Mawby Winery started in 1973 as the second grape-growers in Leelanau County. In 1984, founder Larry Mawby debuted the vintner’s first sparkling wine. By the late 1990s, the winery had switched production over to exclusively méthode champenoise sparkling wines, and they never looked back. As Mawby puts it, they haven’t “made any table wines this century.”
“If it wasn’t for Lake Michigan, we wouldn’t be growing grapes,” Mawby explained. “It moderates the climate, makes the growing conditions favorable. We can very consistently make some nice sparkling wines … it all works together for making grapes suitable for sparkling wines.”
This move was made partially out of necessity, as weather in Leelanau County has historically been somewhat less suited for table wine production. Yet Mawby’s sparkling wines have caught on locally, and other wine producers in the county have added their own sparkling wines flavors to their lists to get in on the competition.
Oscar Wilde once said, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” and Mawby clearly agrees. He says that he’s pleased to see other producers making their own sparkling wines to compete with Mawby Vineyards and Winery’s offerings, which is now owned by Mike and Peter Laing.
The Laings moved from Ann Arbor to Leelanau County in 2003, and their family business started selling grapes to Mawby Wines in 2005. Mawby and the Laing family expanded their partnership in 2008, allowing the Laings to begin producing wines on Mawby’s property in Bingham Township.
By 2019, Mawby began “step(ping) back” from the winery and vineyards bearing his name. Ownership of the Mawby brand soon transferred to the Laing family, and they continue to run the business today.
“After 50 years in the business making MAWBYness, our focus remains the same as when Larry poured his first glass: to make incredible sparkling wine for all people and all moments, while respecting the land around us,” the Mawby Wine website says.
The vintner has at least 15 different offerings, including five wines under the méthode champenoise production method. They are blanc de noirs with a honey dosage; blanc with raspberry mead dosage; brut blanc de blancs, elegant brut rosé, and brut estate cuveé.
Good Harbor Vineyards in Lake Leelanau also traces some of its sparkling wine offerings to the 1970s. Their John W. Simpson Sparkling Series is named for the man who opened the vineyards over 40 years ago and includes brut, blanc de blanc, and blanc de noirs. According to the vineyard’s website, these wines are produced using the Charmat method in large steel tanks.
Aurora Cellars, which is also in Lake Leelanau, uses chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier to make its sparkling wines, including brut rosé, blanc de blanc, and leora, while Leelanau Wine Cellars and Baia Estate Winery offer bubblies.
