Barn and Winery Update

Although we had originally intended for the resurrected barn to be the tasting room, the structural integrity has been questioned, rebutted, and headache-produced on a Biblical proportion. Because the overall intent of this project was to be positive, fun, and productive for the citizenry of Leelanau, it has evolved into anything but that. For that reason we will side and roof the resurrected barn as an Ag structure and possibly an event center in the future. Randy Mouw of the Barncats of Rockford, MI will be back on the job and in charge of this project; they will be re-structuring many of the old timbers to the specifications of Robert Meyer, head of the Leelanau County Construction Code Authority in hopes of fulfilling our dream. A new post and beam, rough hewn, Amish made kit barn from Beam Barns, LLC and Christopher Willman, will be built 75 feet from the old barn. In charge of that are two fine and capable craftsmen, Justin Carlson and Tim King. We have witnessed many of their previous projects and are ecstatic that they will be taking this project to completion. Although winter is upon us with several inches of snow on the ground, we are hoping that the barn raising will be far enough along that much of the indoor work can proceed yet this winter. Perhaps the Almanac is wrong about the winter which it has been twice in 75 years.

Additional winery news includes the coming wedding of cellarmaster Dave Hill, of Forty-Five North, and Katie Cunningham on November 15, 2008. Unfortunately the old barn won’t be ready for the nuptial event, but they assure us that they will re-affirm their vows in it once it meets code. But, a celebratory wine, still yet to be named, will be served for the festivities. Regardless of its infant status of four weeks, this wine is a pinot noir blush that Shawn and David assure me is a special wine of the season.

Prost and Salute!