THE 2024 HARVEST SEASON BEGINS

As autumn brings the magic of harvest, we also welcome new faces to our team. Juliette (pictured) is one of our newest tasting room employees, bringing her passion for wine and hospitality to the vineyard. As part of our commitment to providing a rich, immersive experience for both staff and guests, our training goes beyond the tasting room—Juliette, along with all new team members, spends time in the vines with Tomas and the vineyard crew, learning firsthand about the craftsmanship that goes into each bottle of wine at Bel Lago Ventures.

October 2024 Edition

As autumn paints the hillsides of Leelanau County in vibrant hues of red and gold, we at Bel Lago are deep in the heart of our most exciting time of year—harvest season. This is when months of care and patience in the vineyard come to fruition, and we gather the grapes that will soon become the wines we are known for. There’s something truly magical about this time at Bel Lago, as the crisp air fills with the scent of fresh fruit and the excitement of the season spreads throughout the winery.

The Heart of Harvest

Harvest is more than just a busy time for us—it’s the culmination of everything we stand for. Our vineyards, nurtured by the cool breezes of Lake Michigan and the rich, glacial soils, produce grapes with vibrant flavors and perfect balance. This year, the growing season has been especially kind, with warm summer days and cool nights fostering ideal ripening conditions. At Bel Lago, we take pride in hand-picking each grape at the peak of its ripeness, ensuring every varietal is harvested at just the right moment. This attention to detail means carefully walking the rows, choosing only the clusters that are ready, while allowing others to remain on the vine until they’ve reached perfection. By meticulously selecting each cluster, we’re confident that the fruit we bring in will make for exceptional wines.

Tradition Meets Innovation

At Bel Lago, we combine generations-old techniques with innovative approaches to craft wines that reflect our unique terroir. Harvest is the most hands-on time in this process. By hand-picking, we ensure only the best grapes make it to the winery, preserving the integrity of the fruit and the character of the vineyard.

Once the grapes are brought in, the winemaking process begins—each variety handled with care to capture its distinct qualities. Whether it’s fermenting our crisp whites or preparing our reds for barrel aging, every step is guided by our commitment to quality and excellence.

Sustainability in Action

Sustainability is woven into the fabric of everything we do, and harvest is no exception. From eco-friendly vineyard practices like cover cropping and water conservation to minimizing our carbon footprint through hand-harvesting, we are dedicated to protecting the land that gives us so much. Each year, we strive to leave the earth in better shape than we found it, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the same beauty and bounty of the Leelanau Peninsula.