best vineyards & wineries in jackson michigan
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Best Vineyards & Wineries in Jackson Michigan

In the southern part of Michigan, the landscape in Jackson County is a beautiful and fruitful setting for vineyards and wineries. Open farmland and rolling hills dominate several small towns. When you’re searching for “wineries in Jackson Michigan,” you can’t miss the best wineries in Jackson County. In addition to those estates, you can make day trips out of visiting other vineyards near Jackson, Michigan. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Best Wineries in Jackson County Michigan

Best Wineries in Jackson Michigan
photo via Juli H on Facebook

Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery

Since 2008, Chateau Aeronautique Winery & Blue Skies Brewery has been hand-crafting fine wine using Michigan grapes. It all started in Lorenzo Lizarralde’s airplane hangar, and he opened a wine tasting room in 2009. You can taste dry, semi-sweet, and dessert wines at the airpark, which also features tours of the hangar and wine cellar.

In 2017, the Jackson, Michigan, winery opened a second location in the Irish Hills. It has a kitchen that serves a range of appetizers, entrees, salads, and desserts. You can enjoy a meal while listening to live music by local talent and tribute bands. Then in 2018, the company launched its Blue Skies Brewery, which hand-crafts seasonal beers and hard ciders.

Sandhill Crane Vineyards

As a family-run vineyard in Jackson, Sandhill Crane Vineyards is dedicated to making wine with only Michigan fruits. It was established as a hobby after Norm Moffatt retired. Later, his wife and sister got involved and turned it into a business. Eventually, one of his daughters became the winemaker, and the other became the business manager.

Since 2003, the vineyard has transformed into a wonderful family business, including the employees and customers. It makes small batches of wines, so the list is always changing. The main wine tasting room features numerous samples and a food menu of appetizers and charcuterie boards. On top of that, Sandhill Crane Vineyards has a wine tasting room at Dexter Cider Mill where you can sample and purchase any of its wines.

Lone Oak Vineyard Estate

In Grass Lake, Lone Oak Vineyard Estate is one of the wineries Jackson Michigan locals frequent for wines made with estate-grown grapes. The vineyard spans 25 acres of hillsides and makes 12 fine wine varieties. It’s situated at the same latitude as the border of Spain and France, regions which produce some of the finest wines in the world.

Since 1997, locals and travelers have been enjoying the vineyard’s dry, semi-dry, and dessert wines. Along with wine tasting events, the estate hosts dinners and live music events where you can order wine with cheeses and fresh-baked bread.

Cherry Creek Cellars

Taking pride in producing wines for everyone, Cherry Creek Cellars is a vineyard located in Brooklyn, which is just south of Jackson. It offers a picturesque setting for enjoying wine with family and friends. The Burtka family has run the vineyard for four generations and more than a century. The family opened the 5-acre vineyard estate to wine lovers in 2003.

Cherry Creek Cellars uses hybrid varieties from its vineyard to make quality red and white wines. Additionally, it makes a selection of hard ciders using locally sourced apples and other fruit juices. There’s also a cafe that features panini, salads, wraps, and charcuterie boards. While you get a taste of the wine and food, you can enjoy live music events too.

Best Wineries Near Jackson County Michigan

Best Vineyards Near Jackson Michigan
photo via Black Fire Winery on Facebook

Black Fire Winery

With the dream of owning a vineyard and winery, former fire department lieutenant Michael Wells started a commercial vineyard in Tecumseh in 2005. It wasn’t until 2016, though, that Black Fire Winery opened its doors, specializing in small unique batches of wine. You can visit its wine tasting room for samples of its constantly changing wine list. You can enjoy food appetizers and live entertainment as well.

Pentamere Winery

Also in Tecumseh, Pentamere Winery produces wines from fruits grown around the Great Lakes. In fact, the name “Pentamere” means “five seas.” The first thing that you’ll notice when you walk into the winery is the hole in the floor. Actually, it contains an 800-gallon fermenting tank. Smaller fermenting tanks and barrels are in the cellar.

Pentamere Winery makes dry, medium-dry, semisweet, sweet, dessert, and spiced wines for every palate. You can sample these in the wine tasting room, which is located in a more than 100-year-old building.

St. Julian Winery

As the most-awarded winery in Michigan, St. Julian Winery has been family operated for four generations and almost a century. It uses fruits from local farms to produce quality juices and wines. In fact, it has more than 100 products, including hard ciders and distilled spirits.

Fortunately, you can get a taste at any of its six locations, all of which are about one or two hours from downtown Jackson. Although the winery and distillery are in Paw Paw, the nearest wine tasting room is in Dundee.

Best Wineries Near Jackson Michigan
photo via Howell’s MainStreet Winery on Facebook

Whole Hearted Winery

Located in New Hudson, Whole Hearted Winery is a charity-supporting winery near Jackson, Michigan, that has only been established since 2019. Although Dan Weiand started making beer and wine in 2011, he spent years in between making, testing, and refining wines and flavors with friends. Now, you can try the dry and sweet wines by the sample or glass. You can bring your own food or have it delivered from nearby Jackson restaurants. Consider enjoying your wine and food in the outdoor heated igloo.

Howell’s MainStreet Winery & Pizzeria

For perfectly paired wine and pizza, check out Howell’s MainStreet Winery & Pizzeria in historic downtown Howell. The specialty boutique winery creates a charming wine-tasting atmosphere. The wine list includes a variety of white, red, sweet, seasonal, and dessert wines. The handmade pizzas are made in a stone oven with fresh ingredients, and the menu includes appetizers and fresh salads too.

Burgdorf’s Winery

In Haslett, which is north of Jackson, Burgdorf’s Winery was founded by David and Deborah Burgdorf in a three-car garage in 2005. Producing awarding-winning Truly Michigan wines, the couple started making artisan wine as a hobby and now has more than 40 years of experience.

While the winery has a new wine production facility, the gift shop and wine tasting room are still in the vintage garage. For just a few dollars, you can get five samples of rose, dry, semisweet, and sweet red wines.

More Than Just Wineries, Jackson Michigan is Fun for Families

Visiting all of these vineyards and wineries will keep adults busy for several days. However, what if you need activities for the whole family to enjoy? Jackson County hosts many family and kid-friendly events throughout the year. You can try out some of the best restaurants in the city, too.

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