Arriving in the tiny downtown of Baroda is Baroda Founders Wine Cellar with a spacious tasting room that feels more modern than you would think from the outside. Here their wine list is pretty extensive and they have a wine for all different tasting preferences.
Our last visit to this winery was on April 2, but we were previously there back at the end of August after our wedding. The same bartender was there the previous time we were in. The tasting experience is really awesome and this last time we were running out of time but wanted to try a new wine they had, the Traminette, which was very good. The bartender gave us a taste for free since he knew us from before and knows we are going to buy a few bottles. Baroda Founders Wine Cellar has some of my wife and I's favorite wine the "Cuvee Rosé," along with my dad's favorite the "Oh Hell Yeah! Red" and "Luce Del Sole."
Located at 8963 Hills Road, Baroda, MI 49101 you should take a trip to visit for a tasting! The wine is amazing and pours are generous. The Lake Michigan Shore AVA is on of the world's greatest wine growing region. If you are in town for lunch or dinner, just a few doors down is Round Barn Brewery & Winery's restaurant that you should check out too.
Without further adieu, why don't we check out these awesome wines:
Lake Michigan Shore Series:
Dry White Wine:
2016 Pinot Gris: Just about the perfect acid, sugar and pH balance when harvested. A hearty, full-bodied and flavorful rich, dry white. Created to more closely resemble a French Pinot Gris rather than an Italian one.
2016 Dry Riesling: A crisp dry wine with hints of apple and grapefruit flavors. Perfect for a warm summer day.
| Semi-Sweet White Wine:
2013 Riesling: This wine has a soft citric and honey bouquet. There is a full mouth feel and round acids that balance the 2% residual sweetness. This reminded their founder of his travels to Germany, sitting in a courtyard tasting Rieslings Lake Side Breeze Demi-Sec: A slightly sweet white wine with a rich pear and apricot nose, full-bodied taste and clean, crisp finish. A refreshing addition to a leisurely afternoon. |
2016 Traminette: This classic wine is a spicy hybrid of Gewurztraminer. The pineapple and grapefruit floral flavors have been captured for your enjoyment by their wine master, Leonard R. Olson.
2016 Chardonnay: A smooth crisp Chardonnay, this wine has a smoky vanilla bouquet mixed with apples and honey overtones with a creamy, refreshing touch of acid for a clean finish.
Luce Del Sole: Made in the French Vouvray style. The slightly sweet, fruity taste is complemented by a crisp finish that is clean and refreshing. It is similar to the wine created by their founder in his early career that was served by President Gerald Ford in the White House.
Sweet White Wine:
2011 Vidal Blanc Select Sweet Harvest: This wine is harvested late in the year and has high residual sugars, creating a sweet, rich white wine. It has a complex bouquet with honey and pear flavors. It is overwhelmingly graceful.
Dry Red Wine:
2013 Pinot Noir: A bolder, more robust Pinot Noir with a rich red hue and pronounced oak flavors.
2016 Chambourcin: A ruby color and full rich berry flavors are complemented with vanilla oak over tones.
2011 Cabernet Franc: Aged in French oak for 24 months, this full body wine has complex flavors of berries and smoky oak. Tastes great now or perfect for aging for several years.
2011 Married In The Vineyard: A marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it is truly a French Bordeaux-styled wine. Aged in French oak for 24 months and then in the bottle for a year, it has a nice balance of ripe berries, tannins and acids, which complement this medium-bodied wine.
Too Fun To Fit In A Series:
Oh Hell Yeah! Red - Semi-Sweet Red: A sweet red wine with a supple berry, full mouth feel and soft finish. Named after a fishing friend (Red), who exclaimed “Oh Hell Yeah!” after drinking this wine. This wine is far too fun to fit in any one Wine Series, and instead, deserved its very own!
Cuvee Rosé: An off-dry Rosé with a robust cherry and fresh fruit flavor. This delightful Rosé pairs well with any occasion. Perfectly balanced at 1.5 residual sugar.
Baroda Antique Series:
Peach - Fruit Wine: A grape wine with peach flavors infused. Reminiscent of the days of when your grandfather made fruit wine.
Cranberry - Fruit Wine: A sweet delectable wine infused with flavor of cranberry. Reminiscent of the days of when your grandfather made fruit wine.
Green Apple - Fruit Wine: This Riesling-based wine is full of green-apple flavor.
Delightful Dessert Series:
First Kiss - Dessert Wine: A full-bodied red wine blend with Merlot characteristics and a rich dark chocolate-red raspberry bouquet. It has a full mouth feel that gives way to light tannins and a dark chocolate sweetness. Fun in a glass!
Smorleaux - Dessert Wine: A subtle milk chocolate flavor touched with a hint of marshmallow leads into full-bodied, slightly sweet Merlot characteristics.
(Thanks to Baroda Founders Wine Cellar's website for wine descriptions).
Besides the main winery in Baroda, you can also check out their tasting room in St. Joseph on State St. You can easily get their wine if you can't make it to the winery for a tasting by ordering off their website. On the west side of the state you can find their wine in many stores. The farther east you go it may be harder to find their wine but ask your local wine shop and they should be able to get your favorite wine on the shelves. With prices mostly in the teens, they are comparable to similar wines from Michigan.
Baroda Founders Wine Cellar is pretty cool, you'll love it!