The fall harvest this year is doubly exciting for Lake Michigan College students as they celebrate the spirit of this year’s bountiful harvest with multiple programs sharing in an awesome event coming on Saturday, October 21st at 6pm for a progressive tasting with live student musical performances as well.
Lake Michigan Vintners and The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College are teaming up to offer a wine & farm-to-table small bite progressive tasting that night, pairing four small bites and four delicious Lake Michigan Vintners wines to show off the talent of both the LMC Wine & Viticulture Technology students, and the creative creations of The Mendel Center. LMC student musicians, Lindsey Ludens and Masa Sekioka will be performing a jazz duo during the tasting to showcase LMC’s Music Department.
The event takes place on Saturday, October 21 at 6:00pm, hosted at Lake Michigan Vintners Tasting Room in downtown Baroda. Tickets are $25/person, and guests can register for the event via email to Laura Morris at lmorris@lakemichigancollege.edu or by calling 269-927-4731. This event is limited to 50 guests, and therefor all tickets must be purchased in advance.
Local southwest Michigan farms will be featured, including Ellis Family Farms of Benton Harbor.
The menu will begin with three savory pairings, and conclude with a sweet pairing. Wine by the glass and bottle will be available for purchase.
Here’s what you’ll find on the menu that night:
Savory:
- Balsamic Roasted Grapes with Blue Cheese on Crostini paired with 2015 Lake Michigan Vintners Riesling
- White Chicken Chili paired with 2015 Lake Michigan Vintners Seyval Blanc
- BBQ Cauliflower & Chickpea Tacos paired with Lake Michigan Vintners 2015 Wavelength Red
Sweet:
- MI Apple Pie Roll paired with Lake Michigan Vintners 2016 Wavelength White
Earlier this summer, Lake Michigan Vintners opened their tasting room in downtown Baroda, located across from Baroda Founders Winery & Tasting Room. The tasting room is staffed by LMC wine program students, and Brand Manager, Laura Morris. The tasting room allows students to experience direct-to-consumer sales first-hand. The tasting room is also a hub to promote Michigan wines, and most specifically the wines of southwest Michigan, and the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail.
At the tasting room, Lake Michigan Vintners features nine small batch, limited production varietals and blends made from locally sourced fruit. LM Vintners regularly offers a small bite pairing menu, as well as artisan cheeses and meats. Lake Michigan Vintners will be featured at several Mendel Center events this fall, including The Mendel Center Mainstage events, as well as the Economic Club speaker series.
Lake Michigan College launched the Wine & Viticulture Technology program with the support of leading Michigan wineries from the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail to Old Mission Peninsula.
The program is designed to foster the next generation of expert winemakers, and to advance the state in its burgeoning status as a recognized, world-class wine region.
Students of the program experience every aspect of the wine industry, including vineyard management, winemaking and lab analysis. LMC collaborates with Lake Michigan Vintners, the first and only commercial teaching winery in the Midwest to offer hands-on training in all aspects of business and tasting room operations.
As Program Director Michael Moyer has pointed out on multiple occasions, “Southwest Michigan has a longer growing season than Burgundy, France, but we’re still one of the best kept secrets in the wine world. It’s exciting to partner with our area wineries who have been laying the groundwork and see our potential unfolding.”
To learn more about the Lake Michigan College Wine and Viticulture Technology program, visit www.lakemichigancollege.edu/wine.
Lake Michigan Vintners Tasting Room is located in downtown Baroda on 8972 First Street in Baroda.
The tasting room is open Thursday from noon – 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon – 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon – 5 p.m. They are closed Monday-Wednesday. For more information visit www.lakemichiganvintners.com.
The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College is the region’s premier location for events, weddings, meetings, and performing arts. Located on the Lake Michigan College Napier Avenue Campus in Benton Harbor, The Mendel Center hosts more than 100,000 annual visitors. Patrons enjoy a wide range of trade shows, meetings, weddings, and events in Grand Upton Hall and surrounding meeting rooms, as well as world-class performances in the 1,559-seat Mendel Center Mainstage and in the Hanson Theatre.
The Mendel Center’s hospitality specialists provide a full range of on-site catering, beverage, and event planning services. The extensive menu includes creative selections for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktail events – all created in The Mendel Center’s kitchen by an experienced culinary team with a passion for delicious and innovative food. Beverage service features Michigan wines and craft beers, and a full line of house brands, call brands and top shelf liquors. For more information, please visit www.TheMendelCenter.com.
