Customer Testimonials

Phil S

"Enjoying a glass of Emergence White 2013 with a plate of polenta topped with sweet Italian sausage and roasted tomatoes. Looking forward to our next visit to restock."

Stanley S July 2018

"Product knowledge is always outstanding"

Michael D

"We received a bottle of Laurentide Fume Blanc from Michigan By The Bottle, and enjoyed it with shrimp scampi linguini. It was wonderful!"

Rachel S

"This is a smaller / lesser known place, but their wines are fantastic! A big crowd had just left, so we were able to talk more about the wines and what makes them unique to the region. Will definitely visit again!"

Joel L

"Knowledgeable and friendly people, great wines, beautiful tasting room and did I say great wines."

Marie, May 2019

" Wines were outstanding and staff was great. Oh, and cheese platter very tasty."

Les S 10/18/21

"Les S........ recommends Laurentide Winery: "We are in the process of “The Hunts For the Reds of October” in Leelanau County and stopped in for a sample of the 2018 Reserve Meritage Cabernet Franc/Merlot Blend. The wine was excellent and they are offering a special of 3 bottles for the price of 2. ($79.98) We got to chat with the owner for a long while. It was a great experience. Bonus points for the Covid safety protocols. A 5 Star review.""

Nalepa N

"Best kept secret in Leelanau My wife and I have been going here for 3 years. It is the only place we buy wine from when we are in the area for tasting. We go there 3-4 times a year and enjoy every second we are there. My wife drinks wine and loves their wines. I drink beer but they have plenty of wines I enjoy as well. Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Have never had a bad experience in the 15-20 times we have visited. We joined the wine club last year and it was a very good decision, would highly recommend it."

Patti F

"Love this winery! So glad I joined the wine club, just received my first shipment. Can't wait to try my wines. Thank you Laurentide Winery."

Nicole L

"A new favorite! Great staff and wine. Ben was very knowledgeable of what he was serving. Our group will definitely be back!"

Eliana R

"My girlfriends and I wine tasted for the day and we weren't enjoying too much until we got here. Mary was the most amazing host! My friends and I can not stop talking about how much fun her and kathy made it we can not wait to come back! And than wine was absolutely amazing!"

Amy S October 2018

"We just love this wine! And love having it shipped to the house!"

Deb S October 2018

"Winery was beautiful. Tasting and info that went with it was great. Oh, and the wines are wonderful!"

Carlsbad CA

"Excellent wines and a bit of history I loved Laurentide! It is a very comfortable, friendly wine tasting room with a bit of history on the walls and a story behind the bar. We were fortunate to have the owner provide our tasting for us (he's only there on Saturdays) so we learned about how the vineyard came to be and the passion behind making really good wine in Michigan. There are also some excellent maps on the wall that show how the great lakes region was formed over thousands of years and why it makes for such great grape growing. But the wine - oh the wine! It was delicious, with many gold and double gold medal winners. The Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay were outstanding. We bought a few bottles (some to stay in Michigan with my brother, some that came back to California with me) and look forward to returning next year."

Amanda W

"One of my favorite Michigan wineries. It's beautiful and has awesome wine."

Vicky S

"Mary is such a sweet host and the wines were very good. The owner was very friendly and informative and we will be back."

John N

"5 months ago- This is a very nice place, with very nice staff. They have excellent wines and are in our top choices. We ensure we are here every trip in this area."

Randy G

"Love the wine. Plan attending First Friday's during the summer for some great music, small plates, and wine tasting. Very very enjoyable."

David M

"Found this new place today-all their wines were very good; the Sauvignon Blanc and unoaked Chardonnay especially so. Happy to have met one of the owners, even better that she's a neighbor and fellow UM alum - thanks Susan!"

Mark C

"Wonderful wines in both classic French style and more modern. Truly enjoyable to sit on the porch and have a glass!"

Scott W

"Hidden Gem Stumbled upon this nice little winery by accident on our way to another one. On a peninsula full of wineries this one may not get the attention of some of the others, but it should."

Troy T October 2018

"Excellent description of wines, and great attention and knowledge of your customer's taste! Thank you! - Saginaw, MI"

Amy C

"Laurentide is a "must visit" place for us every time we're in the area. Ben is so welcoming and friendly. The wines are perfectly balanced and range from straight forward to complex. Price-wise, they are reasonable. I'll pay $16 for a 2016 gold medal Reisling any day. Keep up the good work!"

Cindy T

"This was a great place, Ben spent a lot of time educating us on their wines and the folks in the area. We thought we were just red wine enthusiasts, but after sampling we really enjoyed a couple of their whites. And his petoskey collection was amazing. Saving Apera dessert wine for a very special occasion."

Sarah N

"My husband and I love this place! We come here every time we come up north. This is the only winery we buy wine from to take back home. The owners and staff and so friendly and very knowledgeable."

Michele V

"Such a wonderful experience! Loved every wine I tasted. True quality. Thank you Ben, Bill and Susan for making our visit so special. Looking forward to next time as Laurentide will always be on the "must go to" list."

Sage K

"I love every wine they make at Laurentide, especially the Sauvignon Blanc. I joined the wine club today and can't wait to get my first shipment!"

Daryl H October 2017

"My top of the list We have been going to the greater Traverse area for years going up and down the peninsulas. Some how missed this location until this week. The wines here are my most favorite wines in the area hands down. The staff was excited to see us, they were informative and the "art gallery" was intriguing too"

2022 Brian L

"April 28, 2022 First visit after sampling some of the product from our Michigan By the Bottle Sipper Club shipments, and the wines are superb. Ashley was our server, and was able to spend time describing the wines and answering our questions; she’s knowledgeable about all the product and a great asset to Laurentide. My wife and I had a wonderful, one on one experience today tasting through several wines, and will definitely be back :-)"

Heather S April 2019

"I enjoyed the ambiance of the tasting room and our servers were so friendly and inviting."

OBX

"Great wines and service! We happened to walk in behind a large and unexpected group that was also there for a wine tasting. The owner was behind the bar taking care of a couple other customers. He was taken aback at first by the large group, but quickly recovered and invited everyone, including us, up to the bar. He very professionally handled a full bar of tasters by himself and made everyone's experience a great one! Plus, their wines are great! We will be back!"

Jackie S

"Awesome experience at Laurentide! Intelligent staff who didn't rush our experience. We will definitely be back in the summer!"

Kristin T

"On our long day of touring Leelanau Peninsula wineries, we saved the best for last -- Laurentide! This place is one of the most discreet in terms of their location, but unlike many of their neighbors, nearly all of their wines are sourced entirely from the Leelanau Peninsula itself. Laurentide is a low-volume producer that doesn't compromise on quality. If you care about the excellence of the wine itself and not just a winery with a view, this place is the best in the area, hands down."

Shannon M April 2018

"Always great to see the wonderful staff at Laurentide and taste all the award winning wines!"

Robert R

"2 reviews 10 months ago- Just happened to stop by the tasting room a couple weeks ago while driving thru the area. What a great discovery! The gentleman helping us was very knowledgeable about the wines and what foods to pair with them. We ended up buying 3 bottles and regretting the fact we didn't buy the one that (believe it or not) had a green pepper hint to it. We now have to look for that one in our home area. We definitely recommend stopping by if you're looking for a great winery."

Jill G

"This is an amazing winery! The wines are fantastic and the staff is very knowledgeable and interactive. We do a lot of wine tasting wherever we go and this place is our favorite.I would highly recommend this place."

Keith R

"Try the Sauvignon Blanc! Who would have thought I could leave the Kim Crawford behind and fall for a Michigan Sauvignon Blanc? Less acidic than my old standby, but with a wonderful finish that left me wanting to buy a lot and drink it all. Don't miss the other dry whites and git the oak aged Pinot Noir at the end. Fun folks with lots of information and even a place to sit, sip and read about the French approach to making wine."

Lachelle B April 2019

"Everyone was delightful and knowledgeable. The wine was excellent."

Kirby C

"Local Guide · 18 reviews · 26 photos a year ago- Several amazing, award-winning wines. I will return."

Tj L

"I seriously loved every wine I sampled! Great logo and friendly atmosphere."

Columbia, SC July 2018

"One of Leelanau's best We visited Laurentide the first time in 2014 and immediately joined their Club so we could get their wines in South Carolina. These are excellent wines, the best of which stand up to anything coming from California, Oregon or France. On this trip, our third or fourth, we booked the private vineyard tour with the owner. If you really love wine and care about the farming aspect of winemaking, this is an experience you shouldn't miss. Take the tour, drink the wines, join the Club. Thank you Raymers for your dedication to creating great wines and experiences."

JA W August 2017

"I didn't think I liked white wines until I stopped here (and we nearly missed it) We went on a wine tasting adventure, a first for our group of 4. We almost drove by this winery, and I'm so glad I saw it just down off the main street we were on. It was the highlight of the 5 wineries we hit. I usually don't like Chardonnay, but the 2016 vintage was so light and smooth; the PERFECT summer beach wine. There wasn't a wine I tasted that I didn't like, and bought 3 bottles of the Cherry Wine. Our server was knowledgeable and passionate. I'll definitely be back. "

Melissa D November 2018

"We love Laurentide Winery!!! It’s a stop we can’t miss on our annual Toast of the Seasons trip. We look forward to it every year and they never disappoint."

Melissa E

"I came in for the first time over the weekend, and enjoyed it very much! Mary was serving the tastings, and she was absolutely WONDERFUL! She was very kind and knowledgeable. The wine was great!"

Diane D

"Lovely tasting room. Barb was vary knowledgeable and understood what we would like. Delicious wines!"

Jeannie H

"We had an outstanding tasting experience! Susan and the Laurentide staff were so friendly, fun and informative. We even met Rosie the dog! We couldn't pick a favorite wine so we joined the wine club. So excited for our first shipment!"

Karla T

"You Must come here! Amazing wine, incredible personality with the staff, and an intimate experience. The dessert wine, the sauce blanc, the dry Riesling...all winners at every level. "

Kristin T

"On our long day of touring Leelanau Peninsula wineries, we saved the best for last -- Laurentide! This place is one of the most discreet in terms of their location, but unlike many of their neighbors, nearly all of their wines are sourced entirely from the Leelanau Peninsula itself. Laurentide is a low-volume producer that doesn't compromise on quality. If you care about the excellence of the wine itself and not just a winery with a view, this place is the best in the area, hands down."

James C December 2018

"The owners/staff were so kind and welcoming! The live Christmas music and appetizers were wonderful, and the wine is delicious!"

Joel L

"Wonderful Place - Must see A nice tasting room run by very friendly and knowledgeable people. Not a bad wine in the place. There is something for everyone's liking if you are a wine drinker. They have a lovely outdoor seating area for sipping wine. A lot of history is available about wines both from the owners and the books they have. They also have art work by local artists which rotates through the year. They also have a few wine related items for sale but it is not cluttered as if they were in the nick nack business, they put their efforts into their wine. While they are new they have done an excellent job in creating great wines and a relaxing atmosphere. You MUST stop by."

Ron K 2024

"We really enjoyed our visit to Laurentide Winery. We tried a flight of Sauvignon Blanc, two different Fumé Blancs, and a Riesling. We enjoyed these so much we tried the Rosé, too. The cheese board and crackers were a nice touch, and we loved sitting out on the patio in the September sun. Kathryn was a kind, attentive hostess, and we left with several bottles to enjoy another time. Thank you for having us - we'll be back to visit again in the future!"

Jerry and Kris H July 2019

"Hi Susan, We just wanted to thank you once again for making our 50th Anniversary celebration dinner with our close family members such a memorable evening! We all enjoyed the special atmosphere, the delicious food, and of course the excellent wine pairings! Everyone loved the food. And thank you for your special care in making it ‘fit’ our diverse group. And everyone including the non-wine drinker is still raving about that dessert!! I’m so glad you suggested it! Everyone is up for doing it again next year if we can work it into the schedule while people are here. Thank you again for all that you did and hopefully we can stop by another time before we head back East. Sincerely, Jerry and Kris H"

David T April 2019

"Loved the personal touch we received from Mary and the interest in our experience from Susan. Great place!"

Candace F

"Local Guide · 193 reviews · 6,953 photos 9 months ago- A good future stop on my #DiscoveryMichigan #WineTours - a one day group excursion from #GrandRapids to #TraverseCity and back. Traverse City and the state of Michigan have great options and it's a joy to help people experience what we have to offer. They love the science behind what made their fields such a diverse, unique ecosystem. Take a look at their field samples in the tasting room. Very cool!"

Franklin R July 2018

"A wonderful way to spend an afternoon, great wine and wonderful cheese!"

Shelly S

"Very personable, real people... great wine to go with it!"

Leah G

"Super friendly staff and very knowledgeable. Their cherry wine is to die for!"

Susan B

"Summer and Fall wine tours Be sure to make this a stop on your tour. It is a delightful place featuring a pleasant environment, courteous and fun staff and some wines that are quite unique. Try the Savignon Blanc! It is a crisp citrus with a huge grapefruit taste. Fabulous for warm days and evenings. The owner will happily spend time with you if the crowds are not too intense. Seek out this place and take home at least a bottle to share with friends as you will not find anything quite like the Savignon Blanc."

Dave P September 2018

"See Kathy (....with a "K") for the BEST experience here! We were "Up North" MI on vacation, taking a day for our annual "Leelanua Wine Tasting Tour". Although we've been here before, it had been a couple of years or more since visiting Laurentide. We were the only ones in the place last Tuesday as Kathy ("with a K") was working behind the tasting bar, as well as serving as our "gracious host". It had been two years since I had tasted the fantastic "Late Harvest Sweet Riesling" Laurentide had in 2016 when we last visited. I fell in love all over again, as this is one of the BEST you will find anywhere on the planet. As other reviews mention, their focus on great tasting white wines shines over many of the other 30 or more wineries that now encompass this peninsula. Kathy was so pleasant and just terrific to share this experience with. So very knowledgeable, helpful in the tastings, and just so personable! She greeted us with an infectious smile from the time we walked in until we left over 90 minutes later. We were fortunate to have her to ourselves this entire time. The place is much the same as my wife and I remembered it, with a bit more artwork now, some outstanding pieces (for sale) adorn the walls and tasting room tables. You must make Laurentide Winery one of your "top stops" when touring the area. All of their wines are worth stopping for!"

Diane B October 2018

"My favorite winery. Love the atmosphere and views. Everyone is so friendly!!"

AJK

"Best Savignon Blanc Stopped in during sip, chip, dip event. free pour was good as was complimentary treat but, the find of the day was their 2014 Savignon Blanc - best (by far) that I ever tasted. Bought afew bottles to take home to Detroit area and now afraid I should have bought more!"

Natalie M April 2019

"Kathy was amazing!"

Duane L

"We have been to the Leelanau peninsula and TC area many times and have visited many wineries. Laurentide not only has some of the best wines in the aera, they are also the most friendly people. We joined their wine club last year and just received our second shipment. Super wines every time. We will be in the aera in late June and will certainly stop in for a few cases to take back to Iowa. Thank You Laurentide for some great wines!"

John F June 2018

"Quality Their priority has been white wines with a focus on sauvignon blanc, a perpetual winner in competitions and customers' palates. Unoaked chardonnays also a pleasure to drink as are all of their wines."

Charlene B

"One of my favorites now. Susan, Ben and Bill are awesome will make sure I visit every time we go to Traverse City."

Our Story

Chapter one of our story started on a glorious spring day at the Arboretum in Ann Arbor Michigan. Heavily burdened engineering students, a girl from New Jersey and a boy from Kalamazoo met, fell in love and have been ever since. Our first experience with wine was shared on dates where time seemed long and money was short. The fare was simple and the wine as well. Strangely shaped bottles from Portugal or blue ones from Germany shared the table with food - the start of our unending fascination of wine/food pairing.

The odyssey that entails our lives continued with the first of several moves across the country as our careers commenced. Our first life in California was a time of innumerable trips to Napa and Sonoma. We met huge names now, but little known then. Fantastic wines and flavors fanned the romantic dance between food and wine becoming our unifying principle. We traveled to France, lingering in Burgundy and loitering in Bordeaux. A deep-seated respect and love grew about the earth, soil, terroir concept and what wine can and should be.

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