French Valley Vineyard announces partnership with Leelanau Conservancy to benefit Sugar Loaf
Photo by Sarah Peschel
From staff reports
French Valley Vineyard, part of the Harmony Estate Wineries of Leelanau portfolio, announced the release of two new wines: Sugar Loaf Red and Sugar Loaf White. Created in partnership with the Leelanau Conservancy, the wines support the long-term stewardship of Sugar Loaf, the iconic Leelanau County landmark recently protected from development for generations to come.
The wines are available at the French Valley tasting room. A portion from every bottle sold will be donated to the Leelanau Conservancy’s Sugar Loaf fund. The donations will help sustain trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and long-term stewardship of the 285-acre property.
“Sugar Loaf has always been part of the landscape we work in and the community we’re rooted in. When the Conservancy completed the acquisition, it felt like the whole county exhaled,” said Peggy Gauthier, wine club manager at French Valley Vineyard. “We wanted to do something that made that support real and lasting—not just a moment, but a contribution that grows with every bottle we pour.”
The Sugar Loaf ski resort property, that has been dormant for over 25 years, officially transferred to the Leelanau Conservancy on March 11 following a community fundraising effort that raised over $8 million from more than 1,100 donors. The property was gifted by the Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Foundation. The Conservancy’s long-term vision includes a multi-use trail network for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, as well as universal access features, scenic viewpoints, a community sledding hill, and ecological restoration of native habitat throughout the 285-acre site.
The Sugar Loaf property is not yet open to the public while safety assessment and trail infrastructure work is underway. The Conservancy expects an initial public opening in mid-to-late 2026.
“Partnerships like this one are how conservation becomes community,” said Tom Nelson, director of the Leelanau Conservancy. “French Valley’s commitment ensures that the work of caring for Sugar Loaf doesn’t stop when the press releases do—it continues every time someone opens a bottle.”
French Valley Vineyard invites the community to celebrate the launch with a release party on Friday, July 31, from 7-9 pm at French Valley. Guests can taste Sugar Loaf Red and Sugar Loaf White, hear more about the Conservancy’s plans for the property, and toast to a landmark now protected for generations to come. Admission to the event is free, details and RSVP available here.
Find Sugar Loaf Red and Sugar Loaf White at the French Valley tasting room, 3655 South French Road, Cedar, MI 49621, or online at fvvineyard.com/wines. Both wines are also available at select local restaurants and markets throughout the region. For hours and more information, visit fvvineyard.com. To donate to Sugar Loaf, click here.
Founded in 2000 on a former cherry farm in Leelanau County, French Valley Vineyard is Northern Michigan’s backyard—70 acres of open land, vineyard views, live music, and wine, beer, and cider crafted for sharing. Part of the Harmony Estate Wineries of Leelanau portfolio. Visit fvvineyard.com.
The Leelanau Conservancy has permanently protected more than 15,000 acres and 100 miles of Great Lakes shoreline since 1988.
