Category Archives: Leelanau Peninsula

Michigan Wine Month, 2014: The State Of The Ouch

Posted on April 29, 2014 by intoxreport

It’s basically May and there’s still snow in the vineyards. In fact, there’s still snow in the forecast. The leaden ice sheet that lingers over Grand Traverse Bay is bizarre; this stretch of water, generally South Pacific turquoise at this … Continue reading →

Verterra Winery And My Personal Quest For Jim Harrison

Posted on May 9, 2012 by intoxreport

Long ago and far away, when many of you whippersnappers were still drinking wine out of Evenflo baby bottles and I was scarcely old enough to steal vodka from my parents’ liquor cabinet, I headed up to the Leelanau Peninsula … Continue reading →

Posted in Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, MIDWEST | Tagged Bluebird Restaurant, Jim Hamelin, Jim Harrison, Leelanau, Leland, Shawn Walters, Skip Telgard, Verterra Winery | 4 Comments

Michigan Wine, 2012: State Of The Stating-The-Obvious Address

Posted on April 7, 2012 by intoxreport

(April is Michigan Wine Month, as certified by Governor Rhymes-With-Spider, who’s been at the business end of more recall referendums than my Ford 150). Ever since Al Gore starting criss-crossing the country in his gas-gulping Jetstream 400 to lecture about … Continue reading →

Posted in Fruit Wines, Lake Michigan Shore, Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, MIDWEST, Old Mission Peninsula | Tagged Adam Satchwell, Bryan Ulbrich, Lee Lutes, Michigan wine, Michigan wine month | 1 Comment

Here’s a Reason to Toast the Season: LPVA Wine Tour

Posted on October 17, 2011 by intoxreport

‘Fess up: The expression ‘holiday tradition’ sort of gives me the willies. It conjures up images of some calculated and obligatory family nightmare to which you drag yourself reluctantly, year after year after year, until the one year nobody gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan | Tagged LPVA Toast the Season | 1 Comment

Larry Mawby’s Sparkling ‘Detroit’: Feel Our Pagne

Posted on September 23, 2011 by intoxreport

If you were born south of Eight Mile or spent your formative years in Motown, you’re pretty versed in Detroit history—and, with a high school drop-out rate cresting 70%, it’s probably not something you learned during Fourth Hour. You know … Continue reading →

Posted in Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, MIDWEST | Tagged L.Mawby Detroit, Larry Mawby, sparkling wine michigan | Leave a comment

Good Harbor Vineyards and the Dialectics of Cherry Wine

Posted on August 27, 2011 by intoxreport

Plato, Third Century, BC: “Nothing more valuable than wine was ever granted mankind by God. Now, wanna argue about it…?” (Okay, this is Plato paraphrased—he didn’t tack on the argue part. But I’m sure he would have; the crusty old … Continue reading →