The love story behind Cedar’s Longview

By Pat Stinson
Sun contributor
Asked how she found herself working for Leelanau County vintner, Alan Eaker, Longview Winery’s tasting room manager Kathy Meteyer, says simply, “I love wine.”
Take one sip of the new winery’s bright and fruity Riesling, or silky Pinot Gris or delightfully complex Pinot Noir, (all 2005 award-winners), and it’s apparent why she loves this wine.
“We won 11 medals before we opened,” Kathy says of the 2005 vintage. In fact, eight of the winery’s 12 offerings, (entered in one regional and two international competitions), received at least one gold, silver or bronze award. The tasting room, which opened its doors in June, is located next to the new Cedar Rustic Inn restaurant operated by Alan’s step-son, Aaron Ackley, and Aaron’s wife, Nikki and featured in the previous issue of the Glen Arbor Sun.

A retired art department chair and ceramics professor, Alan didn’t know how to grow grapes or make wine nine years ago. Aaron says his step-dad’s passion for both stems from memories of a childhood spent in Big Sur and an abiding interest in wineries and vineyards of that California region.
According to Kathy, the winery and its name have a love story behind them. Alan, then living in Florida, and Linda Ackley, a bronze sculptor living in East Lansing, met at an art function and began a long-distance relationship. At some point, Linda called Alan and told him that their arrangement couldn’t possibly work.
“Honey, honey, you have to take the long view,” Alan replied.
The two eventually married, and Linda re-located to Florida. Coming home from work one day before his retirement, Alan told his wife he loved her and asked if he could do anything for her. Linda, who fondly remembered her time spent as an art intern in Leland, said, “Yes, you can buy me a farm in Leelanau County.”
Alan complied by purchasing 103 acres near Gills Pier, next to a 40-acre vineyard owned by Charlie Edson of Bel Lago Winery. Alan, intrigued and excited by the sight of his neighbor’s grapes, planted vinifera, (old-world grapes grown from proven European stock), and hybrids, (of vinifera and North American grapes), on 10 of his acres, with help from his neighbor and mentor, Elmer Kalchik. From 2001 through 2004, Alan sold his grapes exclusively to Bel Lago.
Today, with the help of winemaker Shawn Walters of Leelanau Cellars, Alan makes wine from grapes grown on his property and fruit wines from apples and cherries picked on Elmer’s orchard. Julius Kalchik provides the honey used in Alan’s cherry mead, the first commercially-produced mead, (fermented honey), offered for sale by a Leelanau County winery. Kathy helps bottle and label the wines. The labels are Alan’s design.
A visit to Longview Winery’s tasting room is not a humbling experience. You don’t have to know a lot about wine to enjoy your visit. The feeling is friendly and casual. The mahogany bar and wood cabinetry are beautiful without being pretentious. Kathy and her assistant, Channing, (a Cedar native), smile and invite you inside. Step up to the bar and taste fruit-of-the-vine without fear. Enjoy a locally-made Charles Layton dark chocolate truffle with your sip of cherry mead or ice wine. As the winery promises, each bottle has a memory of Leelanau inside. That’s a gold-medal winner.
Longview Winery Tasting Room is located at 8697 Good Harbor Trail in Cedar. Call (231) 228-2880 or visit www.longviewwinery.com. It’s open May through October, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and Noon-6 p.m. on Sundays. Call for winter/spring hours.