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May 21, 2013
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Posts Tagged ‘Michigan wine’

 

Taste the Passion along Michigan’s wine coast

Thursday, January 17th, 2013

WineTastingServerFrom staff reports

The wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail invite you to share the love of wine and the beauty of Michigan’s wine coast in wintertime at their annual Taste the Passion wine tour the weekend of Feb. 2-3.

“Winter is an intimate time in northern Michigan and the Leelanau Peninsula is a perfect destination for a romantic weekend or simply a getaway to explore one of the nation’s fastest growing wine regions,” explains winemaker Paul Hamelin. “Our vineyards are blanketed in sheltering snow, and the tasting rooms are warm and welcoming. You’ll even find many of our vintners in attendance, pouring your wine and sharing their knowledge. It’s really the perfect winter vacation for wine lovers.”

Your ticket allows you to chart your own course, enjoying food and wine pairings at 20 wineries. Each winery offer savory or sweet food & wine pairing. Many feature the ever-popular pairing of wine and chocolate, and some wineries even open up their vineyards for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

Packages at area lodging hotels, cabins and bed & breakfasts are available on their website — it’s the perfect Valentine’s Day surprise for your sweetie. Tickets are just $30, and quantities are limited: LPwines.com/taste-the-passion-lodging-packages/

If you want to add a little more fun to your weekend, join LPWines at The Homestead’s Mountain Flowers Lodge on Feb. 1 from 6-8 p.m. The Homestead and the Glen Arbor Art Association will host “Art from Michigan’s Wine Country”. Art will be on display and for sale from member artists and details are available online.

Taste the Passion Food Pairings

Bel Lago will be serving Decadent Triple Chocolate Cake drizzled with Chef Hamar’s Balaton Cherry Sauce paired with Bouquet, a delightful blend of Pinot Noir and Cherry wines.

Black Star Farms will have a white chocolate cranberry lollipop with salted pistachio paired with their Sirius Raspberry Dessert wine.

In the spirit of the holiday, Blustone will serve a heart-shaped chocolate-cherry brownie paired with their 2010 Pinot Noir.

Boathouse Vineyards presents their 2009 Pinot Noir paired with a Mayan spiced brownie covered in single origin Peruvian dark chocolate from “Just Good Chocolate” based in Lake Leelanau.

Chateau de Leelanau will unveil their new release 2011 Select Harvest Riesling, paired with a Savory Chocolate Mystery.

Cherry Republic offers chocolate brownies prepared with their dried Montmorency cherries and garnished with chocolate shavings paired with their Balaton cherry wine.

Ciccone Winery will pair Italian meatballs with their 2011 Cabernet Franc.

Forty-Five North presents White Chocolate Brie phyllo shells topped with orange marmalade paired with 45 gold, an apricot dessert wine aged in Bourbon barrels and fortified with spirits.

Gills Pier will feature Mexican Hot Chocolate Mini-Pound Cakes paired with their 2011 Riesling. Semi-dry and delicious. Chef Hannah Israel creates a delightful blend of spice and chocolate to pair with this very balanced and very agreeable estate Riesling.

Good Harbor will be serving Chicken Jalapeno soup paired with their Trillium wine.

Good Neighbor Organic will be serving a culinary rustic slow cooked ham and bean soup with cornbread squares. This dish pairs well with their newly released Pinot Noir. For the real taste of passion try our chocolate cherry hard cider- it’s like biting into a chocolate covered cherry.

L Mawby will pair J’adore with chocolates from Grocer’s Daughter Chocolates.

Leelanau Cellars is pairing savory Biscotti with their just-released 2009 Baco Noir Vintage Port.

Longview will serve Chef Aaron’s Double Chocolate Cherry Brownie made with their Cherry Wine paired with their 2011 Pinot Noir.

Silver Leaf will pair their 2011 Pinot Gris with Clam Chowder and welcome cross-country skiing & snow-shoeing through their vineyard and on a two-mile trail that crosses Tyler Creek and winds through woods & cherry orchards.

Tandem Ciders will feature Chicken Mole in a Corneal Crepe paired with their Sweetheart Cider.

Verterra will be serving Leelanau Apple Tart w/Maple Mousse and Caramel paired with their Chaos White Cuvee.

For more information, visit LPWines.com.

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Posted in Business Feature, Food/Organic Living, Upcoming Event | 1 Comment »

Celebrate Spring at Leelanau Peninsula Vintner’s Sip & Savor event

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

From staff reports

The Spring Sip & Savor returns to the Leelanau Peninsula wine trail the weekend of May 5-6. This annual celebration features food and wine pairings at 19 wineries along with the “Sip-o de Mayo Hat Contest” — a chance to show off your best hat and win prizes including a fantastic getaway to Michigan’s Wine Coast.

After a long winter, the wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula shake off the snow and celebrate the return of spring with the Sip & Savor wine tour. The event features wine and food pairings at each of the wineries on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail along with a tasting room certificate to help you purchase that special bottle.

Wine tasting can sometimes feel a little intimidating, so the Sip & Savor has always featured an element of fun. The event takes place on the weekend of Cinco de Mayo, and the wineries have decided to hold a “Sip-o de Mayo Hat Contest” in which every winery will offer an award for their chosen category of hat, allowing you to kick loose and have a chance to win all kinds of prizes from wineries and local businesses.

The ultimate is a fabulous Grand Prize awarded by popular vote of participants. The winner will receive two nights lodging at The Homestead in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes during any season of the year, dinner for two with appetizers and dessert at nearby La Becasse, Sunday Brunch for two at the Bluebird in Leland, a wood-fired pizza from the Hearth & Vine Cafe at Black Star Farms and a pair of tickets to any LPVA Weekend tour or the Traverse City Wine & Art Festival.

Spring is also about new growth and planting in the vineyards, and in 2012, the Leelanau wineries have decided to encourage some new growth in our community by allocating $5 from every Sip & Savor ticket to migrant education in Leelanau County.

“Our program provides educational services to the families of migrant workers in the region so that they’re not behind when they get back to their home schools in Florida, Texas, California and elsewhere,” says Northwestern Michigan Migrant Education executive director Jean Franco. “One of our challenges is in getting kids to want to come to school. We’re hoping to use the money raised to create a new robotics program. We know it will be exciting for the students, and it will also provide them with an engaging and hands-on experience that teaches them a lot about science and technology.”

Tickets for the Spring Sip & Savor are $35. Packages with area lodging partners are also available, all on our website at www.lpwines.com — tickets are limited. Wine trail events do sell out so please purchase in advance.

Wine & Food Pairings and Hat Contest Prizes

Bel Lago will be serving its 2010 Bel Lago Pinot Grigio with a Spring Minestrone Soup, a hearty chicken stock base with chick peas, orzo and fresh asparagus, spring peas, spinach, kale, new potatoes, diced tomatoes, artichoke hearts and a few ramps finished with pesto and garnished with grated Parmesan. Bel Largo’s hat contest will be for “Best Use of Cork” with a prize of a Higher Grounds Fair Trade Coffee Gift Basket.

Black Star Farms will offer a Taco bar and will be pairing the tacos with their Hard Apple Cider. They are looking for the “Fanciest Hat” and the prize will be a $25 gift certificate good at the Hearth and Vine Café, Arcturos Dining Room, or Tastes of Black Star Farms.

Brengeman Brothers featured wine will be their Pinot Noir Rose, paired with Polenta triangles & topped with roasted garlic bruschetta. A prize of cheese from their new Creamery will be given for the “Best Vineyard Sun-Shade.”

Chateau Fontaine will dish up Chicken Enchiladas with green chile sauce served with their 2010 Chardonnay. Their prize of a $25 gift certificate to Chateau Fontaine will be awarded for “Best Kentucky Derby hat.”

Chateau de Leelanau will be serving Pulled Pork Tacos paired with their Solem Farm Red. Their hat contest is the “Biggest Hat” with the prize of a Chateau de Leelanau T-shirt and a pair of socks from WineSippinSocks.com.

Cherry Republic will prepare Chicken and Bean Enchiladas matched with their own cherry Sangria with fruit and their House ginger ale. The hat contest for the most “Authentic Mexican” hat will award a prize of a bottle of their Sangria and a few different varieties of their Salsas and Chips.

Ciccone will be serving a Taco Salad paired with a Sangria featuring their house Dolcetto. They are looking for a “Fabulous Floral” hat and will award a Ciccone wine basket with a Tuscan Bistro gift certificate.

Forty-Five North presents Pound Cake topped with Strawberry Honey Butter, paired with their newly released 2011 Rose of Cabernet Franc or Sparkling Strawberry Wine. Their contest seeks the “Most Divine Hat” for which they will award a $25 gift card to Forty-Five North.

Gills Pier will be serving Gazpacho Shooters paired with their ‘Just Unleashed’ Red. They are celebrating the 2012 Kentucky Derby and awarding a prize of a $50 gift certificate from Diversions hat store for the best “Derby Fashionista.”

Good Harbor will showcase their Trillium with a Mexican Corn Chowder. Their hat contest will be “Best Sombrero” with a 2012 Leland Wine & Food Festival poster for the winner!

Good Neighbor Organic will pair a cold Spring Chicken & Spinach Pasta Salad with their semi-sweet cider and their organic white wine. They are looking for the “Most Organic Hat” with the prize of bottle of Apple Ice Wine.

L. Mawby will be serving local Xylo Bistro’s Ceviche in scoop corn chips (there will be a non-shellfish alternative available) and pairing it with their ‘Wet’ Sparkling Wine. They are looking for the best hat for wearing in “Wet” weather. Prize TBA!

Leelanau Cellars will feature their Baco Noir Rose paired with Quesadillas, with contest and prize coming soon!

Longview Winery presents their Pinot Gris with a Roasted Salmon Chowder. Their hat contest will be “Most Eye-Catching” with a prize of a Connoisseur corkscrew for the winner.

Silver Leaf is pairing their Purple Passion served as a Sangria with a classic Spanish tapas, Patatas Brava, spicy and hot potatoes with a Brava sauce to match, along with another classic, Chorizo Brazed in Red Wine. Their prize will be given for “La chica en un sombrero más guapo” (the woman in the most beautiful hat).

Verterra offers Spicy Pork Enchiladas with red and green sweet bell peppers paired with their Pinot Gris/Grigio. The “Most Colorful Hat” as judged by the tasting room staff will win two bottles of Verterra wine.

Willow will be serving Mexican Strawberry Crunch With Strawberry Fondue, paired with their Baci Rose. They are awarding a Willow Gift certificate with T- Shirt for the best “Animal Print Hat”.

This GlenArbor.com story was sponsored by Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak.

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Tourism booming in Michigan

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012

Statewide visitors expected to increase 6 percent in 2012

From staff reports

A story in Crain’s Detroit Business this week reports that tourism is booming in Michigan and will continue rise this year.

The article reports: “According to a study released at last week’s Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism, Michigan hosted a record 3.2 million out-of-state visitors who spent $1 billion here last year. The state expects a 6 percent increase in tourism this year and is reaching out to farther-flung visitors.”

Read the full story here, or peruse these highlights below:

• “We are expecting a very, very good year for Michigan tourism,” said Dan McCole, an assistant professor of commercial recreation and tourism at Michigan State University who presented MSU’s annual tourism report at the event. McCole projected that — given decent weather — tourism spending in Michigan will increase by 6 percent this year after rising 8 percent in 2011. In 2009, spending was down by about 13 percent, and in 2008 it rose less than 1 percent, according to MSU data.

• Traditionally, Michigan tourism — now a $17-billion-a-year industry — has relied on in-state residents, but business has been hurt by a statewide population decline and fewer people working in high-paying blue-collar jobs, McCole said. However, Michigan tourists are increasingly more educated and more diverse, he said, and he advised travel industry members to ensure they feel welcome at their establishments.

• The kinds of activities tourists are most interested in are shifting. Based on his analysis of Google search pattern volumes, McCole said Michigan tourists are increasingly interested in vacations that involve beaches, food, beer and wine and less in more traditional pursuits such as fishing, golf and boating. Coryn Briggs, director of marketing at winery Black Star Farms, said she expects Black Star to draw an increasingly diverse customer base — including younger consumers. The winery is near Suttons Bay in the Leelanau Peninsula. “Wine is definitely becoming more popular with them,” she said.

This GlenArbor.com story is sponsored by Art’s Tavern.

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Black Star Farms leads way in culinary tourism

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012

From staff reports

Google insights show an increased interest about Michigan restaurants, wineries and local foods. Several researchers from Michigan State University including Dr. Dan McCole predict that this will lead to a rise in culinary tourism for 2012.

This is exciting news for agriculture and culinary destinations such as Black Star Farms that regularly host culinary tourism-based events at their inn and winery tasting rooms. Managing Partner Don Coe notes that he has seen a tremendous surge in the amount of visitors who have planned a trip around fun and educational food and beverage experiences. In response to this interest Coe and his team of employees have created the Harvest Dinner Series that is centered on this type of tourism.

Offered at the Inn the second Wednesday of every month these dinners include a five course meal that features the best of what’s in season from the farm at Black Star Farms as well as from other local area providers. Cost is $75 per person. This first in this series, Morels in May on May 9 showcases a savory sampling of morel dishes paired with Black Star Farms’ wines. Future dates and culinary themes for these dinners include:

June 6 – Asparagus
July 11 – Cherries and Blueberries
August 8 – Zucchini & Summer Squash
September 12 – Tomatoes and Basil
October 10 – Apples and Squash

The culinary themes are based off of what is typically in season during these months. These are subject to change depending on this year’s agricultural crops. For more information and menus please contact Coryn Briggs at (231) 944-1311.

In addition to these dinners Black Star Farms is also home to the Hearth & Vine Café. The café uses local ingredients to produce their wood-fired pizzas, gourmet sandwiches and other unique menu offerings. The Hearth & Vine Café will reopen mid-May for the 2012 season.

Black Star Farms is a popular Northern Michigan agricultural destination featuring an inn, artisan wines and spirits. The guestrooms are named for various stars in the Northern galaxy. Each has its own private bath, some have fireplaces or spa tubs. All guestrooms have Wi-Fi and satellite TV. The company also proudly supports Taste the Local Difference, a program that promotes local farm foods, helps schools serve them, links new farmers to land and other resources, and supports food and farm business networks (www.localdifference.org).

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Grand Traverse Commons hosts Wine & Art Festival

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

From staff reports

The 2011 Traverse City Wine & Art Festival takes place Saturday, Aug. 20, from 3-10 p.m. on the beautiful front lawn at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, rain or shine. This is Michigan’s premier celebration of wine, art, food and music, offering an incredible opportunity to taste wines from 24 wineries as you dance, dine, and see extraordinary performers, art and artists.

The wines & wineries are the heart of the festival and the large wine tent is dedicated to featuring well over 100 wines from the Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula and — for the first time — Benzie County. Attendees can choose a tasting or full-glass pour and have a chance to talk with the winemakers and winery reps to learn more about the wines. The 2010 vintage is spectacular, and this is a fantastic opportunity to try the riesling, pinot gris, chardonnay, pinot blanc, cabernet franc and a host of other varieties that are making a lot of noise at wine competitions around the country.

The festival also features a great lineup with some of Michigan’s finest musicians. Michigan jazz/folk great Claudia Schmidt kicks things off and then joins Rachel Davis and Shout Sister Shout. It will be the first time Claudia and Shout Sister Shout have taken the stage together, an event that promises to be one of those “better not miss it” nights. Steppin’ In It goes electric and will keep you dancing into the evening. There’s also a wide range of performances including dancers, performance artists and the Sweet Adelines.

In addition to a wide selection of art for show & sale and gourmet food from many of the region’s finest restaurants for purchase, there’s even a chance for YOU to get into the act with “Fashion Is Art”. This new feature that invites you to don your most innovative attire for a chance to win the Grand Prize, a spa weekend for two at Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa. Get tickets & lodging package information at www.traversecitywinefestival.com

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