Why you should visit wineries in Petoskey, Michigan
Petoskey, Michigan offers two of the finer things in life: lake days and wineries.
The greater Petoskey area in Northern Michigan is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Midwest. Everyone knows there’s a lake. We’re talking about GIANT Lake Michigan after all.
But not everyone knows that the Petoskey area is home to dozens of wineries.
You could spend weeks exploring the entire Petoskey wine region. In this blog post we’ll focus on one place: the town of Petoskey.
More specifically, we’ll cover the ten best wineries in and around the town of Petoskey, MI.
The town of Petoskey is located on the southern shore of Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan in the United States.
Petoskey wineries reflect the natural beauty, relaxed energy, and genuine Midwest hospitality of their hometown. They boast lush vineyards, green trees, and wonderful wine.
If you think it’s time for Michigan wine country to get its fair due (I do!), then it’s time to try the best wineries in Petoskey, MI. You never know… you might just find your new favorite wine.
How to access Petoskey, Michigan wineries
There are a few different ways to access the wineries Petoskey MI offers.
First of all, you could drive to the Petoskey region. The town of Petoskey is just over three hours by car from Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s roughly four and a half hours by car from Detroit, Michigan to Petoskey. Chicago is about a six hour drive to Petoskey.
Or you could fly into Pellston Regional Airport. This small regional airport is located about 22 miles from downtown Petoskey, which is a short 30 minute drive. All inbound and outbound flights are to Detroit.
If you’re looking for more flight options, you could fly into Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, Michigan. This airport is located about 90 minutes by car from Petoskey. Multiple flights a day from cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, and New York enter Cherry Capital Airport.
Once you reach Petoskey you will need a car to access the wineries on this list. However, you don’t need to drive yourself. Instead, you could book a van with Vine Ride.
This boutique wine tour company specializes in private group wine tours. Their vans can accommodate up to seven guests. Vine Ride tours offer both a pick up and drop off at your hotel. And of course they stop at multiple wineries.
Booking a chauffeur to drive you between the wineries Petoskey MI offers would be safer (and easier!) than driving yourself.
The best wineries Petoskey MI offers for a wine tasting
Boyne Valley Vineyards (Petoskey)
Boyne Valley Vineyards hosts live music every weekend. You can enjoy their wines in their tasting room or on their outdoor patio. They also have a beautiful lawn and a treehouse.
How many wineries have a treehouse?! This Petoskey winery is definitely something special.
Wine tastings include four wines for $14. Wine tastings are available everyday except during live music events on Friday and Saturdays. On Friday afternoons and Saturdays Boyne Winery serves wine by the glass only.
A few more things to note: you cannot order a bottle of wine to open and enjoy at this winery. You must take all bottle purchases home with you.
They do not allow outside food or beverages. Instead they offer a few small plates such as charcuterie boards, cheese and cracker plates, hummus and naan plates.
They do not take reservations for the tasting room. Boyne Valley Vineyards accepts customers on a first come first served basis.
Gabriel Farms & Winery (Petoskey)
The story of Gabriel Farms & Winery begins way back in 1880. Two brothers transformed this property into a corn, oat, and cattle farm.
Over the years this property evolved to be a taste of Napa Valley in Northern Michigan. Today guests can visit the Gabriel Farms tasting room to sample their wine, beer, or cider.
Gabriel Farms & Winery makes a variety of wines. Their dry rosé is made from local grapes grown in Michigan blended with their estate grown Marquette. Their Tip of the Mitt AVA wines feature a variety of cold-hardy grapes such as La Crescent, Vignole, Vidal, and Brianna grapes.
When you’re not sipping their craft alcohol made on site you can pick the raspberries, haskaps, and apples that pepper the property.
FarmHouse Vineyards (Petoskey)
FarmHouse Vineyards is one of the most beautiful wineries Petoskey MI has to offer. It also has a relaxed atmosphere.
Their tranquil garden is the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine during a sunny summer day. And during the fall you can cozy up beside the two outdoor fireplaces.
FarmHouse Vineyards is family friendly too. They have bocce ball, cornhole, and plenty of space for kids to run around.
Guests can order a glass of wine or a wine flight. The Farmhouse Vineyards wine flight consists of five wines for $10.
The only downside is that this lovely winery is not open year round. It’s only open during the summer and fall from July 1 through October 31.
It’s also not open all week long. The tasting room is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 1-7 PM.
Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery (Petoskey)
Among all the wineries Petoskey MI offers, Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery has some of the best views.
The 22 acre property has three outdoor patios, a cute tasting room, and gorgeous views of the vineyard and rolling hills beyond.
It’s conveniently located too. Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery is just a few miles from downtown Petoskey.
During the summer they offer wood-fired pizza. After Labor Day they sell local meat and cheese boards instead.
Hard ciders, coffee, and lots of wine (both red wines and white wine) are offered year round. When the weather turns colder guests can enjoy the tasting room’s indoor seating.
Petoskey Farms Winery is open year round from Monday through Saturday. It’s closed Sunday. This Petoskey winery welcomes walk-in customers but does not accept reservations.
Resort Pike Cidery & Winery (Petoskey)
Do you love wine and hard ciders? If so, then head to Resort Pike Cidery & Winery. This joint winery and cidery is located just a few minutes south of Petoskey.
Their wines are a mix of sparkling and non-sparkling wines made from robust grapes and local fruit.
Resort Pike Winery offers a semi sweet sparkling wine made with 100% Frontenac Gris, made from Michigan grown grapes. There’s also a sparkling varietal wine made from Marquette, which is one of the “kings” of Northern grapes.
If you love fruit wines then check out the Raspberry Fizz, which is a semi sweet 100% raspberry wine.
The Resort Pike Winery tasting room is open Monday through Sunday from 12-6 PM.
Rudbeckia Winery (Petoskey)
Rudbeckia wears many hats. It’s a winery, cidery, brewery, and distillery all under one roof. Or, to be more exact, they’re located on a large 195 acre farm in Northern Michigan.
Rudbeckia Winery makes a variety of wines including an unoaked Chardonnay, a riesling, and a blanc de blanc sparkling wine. They offer several Tip of the Mitt AVA wines such as the Sumptuous Sweet Red and the Sweet Blushing Moscato.
Burnt Marshmallow Brewstillery shares a tasting room with Rudbeckia Winery. This brewery offers multiple brews including a Pilsner, an IPA, an Amber Ale, and a Ghost Pepper Beer. Their Saison Farmhouse Ale is a collaboration with Mackinaw Trail Brewery.
Rudbeckia Farm & Winery is the ideal place to visit if you’ve got a group who’s split between wine tasting and beer guzzling. Why choose when you can have both?
Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery (Petoskey)
Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery is located in Northern Michigan’s newest American Viticultural Area: the Tip of the Mitt AVA.
Their 1900’s farmhouse is nestled within the Petoskey Wine Region only a few minutes drive from downtown Petoskey.
Mackinaw Trail Winery has been a family-owned winery since 2004. Owner Ralph Stabile remembers pressing grapes alongside his grandfather, who was a Sicilian immigrant.
Today the Stabile family continues to bring an Italian-American touch to their award-winning wines. Their handcrafted wines include cabernet franc, chardonnay, pinot gris, sweet late harvest riesling, and a Port style wine.
The Petosky tasting room is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM. On Sunday it’s open from 12-6 PM.
P.S. If you’re a beer and wine enthusiast you should sample some of Mackinaw Trail Brewing Company’s beers. They’re among the best microbreweries in Northern Michigan.
Walloon Lake Winery (Petoskey)
Walloon Lake Winery is owned by a family with four generations of farming under their belt. That’s impressive!
Walloon Lake Winery uses cold tolerant grape varieties as Frontenac Blanc, Frontenac Gris, Marquette, La Crescent, and Petite Pearl to craft exceptional wines. Their grapes are either locally grown or estate grown on their acres of vineyards.
Sustainability is a big deal at this winery. They take an integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach towards insects and diseases. Walloon Lake Winery built bat houses and birdhouses to create an amiable bird and insect habitat. They’ve even become a Monarch Butterfly Habitat area.
Walloon Lake Winery tasting room hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM. On Sunday they’re open from 12-5 PM.
You can make a reservation on the Walloon Lake Winery Tock profile.
Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery (Petoskey)
If you love dessert wines then Maple Moon is the place for you. Why? Because they make maple wine. Interesting, right?
Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery calls itself America’s first maple winery.
They offer about a dozen maple wines plus some hard ciders too.
The Maple Rouge wine is a mix of wine grapes (Maréchal Foch and Petite Pearl) and maple wine. Maple Cherry combines Montmorency and Balaton cherries with maple syrup. They also offer blackberry, blueberry, and peach iterations.
Maple Moon Winery has indoor and outdoor seating. Personal tastings are held inside and wine flights are offered outside.
Walk-ins are welcome and they do not take reservations. The tasting room hours differ based on the season, so be sure to double check their website before you head over.
Thunder Bay Winery (Petoskey)
Thunder Bay Winery is a small family-owned winery that produces delicious local Michigan wines.
They grow a dozen grape varieties plus cherries, apples, pears, and currants. They turn this wonderful local fruit into a range of white wine, red wines, fruit wines, hard ciders, and dessert wines.
Thunder Bay Winery has two tasting rooms. Their tasting room in downtown Alpena is located near Lake Huron. And their downtown Petoskey tasting room is located near Lake Michigan.
The Thunder Bay Winery tasting room in Petoskey is open seven days a week.
Similar wine regions to explore
Midwestern wineries deserve more love! So may we suggest a few more places to visit?
If you liked the combination of wineries near a major lake, then look no further than Madison, Ohio. Madison wineries are conveniently located near Lake Erie.
Another Midwestern gem is the Hocking Hills Region of Ohio. This popular outdoor adventure destination is best known for its beautiful state park. But did you know the area is also sprinkled with wineries? A weekend spent exploring the park and the wineries in Hocking Hills, Ohio sounds perfect.
Another town that balances outdoor adventure with wine tasting is St Croix Falls, Wisconsin. This small town in Western Wisconsin is nicknamed the “City of Trails.” When you’re not busy wine tasting your way through St Croix Falls wineries you can enjoy the hiking trails and biking trails in the beautiful St. Croix River Valley.
