There is no better way to escape the city than to spend the weekend wine tasting in Benton Harbor. This small city is the starting point for many Michigan wine country tours. From Benton Harbor, take the wine trail 23-miles north through South Haven, and from there, another 50-miles to Grand Haven. It’s a relaxing, scenic way to get away from the hustle and bustle of Chicago.
Michigan wine is known for its crisp, classic European-style wines, particularly German varieties. In particular, cold weather wine grapes such as Riesling and Spätburgunder thrive in the rich, cool Michigan soil. Moreover, Michigan is one of the few places that can produce natural “ice wine”. If the grapes freeze while on the vine, they’re quickly picked to produce a sweet, richly flavored wine.
Michigan is also known for its delicious varieties of fruit wines, made from apples, cherries, and flavorful berries. Fruit wine has traditionally been made in regions that are too cold to easily grow grapes. Fortunately, Michigan grows both cold-hardy grape varieties, as well as cold-hardy fruits and berries.
While wine tasting is fun year-round, May is Michigan Wine Month; visitors can enjoy the Blossom Festival in Traverse City, the Great Lakes Wine Festival, and the Paw Paw Wine and Harvest Festival. If you haven’t paid a visit to wine country, it’s a fun way to kick off the summer around beautiful Lake Michigan.
Visit 12 Corners to begin your wine country tour with wine tasting in Benton Harbor, MI.
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