45 North Vineyard & Winery

45 North Vineyard & Winery sits on a 100-acre centennial farm in Lake Leelanau on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, with the 45th parallel running directly through the property. Founded in 2006 by Steve and Lori Grossnickle, it remains a family operation, and that hands-on feel shows up everywhere from the estate farming to the tasting room. The winery actively cultivates 35 acres and works with a broad northern-climate mix that includes Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Vignoles, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. Winemaker Jay Briggs, who studied enology and viticulture at Michigan State University and joined in 2012, has helped build a deep bench of medal-winning wines across dry, sweet, sparkling, and red categories.

This is not a quick-stop counter tasting. The tasting room is a hand-hewn post-and-beam barn tucked beside the vineyard, with a fireplace inside, a deck outside, bocce courts, and a photo stop at the Wine on the Line sign marking the 45th parallel. Flights come in three- and five-pour formats, with glass pours available inside and on the patio, and larger groups need reservations. One of the more unusual extras in Michigan wine country is the 3-mile vineyard trail that loops through the property year-round, used for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. For travelers who want a Leelanau winery that gives them more to do than swirl and leave, 45 North is worth the drive.