Boathouse Vineyards

Boathouse Vineyards pairs one of the better waterfront settings in Leelanau County with a serious estate vineyard program. The vineyard sits on a 60-acre site on Amore Road in Leelanau County, with 15 acres planted beginning in 2009. The mix is broad for northern Michigan: Riesling and Pinot Gris on the west slope, then Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, plus small plantings of Regent and Auxerrois on the east slope. That range gives Boathouse room to work both the crisp white side of the region and the lighter-to-midweight reds that make sense in this climate.

The tasting room is what most travelers remember first. It sits on the Narrows, the channel connecting North and South Lake Leelanau, with an expansive lawn, a covered porch, dock access for boaters, and indoor seating by the fireplace when the weather turns. The building itself has a backstory: the original property served fishermen using a four-boat boathouse, and the current boathouse structure was built in sections during the winter of 2011 before the tasting room opened on April 12, 2012. Emmy Neighbors leads winemaking, and the place leans into being both a wine stop and a gathering spot, with live music adding to the easygoing, on-the-water feel. For Leelanau visitors who want a glass with an actual sense of place, this one is worth the stop.