Michigan Wine Month is here, and local wineries are dusting off the shelves and seats as they prepare for a Memorial Day weekend kickoff and hopefully warmer temperatures.
“We believe that every month is Michigan Wine Month. Although May is a great month to kick it off because so many people are excited about spring and the warm weather, so it’s good to get them thinking about their summer plans ahead and hopefully coming to explore and discover all the delicious wines that we’ve continued to make,” Simpson Family Estates coowner Taylor Simpson said. “The best springtime wine depends on the person. We certainly have a lot of new releases, along with many wineries launching in April, May and June. A lot of people love rosés when it warms up. Although I drink rosé all year. Usually, reds aren’t released until about August, maybe September.”
Simpson Family Estates won several awards at the 2026 Texsom Awards wine competition, earning the coveted platinum medal, five golds, and three silvers.
Simpson Family Estates encompasses Good Harbor Vineyards, Aurora Cellars, Michigan By The Bottle and Harbor Hill establishments.
The Good Harbor Vineyards “Blanc de Blanc” grown out of “David’s vineyard” won the platinum medal, while Good Harbor wines: Albarino (2-24), Late Harvest Riesling (2023), Unoaked Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc from Aurora Cellars (2023) all won gold medals.
“The competitions take place in Dallas every year, and they have wines from all over the world. They have experienced palates and can recognize the quality and quantity of our wine, which was really exciting. Our wine-making team was over the moon,” Simpson said. “My dad, Bruce Simpson, who started Good Harbor Vineyards, said the wine is made in the vineyard. We put so much of our focus into growing really high-quality fruit. The winemaking team has a good base to start from in making these highquality wines.”
Simpson Family Estates recently opened its fourth Michigan By The Bottle storefront in Lake Orion in late February.
The Bay Theatre hosts Wine Weekend, May 15-17 In celebration of Michigan Wine Month, the non-profit Bay Community Theatre is hosting a special Wine Weekend, May 15-17, in partnership with local wineries, offering wine tastings paired with delicious bites and decadent films.
The wine weekend kicks off Friday, May 15, with a 6 p.m. wine tasting and food bites paired by Simpson Family Estates, otherwise known as Good Harbor Vineyards, Aurora Cellars, Michigan by the Bottle and Harbor Hill.
A 7 p.m. screening will follow of “Widow Clicquot,” the riveting dramatized story of the Veuve Clicquot champagne family and business.
The wine weekend continues Saturday with a 6 p.m. wine tasting and food bites paired by French Valley Vineyard, followed by a 7 p.m. screening of “The Taste of Things,” a visually sumptuous love letter to food, cooking, and a quiet romance between a cook and the renowned gourmet she works for.
The entertainment concludes Sunday with a 3 p.m. wine tasting and food bites courtesy of Brengman Family Wines. A 4 p.m. screening will follow of “Chocolat,” the Oscarnominated story about a woman who opens a chocolate shop in a small French village, awakening both the palates and hearts of the locals.
All wine tastings consist of three two-ounce pours selected by the winery, with additional six-ounce wine pours available for purchase at concessions. Each ticket also includes a Bay Theatre express membership, which is valid for one week after initial use and allows members to purchase alcohol at concessions. Wine Weekend tickets are $35 each day for general admission or $30 for select Bay members and winery club members.
Wine with a twist on the Leelanau Wine Trail From craft wine-inspired cocktails to blending the art of winemaking with the creativity of mixology, wines along the Leelanau Wine Trail will host a Wine With a Twist May 15-17.
Participants will have a 2-oz tasting of a signature craft cocktail at each participating winery, with each cocktail featuring a wine-based twist. Whether it’s a refreshing white wine spritzer, a rich red wine sangria, or an inventive sparkling wine concoction, guests will savor the fusion of wine flavors and cocktail flair.
Ticket price: $35 a person includes $10 cork cash.
Sunday-only ticket price: $25 per person, includes $5 cork cash.
Traverse City Food & Wine: Forest to Fork springtime gatherings This is the spirit behind Forest to Fork: A Springtime Gathering, a curated weekend celebration taking place May 14–17 at local wineries in Leelanau and Traverse City.
Throughout the weekend, local chefs, farmers, artisans, and hosts will bring this theme to life through a series of unique experiences. Guests can explore guided foraging excursions, intimate dinners featuring spring ingredients, collaborative tastings, hands-on workshops, and seasonal beverage pairings—all designed to showcase the region’s creativity and character.
Bel Lago will host a Vineyard forager’s hike from 4 to 7 p.m., while Brengman Family Wines is hosting a three-course meal along with a wild food inner experience at Black Star Farms Friday.
Black Star Farms will host a mushroom cooking class on Saturday, while French Valley Vineyard will offer a guided mindfulness experience and a wine tasting.
