'Taste the Passion' of Wine, Chocolate & Love along Michigan's Wine Coast

LEELANAU PENINSULA (Mich.) – Love is in the air as you celebrate the upcoming Valentine's Day at the "Taste the Passion" weekend Feb. 5 & 6, 2011. This special weekend celebrates wine, chocolate and love in anticipation of Valentine's Day! The combination of winter's beauty in Leelanau with the special pleasures of life always makes for wonderful and romantic time.


The weekend starts on Saturday as participants head to their first winery stop to collect a souvenir glass. Then the fun begins with special pours and tasty chocolate treats offered at wineries between the hours of 11am and 5pm on Saturday, and Noon and 5pm on Sunday. However, because one cannot survive on chocolate alone (tempting as it may sound), savory dishes will be served at a number of tasting rooms.


Special Weekend Events
To add to the weekend's festivities, several of the wineries will be holding special events exclusively for "Taste the Passion" ticket holders to celebrate the beauty and fun to be had in this winter wonderland. They are guaranteed to provide countless photo opportunities, so be sure to bring your camera.


Join us at the Homestead - Friday Feb. 4
On Friday night (Feb 4) at Mountain Flowers Lodge from 6-8pm, the Homestead Resort and Glen Arbor Artists will be hosting "Art from Michigan's Wine Coast." Art will be on display and for sale from local artists.

The price is $20 at the door, which includes 2 glasses of wine and small plates (additional wine available for $4/glass or 3 for $10). $5 from every ticket will be donated to the Glen Arbor Artists scholarship and free after-school art program for students.


Tickets
Tickets for "Taste the Passion" may be purchased online at www.lpwines.com. As with all LPVA events, attendance is limited to give participants an opportunity to become better acquainted with the wine and wineries.

In addition to regular ticket sales, participating lodging partners will be offering a limited number of special accommodation packages that will include tickets to the trail event. Visit www.lpwines.com for further details.
For a list of Leelanau Peninsula Vintner Association wineries, log on to www.lpwines.com. From there, you can access days and hours of operation and winery-specific news and events for each of the 18 member wineries. The site also includes news and information about touring Leelanau County and Traverse City to enhance your overall experience.


About the LPVA
LPVA was formed to help spread the word about all the wonderful things the Leelanau Peninsula has to offer including a growing number of award-winning wineries, excellent restaurants and a rich agricultural history. Today, it is the largest and strongest of the four organized wine trails in Michigan which promote the state's nearly $800 million grape/wine industry.