Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail

The Leelanau Peninsula holds 33 tasting rooms, and the practical way to plan them is by harbor town rather than as one long list. Pick a village or two, taste what is close, and save the rest for another day.

Leelanau Peninsula is the larger region to the northwest, the little finger of the mitten, bounded by Lake Michigan on one side and the bay on the other. It was recognized as Michigan's second wine appellation in 1982 and its rooms are spread out among villages like Suttons Bay, Lake Leelanau, Leland, Omena, and Northport.

Suttons Bay (13)

Shady Lane Cellars: Laid-back former farm with fireplaces and Adirondack chairs under the pines. Strong dry whites; one of the few genuinely good winter visits. Food on site: snacks.
Three Trees Vineyard: Small estate-only producer with a quiet, pine-scented room. Limited lineup led by Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and open later than most.
Gilchrist Farm Winery: Farm-to-table kitchen and winery in one. Rare-for-the-region Albarino and Gruner, a real lunch and dinner menu, and gluten-free friendly. Food on site: kitchen.
Black Star Farms (Suttons Bay): Flagship destination with an inn, bistro, distillery, and tasting room. Polished and family-friendly; can get busy. Food on site: bistro.
Willow Winery & Vineyard: Small, warm room under owners Tracy and Harry. Short but solid lineup leaning to dry Pinot Noir; strong on hospitality.
MAWBY Sparkling Wines: The region's sparkling specialist and arguably its most famous label. Methode champenoise focus, no still reds; the bubbles benchmark for any loop. Food on site: snacks.
Ciccone Vineyard & Winery: Hilltop vineyard and event barn with vineyard, bay, and rolling-hill views. Dry reds and Gewurztraminer. Founded by Madonna's father, Silvio Ciccone.
Suttons Bay Ciders: Hilltop cidery with one of the best West Bay views around, a wide cider range, wood-fired pizza, and a bonfire area. A nice non-wine change of pace. Food on site: pizza.
Two K Farms Cidery & Winery: Graft-to-glass estate cidery and winery with bay views. Dry ciders, heritage single-varieties, and apple wine; everything grown and made on site. Food on site: snacks.
Big Little Wines: Small-batch still-wine label co-located with MAWBY on Elm Valley Rd (shares the property and phone). Intimate room, attentive pours.
Tandem Ciders: Beloved small cidery in a quiet rural setting north of Suttons Bay. Generous flights, friendly bar, dry to sweet range. Food on site: snacks.
Hop Lot Brewing Co. & Beer Garden: Suttons Bay beer garden with fire pits, BBQ kitchen, live music, and winter igloos. The main brewery on the Leelanau side and family and dog friendly. Food on site: kitchen.
Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery: Off-the-beaten-path hilltop winery near Suttons Bay with a cabin-in-the-woods feel and sunset views. Small and personable; the sangria gets singled out.

Lake Leelanau (8)

45 North Vineyard & Winery: Friendly Lake Leelanau estate with tiered flights, yard games, and a fire pit. Mostly dry wines plus a sparkling peach that gets named often. Food on site: snacks.
Blustone Vineyards: Modern hilltop room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a fire-pit terrace. Often reservation-only on busy days; check ahead. Food on site: snacks.
Chateau Fontaine: Cottage-style room that puts the wine first over the view. Award-winning Chardonnay and a wide flight; welcomes kids and dogs. Food on site: snacks.
Boathouse Vineyards: Waterfront room on the Lake Leelanau narrows with a couple of boat slips. Dry reds lead; lawn seating runs down to the water.
Good Harbor Vineyards: Established estate a few minutes from Leland and Fishtown with a broad, easy lineup. Albarino and Pinot Noir blends stand out; heated patio. Food on site: snacks.
Aurora Cellars: Vineyard and wedding venue a touch off the main routes. Warm room and a broad, approachable lineup; quieter than the marquee stops. Food on site: snacks.
Northern Latitudes Distillery: Lake Leelanau's distillery, with four complimentary tastes, inventive cocktails (the horseradish-vodka dirty martini), and a kitchen. The spirits stop for a Leelanau loop. Food on site: kitchen.
Amoritas Vineyards: Low-key Lake Leelanau winery with porch seating, an organic-leaning approach, and story-rich hosts. Seasonal pours like the blackberry basil get named often. Food on site: snacks.

Leland (1)

Verterra Winery (Leland): Year-round tasting room in downtown Leland near Fishtown. Reds, whites, and a well-regarded ice wine; an easy walk-in stop.

Omena (1)

Leelanau Wine Cellars: One of the region's largest and most widely distributed labels. Bay-view room in Omena with a something-for-everyone lineup; an easy, low-pressure stop.

Northport (4)

Dune Bird Winery: Relaxed Northport spot with wood-fired pizza and pond-side pergola seating. Dog and kid friendly, with room to spread out. Food on site: pizza.
The Ridge at Verterra: Verterra's hilltop estate and wedding venue with sweeping West Bay views. Some of the biggest vistas on the peninsula, but seasonal.
Green Bird Organic Cellars & Farm: The region's only fully organic, off-the-beaten-path cellar. Quiet, with farm animals on site and dry, regenerative-farmed wines. Food on site: snacks.
The Mitten Brewing Company (Northport): Northport taproom of the Grand Rapids-based Mitten Brewing, with 14 taps, wood-fired pizza, and local wine and cider. The far-north Leelanau beer stop, dog friendly. Food on site: pizza.

Cedar (2)

Bel Lago Vineyards & Winery: Lake Leelanau estate known for dry Gewurztraminer and aromatic whites, with Market 22 pizzas on site. Sister winery to French Valley. Food on site: pizza.
French Valley: Dressy-casual Cedar estate known for its raclette experience and vineyard picnics by golf cart. Sister to Bel Lago; a special-occasion stop. Food on site: raclette.

Glen Arbor (2)

Glen Arbor Wines: Homey, dog-friendly wine bar and shop in downtown Glen Arbor with its own local label, regional wines, and hard cider, plus firepits and a backyard. Confirm on-site production versus curated selection.
Cherry Republic Winery (Glen Arbor): The wine bar arm of Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor, pouring cherry-based wines and slushies. Distinct from the adjacent gift shop and the Cherry Public House restaurant. Food on site: snacks.

Traverse City (2)

Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate: Hilltop estate on the Leelanau trail's Grand Traverse Bay loop, on the ridgeline west of Traverse City. Family and dog friendly, open late, with a big outdoor tent; a natural stop to or from Sleeping Bear. Food on site: snacks.
Brengman Family Wines: Hillside estate west of TC (formerly Brengman Brothers at Crain Hill) on the Leelanau trail's Grand Traverse Bay loop. Pours by the glass rather than flights, with an acclaimed on-site restaurant, Cafe Exalt. Food on site: kitchen.

For sparkling wine, start with 45 North Vineyard & Winery, MAWBY Sparkling Wines, Glen Arbor Wines.

Staying near the village? The Suttons Bay tasting rooms guide covers real distances and the walkable rooms, and the fall color wine tour covers the M-22 shore drive at peak.

Leelanau Peninsula hours

45 North Vineyard & Winery (Lake Leelanau): Mon-Thu 12pm-5pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-7pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Amoritas Vineyards (Lake Leelanau): Mon-Sun 12pm-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Aurora Cellars (Lake Leelanau): Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-7pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Bel Lago Vineyards & Winery (Cedar): Mon 12pm-6pm, Tue 12pm-8pm, Wed-Thu 12pm-6pm, Fri 12pm-8pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Big Little Wines (Suttons Bay): Mon-Sat 12pm-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Black Star Farms (Suttons Bay) (Suttons Bay): Mon-Sun 11am-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Blustone Vineyards (Lake Leelanau): Mon-Thu 12pm-6pm, Fri 12pm-8pm, Sat 12pm-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Boathouse Vineyards (Lake Leelanau): Mon-Thu 12pm-5pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Brengman Family Wines (Traverse City): Mon-Wed 1pm-8pm, Thu 12pm-8pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-9pm, Sun 12pm-8pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Chateau Fontaine (Lake Leelanau): Mon-Tue 12pm-6pm, Wed 12pm-7pm, Thu-Sat 12pm-6pm, Sun 12pm-7pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Cherry Republic Winery (Glen Arbor) (Glen Arbor): Mon-Sun 11am-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Ciccone Vineyard & Winery (Suttons Bay): call ahead for current hours at +1 231-271-5553. Plan about 45 minutes.
Dune Bird Winery (Northport): Mon-Thu 12pm-7pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-8pm, Sun 12pm-7pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
French Valley (Cedar): Mon 12pm-8pm, Tue-Wed 12pm-6pm, Thu-Sat 12pm-8pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Gilchrist Farm Winery (Suttons Bay): Tue 12pm-5pm, Wed-Sat 12pm-8pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Glen Arbor Wines (Glen Arbor): Mon-Sat 12pm-10pm, Sun 12pm-9pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Good Harbor Vineyards (Lake Leelanau): Mon-Thu 11am-6pm, Fri-Sun 11am-7pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Green Bird Organic Cellars & Farm (Northport): Mon-Thu 12pm-5pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Hop Lot Brewing Co. & Beer Garden (Suttons Bay): Mon-Sat 12pm-9pm, Sun 12pm-8pm. Plan about 50 minutes.
Leelanau Wine Cellars (Omena): Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thu-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
MAWBY Sparkling Wines (Suttons Bay): Mon-Sat 12pm-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Northern Latitudes Distillery (Lake Leelanau): Tue-Sat 12pm-7pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate (Traverse City): Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Shady Lane Cellars (Suttons Bay): Mon-Thu 12pm-6pm, Fri-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery (Suttons Bay): Mon 12pm-5pm, Thu 12pm-5pm, Fri 12pm-6pm, Sat 11am-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Suttons Bay Ciders (Suttons Bay): Mon-Wed 12pm-7pm, Thu-Fri 12pm-8pm, Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 12pm-8pm. Plan about 40 minutes.
Tandem Ciders (Suttons Bay): Mon-Sat 12pm-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 40 minutes.
The Mitten Brewing Company (Northport) (Northport): Mon-Thu 12pm-9pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-10pm, Sun 12pm-9pm. Plan about 50 minutes.
The Ridge at Verterra (Northport): Mon-Sat 12pm-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Three Trees Vineyard (Suttons Bay): Mon-Sat 12pm-8pm, Sun 12pm-7pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Two K Farms Cidery & Winery (Suttons Bay): Wed-Thu 12pm-5pm, Fri 12pm-6pm, Sat 12pm-7pm, Sun 12pm-5pm. Plan about 40 minutes.
Verterra Winery (Leland) (Leland): Mon-Sat 12pm-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. Plan about 45 minutes.
Willow Winery & Vineyard (Suttons Bay): Thu 1pm-7pm, Fri 12pm-5pm, Sat 11:30am-5:30pm, Sun 12pm-4pm. Plan about 45 minutes.