Wine & Chocolate Tasting Workshop – Suttons Bay

Name: Wine & Chocolate Tasting Workshop – Suttons Bay
Start: 2026-12-12T18:30:00
Location: Black Star Farms (Suttons Bay)

An evening wine-and-chocolate workshop at the Suttons Bay estate with a guided pairing format.

Sep 11, 2026 · Oct 23, 2026 · Nov 20, 2026 · Dec 12, 20262026 dates

LeelanauWine-country area

See sourcePublished price / details

2026-08-29Source checked

Planning truth

How to build the wine day around it

Use it as the final wine event of the day. A northern or Suttons Bay cluster pairs better than a long western-Leelanau loop before a 6:30 PM workshop.

Source: Traverse City Tourism event calendar · verified 2026-08-29Check current event details before buying or driving

Winery anchor: Black Star Farms (Suttons Bay). Open the winery guide for wine style, fit, hours, and nearby route partners.

Wine Country Truth Engine

Start with the wine. Then build the day around it.

Tell the planner what you actually care about in the glass. It scores winery fit, route coherence, lineup variety, and experience balance, then returns three wine-led days. A high score means the itinerary fits your goal. It is not an objective rating of wine quality.

43 wineries scored3 wineries per day1 optional non-wine break

Where

What kind of wine day?

Keep wine quality of fit high, but require useful on-site food so the day can breathe.

DateAdd one worthwhile non-wine break

Option 1

Gilchrist Farm → Laurentide → Good Harbor

81Wine Day Fit

74 wine fit86 route fit100 lineup variety6.1 mi between wineries

Gilchrist Farm Winery is the wine anchor; the wineries cluster tightly; the lineup changes enough from stop to stop; there is a real food stop.

1
Gilchrist Farm Winery78 fit
A distinctive Leelanau stop for Albariño and Grüner plus a real kitchen, useful when wine and food should carry equal weight.
AlbarinoGrunerInland view
Full guide Winery site Map it
2
Laurentide Winery74 fit
A serious Leelanau stop for Sauvignon Blanc and Fumé Blanc, with enough Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and red-wine depth to reward a wine-led visit.
Sauvignon BlancRieslingChardonnayPinot GrisCabernet FrancVineyard view
Full guide Winery site Map it
3
Good Harbor Vineyards70 fit
A dependable Leelanau wine stop with a broad lineup and useful Pinot Noir and Albariño signals.
AlbarinoBroad LineupPinot NoirChardonnayMerlotVineyard view
Full guide Winery site Map it

Wine remains the anchor: three winery stops, deliberately capped to reduce palate fatigue.

Option 2

Dune Bird → 45 North → Gilchrist Farm

81Wine Day Fit

74 wine fit85 route fit100 lineup variety6.4 mi between wineries

Dune Bird Winery is the wine anchor; the wineries cluster tightly; the lineup changes enough from stop to stop; there is a real food stop.

1
Dune Bird Winery78 fit
A Northport-area wine stop with Chardonnay and Pinot Gris signals plus pizza, useful when the northern loop needs a meal.
ChardonnayPinot GrisVineyard view
Full guide Winery site Map it
2
45 North Vineyard & Winery67 fit
A versatile Leelanau stop for dry whites, rosé, sparkling, and cider in a relaxed vineyard setting.
Dry WhitesRoseSparklingChardonnayPinot GrisVineyard view
Full guide Winery site Map it
3
Gilchrist Farm Winery78 fit
A distinctive Leelanau stop for Albariño and Grüner plus a real kitchen, useful when wine and food should carry equal weight.
AlbarinoGrunerInland view
Full guide Winery site Map it

Wine remains the anchor: three winery stops, deliberately capped to reduce palate fatigue.

Option 3

Bel Lago → French Valley → Laurentide

80Wine Day Fit

74 wine fit84 route fit100 lineup variety7.2 mi between wineries

Bel Lago Vineyards & Winery is the wine anchor; the wineries cluster tightly; the lineup changes enough from stop to stop; there is a real food stop.

1
Bel Lago Vineyards & Winery78 fit
A Leelanau aromatic-white specialist signal, especially for Gewürztraminer, with lake scenery and food available.
Aromatic WhitesGewurztraminerCabernet FrancChardonnayMerlotLake view
Full guide Map it
2
French Valley70 fit
A Leelanau wine-and-food stop where the setting and raclette program can carry a longer pause in the day.
Pinot NoirCabernet FrancMerlotChardonnayPinot GrisVineyard view
Full guide Winery site Map it
3
Laurentide Winery74 fit
A serious Leelanau stop for Sauvignon Blanc and Fumé Blanc, with enough Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and red-wine depth to reward a wine-led visit.
Sauvignon BlancRieslingChardonnayPinot GrisCabernet FrancVineyard view
Full guide Winery site Map it

Wine remains the anchor: three winery stops, deliberately capped to reduce palate fatigue.

Keep the event from taking over the wine day

An event ticket is not a reason to race between tasting rooms. The planner still defaults to three wineries because wine-style fit, palate fatigue, meal timing, and the drive between stops matter more than maximizing check-ins.

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