Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival Sizzles and Shines
The Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival was held on June 16th at Weko Beach in Bridgman. Thirteen wineries participated in the event. Tastings were conducted in a large tent in the parking lot near the beach and just a few hundred feet from Lake Michigan. Admission was $10 for age 21 and over and included a souvenir wine glass. Tasting tickets were $1 each.
“Where else can you taste this many selections of great Michigan wines at one place,?” asked Wally Maurer of Domaine Berrien Cellars in Berrien Springs. Maurer poured four wines at the Fest including his Lake Michigan Shore AVA Merlot and Pinot Noir.
Harding’s Friendly Markets of Bridgman, Michigan was the main sponsor of the event. Harding’s in Bridgman has one the most extensive selections of Michigan wines in the state, according to store and wine department manager, Dennis Bellaire. “We installed the Michigan wine section five years ago and we now have over 12 feet of shelf space and over 150 different kinds of Michigan wine,” he said. “Our customers really like Michigan wine and they appreciate our selection, especially in the winter when the wineries’ hours are limited.”
(Lemon Creek and “Wine on the Beach Photo” courtesy of Joshua Nowicki.)
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