven days a week, year round.
Raftshol Vineyards
1865 N West Bay Shore Drive
Suttons Bay, MI 49682
231-271-5650
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Located squarely on the famed 45th parallel, Forty-Five North uses its distinct location as the driving force behind its approach to crafting world-class wines that represent the region. Using grapes from estate and regional vineyards, everything is hand-crafted on-site with the ultimate goal of producing the most approachable, elegant wines possible.
