Sip& Savor: A Trip To Bowers Harbor Vineyard

On the picturesque Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City, Michigan, Bowers Harbor Vineyards offers more than just exceptional wines and ciders – it provides an experience for all the senses. From the moment you turn onto the tree-lined drive, you know you're in for something special.

A Setting to Remember: The Views and Location

The Old Mission Peninsula is renowned for its breathtaking beauty, and Bowers Harbor Vineyards perfectly encapsulates this charm. As you approach the tasting room, you're greeted by sprawling vineyards that cascade down gentle slopes towards the sparkling waters of Bowers Harbor on Grand Traverse Bay.

The vineyard's location is truly ideal, benefiting from the moderating effects of Lake Michigan, which creates a microclimate perfect for growing premium grapes. We visited in August and the views were stunning. Many visitors choose to enjoy their tastings on the outdoor patio, where you can sip your wine while gazing at the sailboats on the bay bay.

A Taste of the Region: Wines and Ciders

Bowers Harbor Vineyards boasts an impressive selection of award-winning wines, showcasing the best of what Michigan viticulture has to offer. They focus on cool-climate varietals, which thrive in this region.

For white wine lovers, you'll find crisp and aromatic Rieslings, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay. They have an extensive menu to pick from whether you are looking for a glass or want to try a flight. I highly recommend a flight for you to try different selections and you can later pick your favorite and find it in their shop. I love a good white wine, especially Moscato. They didn't have Moscato but they had a Riesling flight that I tried. It included their: Block 2 Riesling, Medium Dry Riesling, Medium Sweet Riesling, and Langley Late Harvest. I leaned toward the Medium Dry Riesling but the Langley Late Harvest was my favorite out of the flight.

Red wine enthusiasts will appreciate their elegant Pinot Nior and Merlots. I'll be honest - I know nothing about red wine and I have never tried a red wine I liked. Garrett was looking for one he could sit, drink, and enjoy. He ordered the red wine flight and unfortunately I didn't get the names of the wines but it came with 5 and they all had some pretty dark flavors including plum, pepper, and tobacco. Not my cup tea (wine) but I could see a red wine drinker liking these.

Beyond traditional wines, Bowers Harbor Vineyards has also ventured into the world of hard ciders, offering a fantastic alternative for those seeking something different. Made from locally sourced apples, their ciders are often crisp, refreshing, and full of natural apple flavor, with varying degrees of sweetness to suit different palates. It's a testament to their commitment to showcasing the agricultural bounty of Michigan.

One thing we found endearing about the vineyard was how some of the wines were named in honor of the owners dogs. Some of those included Brix, Lucy, Otis, and Cooper. We are dog lovers so seeing that they had wines named after some of their dogs was adorable.

They have outdoor, open seating with great views either of the vineyard or you can find a spot where Lake Michigan (Grand Traverse Bay in this area) is perfectly in view. First you will order whatever you want to try since we didn't know what we liked here I got the Riesling Flight (4 wines) at $24 and Garrett for the Red Flight (5 wines) at $24. You can order wine by the glass, a cider flight, or one of the non-alcoholic options as well.

Take into consideration that they don't serve food, some wineries have snacks and some have small lunch menus but Bowers Harbor doesn't. I recommend getting lunch or an early dinner before your stop. Garrett and I stopped and got an amazing lunch of Halibut and mushroom risotto at the Apache Trout Grill in Traverse City. Highly recommend eating here at any point during your stay or visit in Traverse City!

After you get a taste of what they offer you can look around their shop of course at the wines and ciders but they also have shirts and some souvenirs. They do have a wine club membership that is explained more on their website.

If you wanting to take a tour or do one of their special events you will want to plan in advance. Tours require a reservation and you may have to call them to see times that are available. They do say that reservations aren't requires but strongly recommended on their website. We went around 3pm on a Fridaywithout reservations and didn't have trouble getting in and finding a good spot.

A trip to Bowers Harbor Vineyards is more than just a wine tasting; it's an immersion into the beauty and flavor of the Old Mission Peninsula. So, if you find yourself in Northern Michigan, make sure to add this gem to your itinerary. You won't be disappointed!

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