Hawthorne Vineyards

Hawthorne Vineyards is an Old Mission Peninsula winery just outside Traverse City, founded by Bruce and Cathleen Hawthorne on an 80-acre farm with deep family ties to Northern Michigan. The estate includes 26 acres of vinifera vines, planted alongside the property’s existing agricultural ground, and the winery leans into the idea that wine belongs in everyday life rather than on a pedestal. The range is broad for a northern Michigan producer, moving from Dry Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer into Gamay, Pinot Noir, Lemberger, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, with sweeter bottlings, cider, and ice wine also in the mix.

What sets Hawthorne apart is the setting. The tasting room sits on a high bluff overlooking West Grand Traverse Bay, close to Traverse City but notably tucked away, with preserved land on two sides and woods buffering the rest. That means visitors get what many Old Mission tasting rooms promise but don’t always deliver: vineyard, woods, water, and very little visual clutter. The tasting room itself stays modest in size, with indoor seating, a patio, and lawn space for wine flights and glasses. Reservations are encouraged, but the place is built to feel relaxed rather than ceremonious. For travelers who want an Old Mission stop with real quiet and a wide-ranging estate portfolio, Hawthorne is worth knowing.