If you travel America’s Great Loop, don’t miss the Grand Traverse Bay, the Leelanau Peninsula, and Old Mission Peninsula! This area lies along the 45th parallel, halfway between the equator and the North Pole.
The 45th parallel runs through many of the Northern Hemisphere’s premier wine regions, including Italy’s Piedmont region; the Rhone Valley and Bordeaux in France; and the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
Last weekend we had the unique privilege of helping harvest this year‘s wine grapes at Chardonnay Shores Vineyard near Sutton’s Bay on the Leelanau Peninsula. We and about 25 other volunteers including our son John and daughter-in-law Katy, and Katy’s parents and grandmother enjoyed a beautiful Fall morning hand-harvesting grapes at this beautiful private waterfront vineyard, which also offers highly rated bed & breakfast accommodations.
After a morning‘s work picking the low-hanging fruit (really!) into five gallon buckets that in turn were emptied into large vats, our friends and Chardonnay Shores owners Allen and Bonnie treated the harvesters to a hearty lunch with excellent wines including last year’s Chardonnay Shores vintage. What a treat on a beautiful Fall day on the Leelanau Peninsula!
In your travels (by boat or otherwise), don’t miss the vineyards of Old Mission Point and the Leelenau Peninsula in Michigan!
What a great adventure to share with your family! Hope everyone is doing well. You look great!!
Good to hear from you, Neil! We are doing well, just moved to a new place in Holland and planning to head back to the boat in Florida in early November. All the best to you, Lisa, and the family!
What a fun and interesting day. What splendid adventures you are having!