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Traverse City Wineries: Black Star Farms

A look inside one of Traverse City Wineries:    Black Star Farms

What Northern Michigan Wine is All About

If there is a common recipe for success among the wineries and vineyards on the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas, I imagine it’s something like this: Build or restore a gorgeous building on top of a hill to give a view of a body of water, surround it with vineyards and quaint farmland, and make a wide assortment of award winning wines that beat out even the best wines from California, France and Italy in competitions around the globe. These ingredients have worked for most all of the wineries in Northern Michigan, and what a recipe it is.

Locations and Venues Galore

Black Star Farms has taken this recipe to a whole new level. They’ve essentially taken those critical ingredients for success and thrown in a few jalapeños for good measure. While most wineries have a tasting room, Black Star Farms has three. Some wineries let out bed and breakfast style rooms, but Black Star has what can only be described as luxury accommodations for guests. And since they have horse stables at their inn out in Leelanau, you can bring your horse with you on your romantic get away. How incredibly fancy is that?

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Let me step back and go into a bit more detail. First, the tasting rooms. We frequently stop at Black Star Farms at their location on Old Mission Peninsula for our tours. The reason is simple – guests can see the amazing looking establishment on McKinley Road and immediately look to the driver and say, “There. We need to go there.” They’re never disappointed. The setting is beautiful, the staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and the wine is simply a Northern Michigan treasure. This location is also home to a distilling facility, one of only a handful on Old Mission.The tasting room on Old Mission is spacious , and the view is spectacular.

And to think, the location on Old Mission is only an extension of the base of operations in Suttons Bay! There, you’ll find the inn, the stables, and another five star tasting room. We really enjoy the location in Suttons Bay. We instantly feel welcome and at home in the countryside with the barns, horses, and idyllic setting. Our guests frequently say the Suttons Bay location is the highlight of their wine tour.

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Finally, they also maintain a tasting room in the Village of Grand Traverse Commons, called Tastes of Black Star Farms. Also, it’s located in a beautifully restored building just a mile from downtown Traverse City. The tasting room also offers small plates and the chance to try your hand at making your very own whiskey. If your tour is staying in downtown TC, adding this tasting room to your tour is an excellent idea, as there is another delicious stop in the form of Left Foot Charley in the Commons as well.

Black Star Fits Your Tour

As you may have concluded after reading the information above, Black Star’s various locations, jaw-dropping venues, and first class quality of their wine and spirits make them such an easy selection for your next tour. The staff is so accommodating and each tasting room is large enough for tour groups of all sizes. I have to wrap this blog up, and I feel like I’ve neglected Black Star’s wine entirely! What does that say about their operation? It says that they have more to offer than just great wine. They have amazing venues, talented staff, and that I’ve run out of room telling you just how great they are. You’ll just have to join us on a tour and experience their wine and spirits for yourself!

For more tour tips, information on Northern Michigan wineries and breweries, and probably a few pictures of cats next to wine bottles, be sure to catch us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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