Gill’s Pier Winery to Close

It’s sad news when any true local winery closes, but when one of the better wineries in the Midwest shuts down, it’s a real bummer.

According to the Traverse City Record Eagle,  Gill’s Pier is being taken of the market and converted to a yak and alpaca farm.

Gill’s Pier had a well run tasting room and excellent wine.  Just last year, the winery won Best of Class at the Michigan Wine Competition for their 2013 Semi-Dry Riesling.

The 2010 Gills Pier Cab Franc (27%) and Merlot (73%), which was made from Leelanau Peninsula grapes, is one of the best Midwestern vinifera wines I have ever tasted.

But Gills Pier was north of Leland.  The wilderness feel of the north part of Leelanau County appealed to me, but Leland is the end of the road for most Leelanau Peninsula wine tourists.

Owning a winery is also a constant job for many months of the year.  We don’t know if the past two winters are playing into a rash of recent winery closings , but just like California has problems with water, the Midwest now has problems with prolonged extreme cold.

I will miss Gill’s Pier Winery.

See: Gill’s Pier Winery Closing