Local Guide

Traverse City Wine Country

Two peninsulas, over forty tasting rooms, and a cool-climate style that's distinctly northern Michigan.

Two Peninsulas, Different Vibes

Traverse City sits between two wine-growing peninsulas that extend into Grand Traverse Bay, and they each have a distinct character. Old Mission Peninsula is narrow, easy to navigate, and close to town — you can do a loop in a half day and be back for dinner. Leelanau Peninsula is larger, more varied, and rewards a full day of exploration. Both draw from the same cool-climate conditions: the bay moderates temperature extremes, the sandy glacial soils drain well, and the growing season is long enough for Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay to develop real complexity.

Northern Michigan wine is not a consolation prize for people who can't afford Napa. The best producers here are making wines that stand up in any company, and the tasting room experiences are relaxed and unhurried in a way that wine country elsewhere often isn't.

Old Mission Peninsula

The drive up Old Mission Peninsula on M-37 takes about twenty-five minutes from downtown Traverse City and ends at the Old Mission Point Lighthouse — worth the trip on its own. Along the way, the wineries are set back from the road on either side, some with sweeping bay views. 2 Lads Winery makes some of the most compelling sparkling wine in the Midwest with a modern facility and a strong focus on méthode champenoise. Chateau Grand Traverse is the peninsula's oldest and largest operation, with reliable Rieslings across multiple price points and a tasting room that handles crowds gracefully. Brys Estate has a beautiful tasting barn with water views and strong Pinot Gris and Cabernet Franc. Peninsula Cellars is tucked into a converted one-room schoolhouse — small, personal, and one of the more interesting stops on the peninsula.

Plan two to four wineries on Old Mission if you're doing a half day. The road loops, so you won't backtrack.

Leelanau Peninsula

Black Star Farms is the most polished operation on the Leelanau side — a full inn, farm, and distillery in addition to the winery, with a tasting room that draws visitors all day. Their sparkling wines and late-harvest Rieslings are consistently excellent. Tandem Ciders breaks from wine entirely with dry, farmhouse-style ciders made from Michigan apples — worth stopping in even if cider isn't your usual order. L. Mawby is a Leelanau institution: a small, irreverent sparkling wine producer who's been doing méthode champenoise in Michigan since the 1970s, with tasting room hours that reflect the owner's schedule rather than tourist demand (check ahead). Bel Lago is a quieter, family-run estate with strong Italian varietals and a beautiful hilltop setting.

Leelanau pairs well with the M-22 loop — see our Leelanau Peninsula guide for how to combine wineries with the towns, Fishtown, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes edge.

Without Leaving the Commons

Left Foot Charley is a winery operating inside Building 50 at the Grand Traverse Commons — the same building as The Observatory. Winemaker Bryan Ulbrich has been making wine and cider here since 2007, sourcing from small family vineyards on both peninsulas. The tasting room is open most afternoons and evenings, which means guests staying at The Observatory can do a proper tasting without driving anywhere. The ciders are especially good and tend to surprise people who come expecting only wine.

It's a good first stop when you arrive: taste the local style before you head out to the trails, and get Bryan's current recommendations for which tasting rooms to prioritize.

Practical Tips

Most tasting rooms charge a fee of $10–$20 per person, which is usually waived or credited toward a bottle purchase. Fees have standardized across the region over the past few years, so budget accordingly. Designated drivers are common and expected — most tasting rooms pour water and have non-alcoholic options. If you're driving solo and want to taste seriously, spit; the pours are generous.

Summer weekends are the busiest time, with waits at popular tasting rooms. Fall is our preference: harvest season means the vineyards are active, the crowds are smaller, and the colors on the peninsula roads are remarkable. Many tasting rooms close or reduce hours between November and April, so verify before making a winter trip specific to wine. Most are open year-round on Old Mission and Leelanau, but the mid-week hours can be limited.