The opening was a night of coffee, art, wine, and Northern Michigan celebrities including Doug Stanton, Paul Hramiec, and Harry Goldson. In addition to the wine, guests enjoyed coffee from Roast & Toast (Petoskey), pastries from Cuppa Joe (Traverse City) and Crema (Traverse City), and hors d’oeuvres courtesy of City Park Grill (Petoskey) and Three Pines Studio & Gallery (Cross Village). The highlight of the evening was the premier of Café Society: coffee house portraits, a collection of 30 original pastel portraits of Northern Michigan baristas by Bill Hosner.

Hosner, an internationally recognized pastel artist and avid coffee-lover, chose to paint baristas at his favorite coffee houses after years of getting to know them. Most portraits were completed within the coffee houses in one hour. While painting the baristas, Hosner listened to their hopes and dreams. Hearing their stories reminded him of his own youth, and he was compelled to do something to help fuel their drive and ambition. He wanted others to see their unique “coffee house culture” the way he did, and so the Café Society was born.

Café Society: coffee house portraits will continue to be displayed at the Little Traverse History Museum through at least September 10. The Museum is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm and Saturday 1pm-4pm. Admission is $4 per person over age 18, $1 for children age 5-17, and free to members and children under 5. The Little Traverse History Museum is located in the historic train depot on the Petoskey waterfront.

A Master Pastelist, Bill Hosner’s work is solely dedicated to the art of plein air painting. For Bill it all makes sense; “A photograph freezes a moment in time. While, over a painting session everything is moving, changing… the artist as well as the subject. During that experience the work evolves, is dynamic and can take on the energies of life. Painting en plein air lifts my spirit. And in so doing, it amplifies my recognition of a God given value and uniqueness in the world that surrounds me.” In the Midwest, Bill’s art is available exclusively at Suttons Bay Galleries in Suttons Bay, Michigan. To learn more about Bill’s work, visit www.williamhosner.com.

Had a lovely evening in Leelanau Wine country last night. The occasion was the Leelanau vintners small plate dinner–a progressive dinner where each small plate was served at a different Leelanau winery and paired with a house wine. At Shady Lane we sat at the vineyard's edge (in the shadow of the vineyard's charming stone buildings) and ate Asian pork buns prepared by chefs from Red Ginger, paired with a 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling. Fun to meet Gill's Pier owners Kris and Ryan Sterkenburg there, taking a break from their work in their own vineyard.

From Shady Lane we moved on to the Sterkenburg's Gill's Pier where a private tasting room was decorated magnificently in glowing red candles and Japanese lanterns to celebrate the Asian spring rolls prepared by local caterer Kristin Karam of K2 Events and Edibles. Delicious and loved having Kristin tell us about them. The spring rolls were paired with Gill's Pier's award-winning 2008 Riesling. Wonderful!

Then the drive home to Glen Arbor: M-22 on a June evening. Need I say more? Okay, I will–passed a fox, a mother deer and her fawn who could barely make it across the road on its skinny, shaky legs, the sun sinking over Lake Leelanau, wild lilies in full bloom, blue flashes of Lake Michigan through the tree, the Wyeth-esque barns of Port Oneida …

Photo: Untitled by [DennisT]

Chateau Fontaine Wine Dinner

~Canapé Reception~

Duck Liver Mousse, Fig Jam, Port Syrup
Chateau Fontaine Pinot Gris, 2007

Seared Sea Scallop, Gremolata, Lemon Risotto
Chateau Fontaine Chardonnay, 2007

“BLT”, Pork Belly, Kale Salad, Roasted Tomato, Duck Fat Aioli
Chateau Fontaine Dry White Riesling, 2008

~Intermezzo~

Sturgeon, Parmesan Polenta, Spinach, Calabrese, Beurre Rouge
Chateau Fontaine Pinot Noir, 2007

Lamb Chops, Leelanau Morels in Woodland Red
Chateau Fontaine Woodland Red, 2007

Dark Chocolate Bouchon, Cherry Conserve, Vanilla Ice Cream
Chateau Fontaine Cherry Wine

Offered in Fiddler's Pond, Little Belle and The Inn from only $238 per couple, per night, based on double occupancy. Space is limited. Call 231.334.5100 for reservations.

1. Traverse City, MI

Known as the Cherry Capital of the World, the Lake Michigan resort town of Traverse City does a pretty good job with other foods, too. With plenty of award-winning restaurants, wineries, farmers markets and dairies, Traverse City has been called “a new foodie haven” by The Huffington Post, and Midwest Living magazine recently named it second on its list of the region's “best food towns.” At the heart of the accolades is an emphasis on the farm-to-table philosophy. At Trattoria Stella, where chef Myles Anton was nominated for a 2010 James Beard Foundation award, the menu of Italian fare takes care to note ingredients from local farms and dairies. For wine lovers, the city's Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula wine regions lie along the 45th parallel— the same latitude that gives the Bordeaux region of France its famous reputation. Get started with a self-guided foodie tour.

We offer congratulations to Myles but feel compelled to point out the two more Beard Award nominees from the Leelanau Peninsula: Randy Chamberlain at Blu in Glen Arbor and Guillaume Hazaël-Massieux of La Bécasse near Maple City!!

Monday, April 26 1-4:30 pm TC Opera House

1-2pm “State of the State” of Michigan Wine we will host some wine and industry experts to give an overview of the Michigan wine growth and the positive impact we have on the state and our region. From agricultural impact, to quality of life, and economic impact our industry is growing! We will tell our story and take time to answer questions about the industry. Any one is welcome but the presentation will especially interest restaurant owners & managers, store owners & managers, media, significant tourism & community leaders, wineries and other VIPs.

2-4:30pm Wine Trade Show (General Admittance Ticket needed, free to our neighbors in the service industry: hospitality, front desk, restaurant owners, managers, waitstaff, store owners, managers, clerks, media, tourism, community leaders, etc. Call for more information or tickets 231-223-4110 x11 Liz) Door prizes, fun, games, trivia….

WHAT TO DO: Invite your staff & co-workers to the afternoon trade session! We have included just 4 tickets, but if you need more we will have more available at the door or via email. The event is free to anyone in the local service or tourism industry.

5:30-7:30pm Public Wine Tasting the public will be invited to a wine tasting for $7/person. Cheeses, breads, crackers, and fruits will accompany the featured wines. An abbreviated “State of the State” will be offered at 6:30pm. A fun atmosphere will feature games, trivia, door prizes, and small silent auction to benefit the Michigan Wine Foundation. Many local restaurants will offer special discounts on Monday evening to patrons with a NoMiWi ticket

WHAT TO DO: If you are associated with have a restaurant or store we can feature you on our “Friends of Michigan Wine” list. This list we be given to everyone purchasing a ticket for the evening wine tasting. Offer a coupon or special to be redeemed on the day of the summit. Let us know if you would like to be featured and what you would like to offer!

A new star is born. Black Star Farms, already well known for its award-winning wines and cheeses, is now serving dinner in Hearth & Vine, a vineyard café, at the Suttons Bay farm featuring wood-fired fare in a rustic yet elegant atmosphere, The weekly menu draws on ingredients produced on the farm, including pork and lamb, fresh eggs, 9 Bean Rows hoop house vegetables and hearth baked breads, and of course, Leelanau Cheese Co. cheeses and Black Star Farms wines. It’s truly a celebration of agriculture.

Hearth and Vine is now open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday from 5pm to 9pm. Seating is limited and reservations are appreciated. For reservations, please call 231.944.1297

From late spring through fall, Hearth & Vine is open daily serving delicious wood-fired pizzas and sandwiches as well as soups and salads. Black Star Farms wine is available by the glass or bottle along with soft drinks, coffee and tea. Lunch and snacks can be enjoyed out on the terrace or indoors in the cozy cafe.

On the market side we’re all about local. Black Star Farms farm-fresh eggs and fruits and vegetables from our and neighboring farms are offered seasonally. Pastries, cookies and 9 Bean Rows hearth-baked breads, Black Star Farms maple syrup, verjus and kettle cooked jams and preserves, and the best of other locally produced items are also available.

Black Star Farms is a unique agricultural entity that features two winery production facilities, their adjacent tasting rooms, a distillery, Inn, café, and equestrian facility. We just celebrated our 10th anniversary and are proud to represent the viticultural diversity of Northwest Michigan and its proximity to the 45th parallel that runs through so many of the great wine regions of the world.

Check out their menu for the 45th Parallel Feast – The Foods of Northern Michigan and consider getting out to support the hard working food & wine producers of Leelanau and the surrounding area!

Appetizers

Smoked Whitefish Chowder
Fishtown Sushi Rolls
Duck Confit – Frisee Salad
Leelanau Frommage Blanc Fried Ravioli

Entrees

Lobster Stuffed Walleye w/tarragon Buerre Blanc
Bison Tournedos with Morels
Venison Osso Bucco
Herb Roasted Rabbit Pappardelle
45 Parallel Fish and Chips
Herb Roasted Pork Loin

..and a selection of Northern Michigan's finest wines

Taber's purpose in writing this book may be best described by Francis Ford Coppola, the film director and owner of Napa Valley winery Rubicon Estate.

"It's like meeting a politician and shaking his hand," Coppola says. "You always feel later that you have a personal relationship with him. If you've been to a winery and walked through the vineyard, you feel it's yours and you order its wines."

Read some of Taber's writings at travel4wine.com (click through and let him know that Leelanau is a wine touring destination as well!) and at his web site and definitely consider an off-season visit to our wineries and tasting rooms. There's great lodging deals at area B&Bs and lodging establishments and Leelanau shops and specialty food & wine stores offer great holiday shopping!

Funistrada will support Glen Lake Community Schools La Fresca Program
4566 MacFarlane, Burdickville, MI
231.334.3900

Trattoria Stella will support Taste the Local Difference
1200 West Eleventh Unit One ~ Suite One
Traverse City, MI
231.929.8989

Nonna's will support ShareCare of Leelanau
1 Wood Ridge Road, Glen Arbor, MI
231.334.5000

samuel's will support the Child & Family Services of Leelanau
111 St. Joseph Avenue, Suttons Bay, MI
231.271.6222

More restaurants will be added to the list and restaurants interested in participating in the promotion should contact Leelanau Communications at info@lpwines.com or 231-256-2829.

The state's 56 wineries — six opened in the past year — are spread across Michigan along four wine trails, but most of the best grapes are grown near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and its bays. Top wineries are positioning themselves as small but key players in the Riesling renaissance that is taking hold across the country, and nearly 1 million visitors will arrive this year to sample the offerings. The most popular wine region, because of its prime setting along Lake Michigan, is the Leelanau Peninsula, home to about 20 wineries, 16 of which have public tasting rooms.

Read the rest of Riesling rising, and more, in Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan from USA Today.

The photo is Willow Vineyard VI by Cotopaxi Sprattmoran (whose photography was also used for the article). Check out her whole August at the Wineries of the LPVA set to see the amazing beauty of our wineries and vineyards!

The photo is 1st Annual … 2001 and is a picture of a shirt from (you guessed it) the 1st Harvest Stompede in 2001. This year there are over 650 runners registered making it the biggest ever!

A reminder that you can head over to the Holiday Inn West Bay in TC tonight starting at 5 PM for the packet pickup party and buffet and come over to Ciccone Winery tomorrow to watch the race at 9 AM.

A few tickets are are still available – check the Harvest Stompede page for details and to order!

If you take some photos that you want to share, add them to our group on Flickr or email them to info@lpwines.com!

There are over 600 participants this year, and packet pick-up is encouraged because it expedites things on race day morning.

The Holiday Inn West Bay will also have a pasta bar on the evening of the Harvest Stompede registration open to all racers & walkers and also to those who are only participating in the wine trail event. The buffet begins at 5 PM and will feature different pastas to select from, 3 different sauces including meatballs w/ Italian sausage on the side, a salad bar, garlic bread sticks with beverage all for $14.99 plus tax. They will also have a cash bar, and it will be in the same room as the registration and they promise to make it an easy flow for everyone.

One of the neatest things about this event is that it's a "zero-waste" event. Organizers Tim & Kathy Young set a goal to have all the waste generated from the event to be either reusable, recyclable or compostable. It's been such a sucess that 800 attendees last year generated less than one ounce of waste!

Another great bonus is that the amazingly talented Seth Bernard & Daisy May Erlewine will be performing. Get all the details by calling 231-326-5444 or visiting foodforthought.net.

There are so many things to do and see in the area and we hope the guide will help you plan your visit to Leelanau!

The photo is Window Shopping by KT of Lake Orion. KT is one of the photographers with photos in our Leelanau Wine group on the photo sharing site Flickr has a cool photo in the brochure – please feel welcome to add your own photos of Leelanau wineries & wine touring
to the group!