Wine on the Leelanau Peninsula has had another quality growing year, as farmers are hustling to get grapes off the vine, in both white and red varieties.
Mackenzie Gallagher of Rove Winery in Elmwood Township says the fall is shaping up to be another incredible season, even if the colors have been a tad late.
“It’s been incredible to have this kind of heat and minimal rain, and wines are shaping up great,” she said. “We started last week, and we are full throttle with harvesting until the first couple of days of November. We expanded our wholesale operations, and it’s been a pretty great season.”
The winery perched on a hill will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on May 5, 2026, with big plans and releases scheduled throughout this year and beyond.
Gallagher reports that many more families and couples are coming to the tasting room. At the same time, the number of bachelorette parties and other large groups has decreased throughout 2025.
“Over the last few years, it was so heavy in the larger groups, and this year has been a great mix of people, couples, and families,” she said.
Rove has said the wine club has grown, and there will be a special event on Oct. 17 featuring culinary bites paired with glasses of wine.
In Lake Leelanau, Blustone also reports club membership is up, along with fruit, “It’s looking good and yields are looking good. Still, a little anxious, though we would have been done early. It’s going to go pretty quick, and we have a couple more weeks.
“We harvested our Pinot Noir, and we are really excited. It’s actually black in color; it’s so rich. This deep, deep, deep purple color and flavor,” Bluestone owner Tom Knighton said. “We have been really steady this summer, and we are happy with how the summer has turned out. Not only have a lot of people come out with great weather, but it’s also fun to hang out with all these people.”
Phil Cifuentes, co-owner of Three Tree Vineyards, specializes in late varieties and is gearing up to hit the field over the next couple of weeks.
“We are ready to rock and we are waiting,” Conficues said. “I think it was a pretty good summer, great customers, and great sales. No complaints.”
Hunt For The Reds of October: Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail This October, find elegant, bold, and high-quality red wine in a picturesque setting on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. Ticket holders will receive a pour of red wine, hand-selected by the winemakers themselves, along with $10 in ‘cork cash,’ which can be used at any of the participating wineries. While the leaves change to orange and amber, cozy up with the incredible red varietals that this region has to offer, including well-balanced Cabernet Francs, rich and full Cabernet Sauvignons, complex Pinot Noirs, and velvety Merlots. Plan a leisurely visit on your own schedule, instead of being locked into a single weekend.
