Mackinaw Trail Tasting Room/Winery

The Upper Peninsula's first licensed wine tasting room, a working winery, occupies a pretty spot on the east side of Manistique River, right in town near the marina. Visitors can sit out on the deck and enjoy a glass or bottle of wine and a river view.

The winery isn't what you'd expect. There were no producing vineyards in the vicinity when it opened. (Now there's a vineyard and tasting room at the Threefold Vine Winery on the Garden Peninsula.) To make good wine, it's not necessary to grow your own grapes. These days West Michigan vineyards produce enough grapes suited to sophisticated palates that their grapes are sold as far away as California. Mackinaw Trails' fruit wines are made from fruit grown in the Traverse City area.

Winemaker Ralph Stabile grew up watching his Sicilian grandfather make wine outside Detroit. He has kept up the tradition all his life. When he turned 40, he decided to do what he cared about and get into making wine on a serious scale. His wife, Laurie, and their then-college-age children made the launch possible.

They got off to a fabulous start: 1,200 cases sold in the first six weeks. And two prizes at the serious Michigan State Fair wine competition! Their 2005 Cabernet Franc won the gold medal in its category. It's a very dry wine, difficult to make. The North Shore White blend, a citrusy, sweeter, crisp wine, took a silver medal. The signature wine: the Big Red blend, soft and fruity, lightly sweetened but not aged in oak. Visit mackinawtrailwinery.com or Facebook for current vintages and prices.
Mackinaw Trail produces around 20 sweet and dry wines, plus fruit wines. The Pinot Noir and very popular dry Melange de Rouge have won awards. "We've been winning medals consistently," says Ralph. The winery now has tasting rooms at the Crossings in Mackinaw City and in Petoskey's Gaslight District. Vineyards are being planted outside Petoskey.

From U.S. 2 at the east side of the bridge, turn south toward the lakeshore. Follow the sign to the marina. Open year-round. (906) 341-2303. Open daily 10-6 May thru Dec, extended hours in summer. Call for winter hours.
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MANISTIQUE
POINTS OF INTEREST

Central Park. From an old quarry has emerged a nice swimming lake surrounded by a city park with beach, picnic area, playground ... more

Mackinaw Trail Tasting Room/Winery. The wines at this little Trader's Point winery has quickly gained widespread praise ... more

Downtown Manistique. Downtown is friendly, functional, and architecturally quite simple, despite Manistique's lumber town heritage. There's a most unusual Latin American import shop, a used paperback bookstore, and a large antique shop with vintage clothing ... more

Manistique Boardwalk & East Breakwater Light. A scenic, hardened two-mile walkway with picnic areas goes along the Lake Michigan shore. The beach alternates between sandy and rocky, in places backed by birches and cedars ... more

Water Tower and "Siphon Bridge". Manistique's 200-foot 1920s neoclassical brick water tower is the town's defining landmark. It's next to the river and what was the famous "siphon bridge," below water level. ... more

Imogen Herbert Historical Museum. Lots of curious stuff in this little museum — a quilt made of neckties, a lampshade — and good photos of the many facets of Chicago Lumber, the company that once owned much of the town. In back there's a cabin once part of an 1890s agricultural commune. ... more

Traders' Point. Two pleasant shops: a café/bookstore and antiques. The outdoor eating area looks across the Manistique River to the marina. ... more

Rogers Park. This is the best Lake Michigan beach in the area-pure sand, free of the limestone cobbles along much of the shoreline. Also a picnic area ... more

Kewadin Casino, Manistique. One of the smaller U.P. Indian-run casinos, the Kewadin here has 2 blackjack tables and one roulette table, a poker room, and 80 slots. Free drinks while gaming ... more

Manistique Wi-fi Hotspot. Manistique School & Public Library has wi-fi & public computers.100 N Cedar at River St., just north of downtown ... more

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