Here’s your chance to get in on what’s quickly becoming a new Northern Michigan tradition: the annual Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association’s Toast the Season wine tour, held this year on November 7 and 8, and November 14 and 15.
During each Toast the Season weekend, you and your crew can take a self-guided tour of more than a dozen LPVA member wineries (up to eight per day) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The tour features a special wine pour accompanied by holiday-themed gourmet food at each winery. At the start of the tour, you’ll receive a commemorative glass, a holiday ornament and a holiday gift basket from the members of Sleeping Bear Gourmet, a group of family-owned local, fair trade and organic food producers such as Food For Thought, Higher Grounds Trading Co., Naturally Nutty Nut Butters, Light of Day Organics and Stone House Bread.
"Toast the Season is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the rich culinary heritage of this region and aligns perfectly with Sleeping Bear Gourmet’s commitment to a local food economy," says Food For Thought co-owner Timothy Young.
In conjunction with Toast the Season, LPVA be collecting canned goods to donate to the Father Fred Foundation (fatherfred.org), which operates Northern Michigan’s largest food pantry as well as providing other assistance to people around the Grand Traverse region. Canned food donations can be dropped off in special collection boxes at any of the LPVA wineries.
Tickets for Toast the Season are $50 per person or $75 per couple (couple ticket holders receive two glasses, pours and food at each winery, but only one gift basket and ornament). To purchase tickets or to find information on LPVA wineries, visit lpwines.com/toast.
Wine Tips, Tours and Travel in Traverse City, Old Mission and Leelanau
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