The story of Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery began when Walt and Eileen Brys decided to purchase an 1890’s homestead in the Old Mission Peninsula of Michigan to build their dream winery, which was inspired by a trip to Napa in 1975. Originally planted with cherries and apples, the 91 acre estate had a history of producing fruit even during the harshest of times and to this day the terroir of this breathtaking property is producing delicious fruit. The Brys Family continues to honor the tradition of the homestead, not only by their grape growing endeavor, but with what they call the Secret Garden which consists of 6,000 lavender plants, herbs, flowers and strawberry and blueberry patches.

Last fall we visited the Leelanau Peninsula of Michigan and left convinced that it is a wine destination that needs to be taken seriously. This spring we committed to embark on another road trip to the area but this time we decided to expand our horizons and visit both the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. During the trip it was amazing to see how many similarities are between these two AVA’s and Napa and Sonoma. Yes, Napa and Sonoma are bigger and more established, but Michigan has a thriving wine country in their backyard and we believe it’s worth the visit.