Michigan is one of the best places in the United States to get wine, thanks to the grapes grown near Lake Michigan. Southwest Michigan has some of the best wineries in the state.
Here are the best wineries in southwest Michigan:
- St. Julian Winery – Paw Paw, MI
- Warner Vineyards – Paw Paw, MI
- Cody Kresta Vineyard and Winery – Mattawan, MI
- Karma Vista Vineyards & Winery – Coloma, MI
- Contessa Wine Cellars – Coloma, MI
- Round Barn Estate – Baroda, MI
- Tabor Hill Winery – Buchanan, MI
- Hickory Creek Winery – Buchanan, MI
Whether you want an easy road trip from big cities like Chicago and Detroit or to spend time traveling through the Midwestern US, southwest Michigan is well worth a visit. Here are the best wineries in southwest Michigan!
A note on “My Favorite Wines”: Although there are various wines listed as my favorites, I usually drink dry red wines. If you are not a dry red drinker, you will have to visit the wineries and find the best wines for your taste. After you visit these wineries, let me know your favorite wines in the comments below!
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St. Julian Winery – Paw Paw, MI
One of my all-time favorite wineries and one of the best in southwest Michigan is St. Julian. They are the oldest operating winery in Michigan, and it’s now run by the fourth generation of the family who founded it.
St. Julian has a vast selection of dry, sweet, and bubbly wines of every color. They also have hard ciders, spirits, and cocktails. If you try and love a spirit, ask the staff to help you pair it with a non-alcoholic sparkling drink or cider to make a delicious cocktail.
Here are all the spirit options available from St. Julian:
- Vodka (Strawberry Lime, Cucumber, Blackberry, Lemonade, from Cherries, from Grapes)
- Rum (Pineapple, Mango, Coconut, Silver)
- Bourbon – Cask Strength
- Brandy
They also have a tasting room and outdoor area in Union Pier, just north of New Buffalo, another fun town in SW Michigan.
My Favorite Wine: BR Meritage
Address: 716 S. Kalamazoo St. 49079 MI
Other Locations:
- Dundee, MI
- Frankenmuth, MI
- Metro Detroit – Troy, MI
- Rockford, MI
- Union Pier, MI
Warner Vineyards – Paw Paw, MI
Warner Vineyards is right next to St. Julian in Paw Paw, and it’s a fitting pair since Warner is the second oldest winery in Michigan. The winery is in the building that used to be the town’s water-works building, so it’s a beautiful, historic building right on the river. And in front of the building is an old railroad car.
You can try one of the many wines, ciders, or frozen cocktails inside. Their wines come in a wide variety, including reds, pinks, whites, fruity wines, dessert wines, and sparkling wines. The Warner Brew Haus is connected to the winery, which has a large selection of beers and a food menu.
Warner also has a tasting room in South Haven, Michigan, another one of my favorite towns in the state.
My Favorite Wine: Caboozy Lil’ Cherry Hard Cider (not wine but still yummy!)
Address: 706 S. Kalamazoo St. Paw Paw, MI 49079
Other Locations:
- Holland, MI
- Marshall, MI
- South Haven, MI
Cody Kresta Vineyard and Winery – Mattawan, MI
Cody Kresta is just east of Paw Paw and worth driving to if you’re in Paw Paw. The family who runs the winery has been producing wine there for 140 years. But, they didn’t start selling their wine till the late 20th century when the winemaker, David, wanted to expand their production.
They only use Michigan grapes to produce their wines, and the winery was named after the family’s golden retriever, Cody.
Cody Kresta was one of my favorite wineries to visit. I was there on a beautiful spring day, and they have a cute patio right between the winery and the vineyards where you can enjoy your wine.
My Favorite Wine: Cabernet Franc (a classic) and the Kresta Azure (a unique semi-dry blueberry wine)
Address: 45727 27th Street Mattawan, Michigan 49071
Karma Vista Vineyards & Winery – Coloma, MI
Karma Vista is another excellent winery in southwest Michigan with deep family roots in the area. The winery opened in 2002, but the family who owns the vineyards has grown grapes and other fruit in the area since 1847.
The winery sits in the middle of the beautiful vineyards where you can enjoy your wine tasting. Many of their wines have won awards at wine competitions, so you know they are well worth trying.
My Favorite Wine: Syrah
Address: 6991 Ryno Rd. Coloma, MI 49038
Contessa Wine Cellars – Coloma, MI
The next great winery is Contessa, which is easy to visit before or after Karma Vista. The wine at Contessa is great, but my favorite part of visiting is that the tasting room and patio overlook the gorgeous vineyards.
Also, next to Contessa is a small chocolate shop with AMAZING chocolate. Some of the wines at Contessa pair well with the chocolates at the shop, like the dark chocolate sea salt and the chocolate-covered espresso bean.
My Favorite Wine: Divino and Cherry – they’re both delicious!
Address: 3235 Friday Road Coloma, MI 49038
Round Barn Estate – Baroda, MI
Round Barn is a winery named after an actual round barn they have on the property. Inside the barn is their shop, and right outside is where you can do a wine tasting and enjoy their live events.
You can reserve a cabana for a more private wine tasting if you have a larger group. The cabanas fit up to 12 or 20 people and are really popular on live music nights, so plan and reserve far in advance.
Not only does Round Barn have great wine and sangria, but they also distill their own spirits. Here are the spirits they have available:
- DiVine Vodka
- 269 Gin
- Baroda Straight Bourbon
- Berrien Ridge Whiskey
- Red Sky Run
- Blue Flame Agave
Round Barn also has events like live music and fundraisers, mainly in the summer. In the colder months, you can enjoy your wine in one of their bubbles outside the barn.
Round Barn also has a tasting room/outdoor area in Union Pier, next to St. Julian.
The next winery on the list of best wineries in southwest Michigan is Tabor Hill, which you can actually hike to from Round Barn. It takes about 20 minutes to walk between them if you take the easy trail, and the walk is beautiful.
Learn more about the hike here!
My Favorite Wine: Round Barn Merlot
Address: 10983 Hills Road Baroda, MI 49101
Other Locations:
- Downtown Baroda, MI (Round Barn Brewery & Public House)
- Union Pier, MI
Tabor Hill Winery – Buchanan, MI
Tabor Hill Winery is only one minute south of Round Barn, and the two wineries actually share a winemaker. Like Round Barn, Tabor Hill offers wine flights for you to choose from. You can choose between dry red, dry white, and sweet wines, and each flight has three wines for you to try.
My favorite part of Tabor Hill Winery is how cute their wine cellar is. There are a ton of barrels of wine lining the wall and a bar where you can order your wine from.
There is also a restaurant inside the winery, so Tabor Hill is a great place to stop for lunch or dinner if you spend a whole day visiting the best wineries in southwest Michigan.
My Favorite Wine: Cherryscato
Address: 185 Mt. Tabor Rd. Buchanan, MI 49107
Other Locations:
- Bridgman, MI
Hickory Creek Winery – Buchanan, MI
Hickory Creek Winery is a few minutes south of Round Barn and Tabor Hill. Hickory Creek has a lot of European-style wines in a variety of sweetness and colors.
I love Hickory Creek because it has a more intimate feel than many wineries. Plus, they have a beautiful outdoor patio where you can enjoy your wine when the weather is nice.
Hickory Creek specializes in small batch production, which means they produce fewer total bottles per year than most wineries produce of just one kind of wine.
Small-batch wineries like Hickory Creek can focus more on each wine and bottle to ensure the quality is high and the flavor is just right.
My Favorite Wine: Gentil Rosé
Address: 750 Browntown Road, Buchanan, MI 49107
Now that you’re ready to visit the best wineries in southwest Michigan, it’s time to book your trip! Here are some of my go-to travel booking sites:
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