“Walk with me”…says Lutes on a crisp fall afternoon while visiting the magical Leorie Vineyard on Old Mission Peninsula. This vineyard is home to the Merlot and Cabernet Franc that make the distinguished Leorie Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc. A brief bit of history ensues as we journey through the rolling hills overlooking West Grand Traverse Bay.

In its olden days this 15 acre plot was a gravel pit built into the hillside. When it was purchased 30 years ago its amphitheater shape was originally designed for development. However, with the assistance of local vintner Bernie Rink the owner was convinced of its prime suitability to grow grapes. What followed was the planting of Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  The 15 year old Riesling and Cabernet Franc are located at the bottom half of the hill preceded by the 20 year old Merlot at the very top. The entire plot faces South West, another added advantage for growing red grape varietals in a cool climate. “The directional element and hillside placement provide numerous benefits for these grapes,” notes Lutes as we continue to walk through the rows of meticulously cared for vines.

Facing South West this site typically retains heat and provides more insulation to the vines. The benefits of this are two-fold, one being that it warms the soil earlier in the season and reduces the risk of frost damage and the other being that it extends the growing season further into the fall. Both of these maximize the total growing degree days, a much needed strategy for growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc in a cool climate.

“Have you ever stood at the top of a hill and felt as if the air was warmer?” asks Lutes. Being on the hill is advantageous throughout the growing season because it results in more heat than being at the bottom. In this vineyard the average difference from top to bottom is typically 15^o – 20^o with the hottest part being at the top where the Merlot is located. This is another advantage for growing this varietal in our region.

Lutes picks up a handful of the gravel soil and proceeds to explain how this course and porous soil provides better drainage and helps keep the vines “feet” dry throughout the season. He also notes that this soil type is very similar to that of vineyards sites in the Bordeaux region of France.

While standing on the hillside overlooking West Bay, Lutes elaborates more about the exceptional care this vineyard receives and how this in addition to all of the above leads to the birth of his prized red wine. “When these grapes arrive at the winery they are never diseased, they are ripe (often averaging 23-24 brix) and they are picture perfect. It is then the skillful job of our winemaking team to take it to the next level.”

The grapes are individually batch fermented and blended the following spring. The wine is left to meld and age for 12-16 months in new and nearly new American, French and European oak barrels. This wine is very reminiscent of a Bordeaux style blend with a higher percentage of Merlot than Cabernet Franc. The end result being a full-bodied red wine rich with dark berry fruit flavors, earthy spice and complementary oak.

When asked again if he believes that a wine is made in the vineyard, Lutes nods his head and says, “A wine may be conceived and born in a vineyard but it is carefully raised and aged in the winery.”

This year’s annual morel hunt and feast on May 9th is the first in our Harvest Dinner series. These dinners will be offered at the Inn the second Wednesday of every month. The series will always include a five course meal that features the best of what is in season from our farm or other local farms.

Morels in May starts off the season with a five-course dinner featuring morels in every dish and pairings with Black Star Farms’ wines - including our newly released 2010 Arcturos Pinot Noir. See menu below.

Morels in May was started seven years ago when we realized how much everyone loved these mushrooms and how many people had no idea about how to find them. At this event you’ll meet at the Inn at 4 p.m. and start out on the search with a seasoned guide. The woods are beautiful in May and usually in bloom with trillium, other wildflowers and wild leeks.

Following the hunt at approximately 5:30 pm you will head back to our Pegasus Lounge at the Inn for morel hors d’oeuvres and wine. Then it’s on to Executive Chef Jonathan Dayton’s special morel dinner and dessert with wine pairing.  Savor the spring flavors of northwest Michigan’s terroir at this meal for only $75 per person plus 18% gratuity and tax.

Plus, the innkeepers are offering 20% off your night’s stay at the Inn if you decide against driving home. Please dress for the weather and let us know if you have any dietary restrictions. Call for more information and reservations. 231.944.1251.

Morels in May Menu

Pan seared morel mushroom pork sausage, verjus pickled wild leeks, red wine mustard, fromage blanc mousse

Morel mushroom and rabbit ragout stuffed nettle ravioli, raclette crisps. pine nut puree

Morel mushroom potato timbale, pea shoots, fried quail egg, pancetta croutons, ramp oil

Chargrilled lamb tenderloin, morel mushroom cacao sauce, fiddle heads, mashed fava beans

Caramelized morels, lemon thyme tart, goat cheese panna cotta

This competition drew 3,200 entries from 22 countries and all 50 states, which were evaluated by 60 judges from 15 different countries and many states. Black Star Farms 2008 A Capella Ice Wine was awarded the prestigious Crystal Grape Award for best in class ice wine. Top award winners from Black Star Farms also include:

• 2010 Arcturos Riesling – Gold
• 2010 Arcturos Cabernet Franc – Gold
• 2010 Arcturos Dry Riesling – Silver
• 2010 Arcturos Pinot Noir and 2010 Arcturos Late Harvest Riesling – Both Bronze

Of this recognition head winemaker at Black Star Farms Lee Lutes notes, “these wines showcase examples of what we in this region do so well.  The red wines only continue to improve, as we take on ever-greater knowledge of our fruit sources and sites, and the Rieslings continue to benefit from our lengthy cooler seasons and mineral driven soils.  What these accolades do is reinforce so much of what we are striving for in this dynamic grape growing region.”

FLIWC is the largest charitable wine competition in North America. All net proceeds benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times. Located in the heart of New York State’s Finger Lakes wine country, this not-for-profit organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other life-threatening challenges.

Learn more about this competition in the video from their website.

In honor of the state’s 91 wineries Governor Rick Snyder has declared April as “Michigan Wine Month.” Michigan’s wide selection of quality wines will be featured statewide at participating retail, restaurant and individual winery/tasting rooms.

“This is a great recognition and we are excited to be a part of an industry that positively impacts our state’s economy,” notes Head Winemaker and General Manager Lee Lutes of Black Star Farms. In celebration of the governor’s proclamation the Northern Michigan winery will have several Michigan Wine Month promotions. These include special discounts on wine and a photo contest with fans on facebook.

Each week of the month Black Star Farms will offer 20% off a select wine. Wines include, Red House Red, Arcturos Late Harvest Riesling, Arcturos Barrel Aged Chardonnay and Red House Rosé (see below for the discount schedule and online promotional codes). Customers and facebook fans are then encouraged to submit a unique photo of when, where and how one of the above wines was enjoyed. Participants will have until May 12th to submit their photos. All photos will be judged on facebook as well as by Black Star Farms’ staff.  The winner of the best picture will receive a Grand Prize of a $125 gift certificate good towards a mid-week stay at the Inn. One runner up will be selected for four of the different featured wine photographs. These winners will receive $20 gift cards. Participants are encouraged to submit one or more photos but only one prize will be awarded per individual. All photos need to be submitted by May 12^th and winners will be announced on May 18^th. Submit photos to cbriggs@blackstarfarms.com.

Discount Schedule

Red House Red – 4/1 to 4/7 – use code RHR

Arcturos Late Harvest Riesling – 4/8 to 4/14 – use code LHR

Arcturos Barrel Aged Chardonnay – 4/15 to 4/21 – use code BAR

Red House Rosé – 4/22 to 4/30 – use code ROSE

Please note you will need to click the update button to show your discount when ordering on line. Call 231.944.1271 if you have any questions.

Black Star Farms is proud to be part of a wine region that has continued to receive accolades for its quality wines and food destinations. The winery is honored to announce four new awards received at the 36^th annual Eastern International Wine Competition.  

The International Eastern Wine Competition (IEWC) is one of the oldest and largest professional wine competitions in the United States. Judges were comprised of the most experienced and unique pool of wine industry professionals. Wines were judged from a field of over 800 wines. Judges awarded a total of 15 Double Gold, 73 Gold, 216 Silver, and 235 Bronze medals.

Two of the Double Golds were awarded to Black Star Farms’ Rieslings, including the 2010 Arcturos Dry Riesling and the 2010 Arcturos Riesling (semi-sweet). Other wines to receive medals include the 2010 Arcturos Sur Lie Chardonnay and the 2010 Arcturos Late Harvest Riesling – both awarded silvers.

“It’s always an honor to be recognized for the quality of our region. 2010 was certainly an exemplary vintage showcasing many of the best attributes of Riesling growing in this climate. These medals will further raise the standards by which we continue to create our wines.” – Lee Lutes, Head Winemaker

For more information about the IEWC including the full list of awards click here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We are proud to support this dynamic organization that continues to work for a healthy and green future.

1. How long have you been working in the Traverse/Northern Michigan restaurant industry?

I started working in the restaurant business back in 1987 as a dishwasher at Sweitzers by the Bay. It was an easily available job in this tourist town for a high school student and I was quickly addicted to the fast pace and sense of community and family in the kitchen. I was a quick learner with a good work ethic so it wasn’t long before I was moved out of the dish pit and into prepping food and then cooking on the line. I’ve always joked that this career is one that chose me. I never went to culinary school for this chef’s life I now live. The kitchens I’ve worked in, the chefs I’ve cooked alongside and the owners that have employed me have been all I needed in this life degree. This is an ever-changing industry with new trends and techniques coming along constantly. Being a chef has been a lifelong education. I learn, see, smell or taste new things everyday I am at work. I have to evolve constantly to keep pace with it all.

2. How would you define the “local food movement?” How long have you been a part of this movement?

The attention the local food movement has been getting the last few years is nothing but positive for all involved, but keep in mind this so called “movement” has been being practiced by people and businesses for a very long time. I think the biggest difference in the last 10 years alone has to do with the availability and amount of product at hand. There has been an explosion in Northern Michigan for produce and proteins being accessible to the homeowner and restaurants like never before. The definition of this movement changes based on the consumer and what the needs for the consumer really are. Whether for yourself, a family or a business, the idea should be practiced the same throughout. Support yourself first, then your community, followed by your state and finally your country. You want to purchase any given product from a source as close to you as possible and you want this product grown or raised by methods that are healthy for the environment and humane to the animal. You also want the people who provide these services to make fair wages. Sustainability. It feels better knowing where your food comes from and I think that feeling makes it taste better. It was somewhere in the early 90′s that I really started noticing the farm to table idea catching on in local restaurants in this area. An elevated sense of pride went into each plate with the knowledge of where the food that was on it came from.  This feeling is even stronger today working where I do.

3. What do you consider “best practices” that support using locally grown produce and locally raised animals?

Well the best practice to use for me is taking advantage of what is supplied from the property I work on. The beauty of Black Star Farms in a culinary sense is that what I cook revolves around the availability first and foremost of the ingredients that are outside my kitchen back door. I have the fortune of having a creamery, bakery, winery and distillery on this property, along with the raising of some of our own proteins and the harvesting of our own agriculture. However, our food service department is far too busy to be supplied by this location alone, so other than the farmers markets and food stands I shop at the best thing that has helped supply me and other Northern Michigan restaurants with locally raised and produced products is a company called Cherry Capital Foods. They focus on sales of products primarily grown and raised in the region and state. I am supplied with a weekly availability list of produce, proteins and dairy and my menu offerings are often based off of that availability. Vice versa I can tell them what it is I’m looking for and they take that knowledge back to the farmer. It’s a very unique and involved working relationship.  I consider my work with them a key component to my success in supporting locally grown produce and products.

4. Do you at times find it difficult to adhere to using only local foods throughout the year? If so, what do you do to plan for the winter months when local produce is not as abundant?

It is difficult living in this place on the planet and staying true to buying local. As a chef, creatively it can get a little boring in the long months of the winter. Fresh produce is by far the hardest do deal with out. There are only so many things you can do with root vegetables. Believe me, I’ve tried them all. But with the darkness of winter come slower times. You just have to plan ahead the best you can by preserving as much as possible and filling up the freezer and pantry. With the emergence of farmers using more green houses and hoop houses the season can be extended later or started early but even then produce is difficult to find. I guess at the end of the day it comes down to the business you’ve built and what the clientele expect from it.

5.  Do you believe there is a future for culinary tourism in N.Michigan? If so, does it revolve around this region’s acclaim as a local food haven?

The future for culinary tourism has already arrived. It’s been fascinating to watch and a privilege to be a part of this growth in Northern Michigan. Agriculture and tourism in this state are the second and third largest industries. People have always traveled to this area for the beauty and way of life. I believe culinary tourism has been here for some time, but I do believe a significant rise has come from the emergence of our wine industry. The wine trails, both on Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau Peninsula have been essential for pulling in a whole other type of crowd, the foodie type of tourist, not only from our own state but more importantly from out of state. It’s given our region notoriety in national papers and magazines, and with the rise of the restaurant also comes the rise of the farmer. The interest from this clientele for a more creative meal and wider range of offerings has expanded the culinary industry, which then allows the farmer to grow and evolve as well.

6. What are your current and future plans in the kitchen that support this movement?

Currently during these winter months I’m buying what’s left out there of the available produce. Apples and pears are still around so preserving those for the winter. Root vegetables and squash are also still abundant and if properly stored last for months. We had a huge basil and tomato harvest in my own garden here at the farm this past summer so a lot of pesto and purees were made along with soups and sauces, they are all in the freezer for upcoming menus now. As far as the future, we are just planning on doing more. Growing more produce. Raising more animals. Taking what we have at the different times of harvest in the year and creating better ways of preserving. Trying to stretch the season out. Always thinking ahead and improving. Expanding. Always learning.

We are amongst several other Michigan wineries, including 45 North, Chateau Grand Traverse, & Chateau Fontaine to receive medals for Rieslings and other wines ranging from dry to sweet.  Double Gold, Gold and Bronze medals were awarded to the selection of our wines below:

• 2010 Arcturos Late Harvest Riesling – Double Gold
• 2010 Arcturos Riesling – Gold
• Sirius Red Dessert Wine – Bronze

 “It’s always an honor to be recognized for the quality of our region. 2010 was certainly an exemplary vintage showcasing many of the best attributes of Riesling growing in this climate. These medals will further raise the standards by which we continue to create our wines.” – Lee Lutes, Head Winemaker

Wines were awarded as Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Double Gold (unanimous gold by the judges). In addition, there were Best of Class & Judges’ Choice Awards given for each of the wine judging categories, and the prestigious Sweepstake Awards for the top Sparkling, White, Blush, Red (two tied from Paso Robles), and Dessert/Specialty wines.