'Toast the Season' with the Wineries of Leelanau Peninsula

In what has become a Northwest Michigan holiday tradition, the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association will hold the 2011 Toast the Season wine tour. Once again, two consecutive weekends of tasting and touring will be offered, November 5 & 6 or November 12 & 13. The self-guided tour includes a gift bag featuring local food items, and you may visit up to 8 wineries each day in any order you choose between the hours of 11am to 5pm Saturday, or noon to 5pm Sunday.

"Toast the Season is lots of fun, giving you a chance to experience the Leelanau wine trail, enjoy a great gift bag, taste some great wine and sample our food pairings," explains Lucie Matthias of Chateau Fontaine. "It's also a good time to get a start on your holiday shopping in our tasting rooms and at all the unique shops & stores in Leelanau's villages. Deer hunting season starts on November 15th this year, and we see a lot of 'deer widows' too, who are looking for something fun to do while their husbands are away at deer camp!"

The tour features a special wine & food pairing at each of the 19 Leelanau Peninsula member wineries. At your starting winery you will be given a commemorative glass, an LPVA holiday ornament, a souvenir wine key and a holiday gift bag featuring local food including fair trade coffee from Higher Grounds Trading Company of Traverse City, cocoa-coated chocolate covered almonds from Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate in Empire, and (of course) Michigan cherries from Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor!

Tickets are available online at www.lpwines.com/toast along with Toast the Season packages from a number of local lodging partners.

Food Pairings
Below are a few of the tantalizing wine & food pairings!

• Chateau de Leelanau will be serving the "World Famous Willies Chili" with Solem Farm Red.
• L.Mawby will offer Nature's Treat dried apples slices with Black Diamond aged white cheddar, paired with the L. Mawby Consort.
• Ciccone Vinyards will feature an Italian Bruschetta with fresh ingredients straight from the garden paired with their 2009 Cabernet Franc.
• Willow Vinyards will be serving up some naughty French Vanilla Pumpkin Squares with Caramel topping, paired with their Semi Sweet Gris.
• Cherry Republic will pair a Gorgonzola, Pecan and Cherry Fondue using their delicious Cherry Bread and with their Great Hall Riesling.
• Verterra is offering different food pairings with their Pinot Gris for each weekend: 1st weekend will be Char-Grilled Pizzetta with sun-dried tomato, fresh spinach, garlic, feta & mozzarella and the 2nd weekend will feature Santa Fe Sweet Corn Chowder.
• Forty-Five North will be serving up carnitas tacos paired with their new 2010 Dry Riesling.

Tickets
Tickets for Toast the Season are $50 per person or $75 per couple (couple ticket holders receive two glasses, pours and food at each winery, but only one gift bag and ornament). Tickets are available online at http://www.lpwines.com/toast/.

The LPVA encourages using a designated driver or local transportation services when touring its wineries. Visitwww.lpwines.com for more information including lodging packages at many great area hotels, B&Bs and resorts!