Sipping on artisan cocktails crafted with house-made shrubs and syrups or swirling beautiful, blush glasses of rosé — these are the things spring and summer drinkable dreams are made of!
Savor every last bit of seasonal bliss when you tuck into these local hotspots for wine and spirits — sampling flights inside our inventive wineries and tasting rooms, cozying in at wine bars and restaurants with wine lists covering the world over, or sipping craft cocktails made to perfection with freshly-mashed fruits and aromatic, muddled herbs.
COVID-19 Update:
As we welcome you back, we’ll be doing our best to keep you in the loop on what’s open & closed in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Just look for the orange banners below on our partner listings as you start planning for your next trip!
While we all navigate this new normal, some experiences may be slightly different, and some businesses may only be partially reopened. Please check with the individual businesses for their reopening status, new hours of operation, and updated policies before visiting!
Wine Tours, Wineries + Tasting Rooms
Frankenmuth FunShips Tasting & Tours (Frankenmuth) Wine tasting on the water, sip five selections expertly paired with five handmade chocolates — followed by a full glass of your favorite and two more samples — all while cruising the Cass River on a dreamy summer boat tour!
Grape Beginnings Winery (Midland) Boutique Downtown winery with a down-to-earth tasting experience. Enjoy seasonal pours like Spring Time, an Australian Grenache rosé, or Summer Sweetness, a strawberry white Merlot, alongside small plates like Gorgonzola Honey Bruschetta.
St. Julian Winery Tasting Room (Frankenmuth) Inside this tasting room of Michigan's oldest and largest winery, try a flight of six samples from their impressive selection... and keep the souvenir tasting glass, too!
Modern Craft Winery Tasting Rooms (Bay City, Frankenmuth) Trendsetting winery using a proprietary fruit infusion process, with tasting rooms inside Frankenmuth River Place Shops' Bead Haven and City Market in Bay City. Sip each flavor found here by itself, mix two together, or add spirits to create a custom fusion drink!
Black Star Farms Tasting Room (Frankenmuth) Classic varietal wines and fruit brandies brought to your glass, inside an inviting tasting room shared with Grand Traverse Distillery.
Wine Bars
Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie (Frankenmuth) "Best Wine Bar in Michigan" (BuzzFeed, 2016), known for build-your-own charcuterie boards and an outdoor fire bar made for spring and summer nights under the stars. Taste first-glass freshness and perfect-temperature pours from a rotating selection of six wines on tap, sample from their extensive, global wine list, or try seasonal flights like Patio Pounders — with sips from Argentinian Torrontés to South African Chenin Blanc.
Whine (Midland) Stylish-not-stuffy wine bar with overstuffed leather chairs, a floor-to-ceiling glass cellar named "Stella", and handcrafted vintage wine barrel bar. Lounge by the outdoor fire bar or play bocce ball on a custom-made court while you sip favorites by the glass, share a bottle, or sample from six themes of flights.
Oxygen Lounge (Midland) Elegant, yet easy-going lounge inside the H Hotel, with an impressive selection of wines by the bottle and interesting varietals like Albarino from Spain or Ajou Blanc from France.
Restaurants With Extensive Wine Lists
Jake's Old City Grill (Saginaw) Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, Carménère from Chile — the fine wine list of this casual-upscale chophouse lives up to its Wine Enthusiast Magazine Award of Distinction and two Wine Spectator Magazine Awards of Excellence!
Gratzi (Midland) Sip wines selected from dual, walk-in, floor-to-ceiling glass cellars and don't miss special pairing dinners where fine wines are expertly matched to the chef-driven courses you'll dine on.
Old City Hall (Bay City) Casual-upscale bistro inside Bay City's original City Hall, with a worldly wine list of over 150 bottles from around the globe.
VNO Wine Warehouse & New Age Restaurant (Bay City) Retail shop with a selection of 1,000+ wines, paired with a restaurant offering 35 wines by the glass, plus seasonal wine events.
Distilleries + Craft Cocktails
Old Town Distillery (Saginaw) Craft distillery with a laid-back tasting experience. Try summery sips like the Blackberry Smash (fresh blackberries, fizzy ginger beer, sweet mint, and rum) and order in food from nearby Artisan Urban Bistro; they'll deliver straight to your table!
The Public House (Bay City) Thoughtfully-crafted artisan cocktails — with proper cocktail ice carved from crystal-clear, 300-pound slabs — served up in a minimal, yet magical space with a lush, living wall behind the bar and a cozy loft. Try seasonal craft cocktails with special, house-made touches — like rosemary-infused syrup or pineapple shrub — or order a drink for two to share!
Prost! Wine Bar & Charcuterie (Frankenmuth) Craft cocktails built, shaken, or stirred to perfection — best enjoyed by the outdoor fire bar at night. Try the Meet Rosemary Collins (with house-made rosemary shrub, ginger beer, and bitters) or the Whiskey Basil Smash (with bourbon, muddled lemon, and a handful of fresh basil).
ONe Eighteen (Midland) Classic, handcrafted cocktails served up in an American tavern with gorgeous mid-century modern styling. Try the Old Fashioned (or New Fashioned) or the Singapore Sling with dry gin, cherry brandy, Bénédictine, lime, bitters, and soda.
Grand Traverse Distillery Tasting Room (Frankenmuth) Award-winning, grain-to-bottle spirits — Certified Craft Distilled, Kosher, and full of Pure Michigan flavor. Try their True North Cherry or Chocolate Vodka for a treat!
*Note: Our wine and craft cocktail hotspots rotate their selections regularly to bring inventive, new flavors to your glass. All wines, spirits, and cocktails mentioned here may not be available at the time of your visit. Check out their individual drink menus or follow along on social to see what's being served up while you're in town!
