Harvest Stompede 2011

Do you have your tickets for the Harvest Stompede yet? This year's race and wine tour are quickly approaching!

The annual Harvest Stompede takes place September 10th & 11th, 2011. The weekend features a spectacular race through Leelanau's vineyards followed by a self guided wine tour of LPVA member wineries featuring world class wines and culinary delights that reflect the season's bounty. 

Tickets are very limited for the race! Click here for ticket information and to sign-up as a participant. 

Wine & Food Pairings:

The wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail are once again “going local” with our wine & food pairings to showcase the bounty of the Leelanau harvest!

• L. Mawby - Mac & Cheese with local squash and a sage cream sauce paired with their newest bubbly, Green.
• Silver Leaf - Local bratwurst & sauerkraut paired with 2009 Riesling – it’s an Oktoberfest theme with German Music!
• Bel Lago - Local Fall Harvest Vegetable Soup with Italian Sausage with Bel Lago Red, a cabernet franc blend with several select red varietals.
• Ciccone - Has comfort food at its best – classic hardy corn chowder with local corn and 2009 Pinot Grigio.
• Cherry Republic - Toasted puff pastry wrapped with local cherries, local vegetables and feta cheese paired with the 100% Balaton Cherry wine “Cherry Twist”.
• Good Neighbor Organic - Grilled pita, local cherry hummus, and naked brats with wine (and beer!).
• Black Star Farms - Grilled focaccia with Isidor’s Choice Pinot Grigio poached pear, Leelanau fromage blanc and carmelized wild leek paired with the 2010 Arcturos Riesling.
• Gills Pier - Barbudos en Salsa de Chile Dulce, a baked local green bean omelet with pulled chicken and roasted red pepper sauce paired with 2010 Riesling. A vegetarian option will also be available.
• Chateau de Leelanau - Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich featuring all local Beef, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Cheese and Bread paired with the Solem Farm Red Wine.
• Good Harbor - Going local with Carlson’s of Leland fish pate served with grapes and crackers and paired with Fishtown White.
• Chateau Fontaine - Cincinnati-style chili with local onions (optional) and Big Paw Red .
• Tandem - Savory buckwheat crepes with Leelanau raclette, Shetler Dairy Milk, local eggs and honey cured ham paired with Ida Gold hard cider.
• Verterra - Smoked white fish chowder featuring local whitefish & potatoes and paired with Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir.
• 45 North - Smoked Carlson’s whitefish on crustini with chevre paired with 45 White.
• Willow - Local apple carmel crisp and Pinot Gris!

A Vineyard Wedding

Congratulations to the happy couple, Anne Hughes & Jeff Stekl! They were married in our vineyard on Saturday with the ceremony on the island of our pond. It was a gorgeous wedding and a wonderful evening to celebrate with friends and family.

We raise our glasses for all that the future holds for Anne and Jeff!

Tawas Uncork'd & Untap'd 2011

Mark your calendars for August 6th for the 3rd Annual Tawas Uncork'd & Untap'd, a food, wine and ale festival!Photo courtesy of B.B. Wolf Fine Art Photography It will be held in East Tawas on Saturday from Noon until 6pm at Harbor Park (corner of Newman and US-23). This annual fundraiser is sponsored by Friends of the East Tawas Library to raise money for a new community library. It brings together Michigan wine, ales, food and mellow music.

This library fundraiser features 13 wineries, 3 breweries and local restaurants and food vendors, including...

Wineries: Bel Lago Winery, Bowers Harbor Vineyard, Burgdorf's Winery, Chateau Chantal, Chateau Fontaine, Dizzy Daisy Winery, Fenn Valley Vineyards, Forty-Five North Winery, Leelanau Cellars, Rose Valley Winery, Sandhill Crane Vineyards, Silver Leaf Vineyard, and Valley Mist Vineyards. 

Breweries: Atwater Block Brewery, Shorts Brewing Company, and Schmohz Brewing Company.

Restaurants & Food Vendors: Reed's on the River, The Willow Tree, Village Chocolatier, Northwoods Steakhouse, Neiman's Market, and Klenow's Market.

Join us for a day of fun that's for a good cause! Tickets available at various local locations and on the day of the event. 

The Vines Are Looking Good!

Things are looking good at Silver Leaf! Pardon the expression, but the vines are growing like weeds. We can't wait to see what this year's harvest will bring. 

 

Leelanau Peninsula Wine, Food & Music Festival 2011

The Leelanau Peninsula Wine, Food & Music Festival is quickly approaching on August 13th, 2011 at beautiful Haserot Park in Northport. It's an annual celebration of local wineries and foods from Leelanau County.

The event takes place from 12 to 6pm on Saturday, August 13th. The cost is $15 per person which includes aPhoto courtesy of the Grand Traverse Insider commemorative wine glass and two tasting tickets. Additional pours are available for $2 each. 

The festival will feature award-winning wines from 17 local Leelanau Peninsula wineries paired with the best of delicious regional cuisine from area growers, restaurants and caterers. There will also be rockin' live blues music all day.

Located on Grand Traverse Bay, the park offers picturesque views over the water and cool breezes, always welcome in August, to the palate-pleasing event. 

We'll be pouring some of our favorite wines all day. You won't want to miss this fun event! 

Private Barrel Tastings

Join us for private barrel tastings at our winery during the whole month of July. Our private tastings are on Saturdays and Sundays only and available only by appointment. 

The prviate tastings include an 18 oz wine glass as our gift to you. We will serve gourmet cheese, olives and crackers with 3 samples of our wine (including our Meritage Red, barrel aged 2010 Chardonnay and 2010 Pinot Noir) straight from the barrel. Join us for wine discussions with the winemaker and proprietor, Mark Carlson. 

The cost is $35/person or $60/couple. Please call ahead and reserve a time for you and your friends: 231-271-3111 

2011 Small Plates Event

Thank you to all who joined us for the Leelanau Peninsula Vintner's Association's 2nd Annual Small Plates Event on Saturday, June 18th! We had a wonderful time with an evening full of 60 awesome guests, delicious food and great wine. Guests at 3 separate seatings enjoyed excellent petite crab cakes with a red pepper coulis (prepared by Chef Joshua Deters from The Village Inn in Suttons Bay) paired with our Silver Leaf 2009 Chardonnay.

Guests enjoying the Small Plates Event

Chef Joshua Deters from The VIllage Inn in Suttons Bay

Photo courtesy of Kathleen Swinehart

For more photos from Silver Leaf's Small Plates and other wineries, check out Kathleen Swinehart's Flickr photos.

Get Your Phil Radio Show

Mark and Patti joined Chef Phil Murray from Phil's on Front for his weekly Saturday morning radio show, Get Your Phil, on 106.7 YOU-FM last weekend. Mark and Patti chatted with Phil about how Silver Leaf Vineyard & Winery was started, their love for wine and even sampled a few in the studio.

Tune in to Get Your Phil Saturdays at 9am on 106.7 YOU-FM in Traverse City for more great wine and food conversation.

 Mark with Chef Phil Murray