Celebrating the free-spirited lifestyles of the Golden Age of Paris, Golden Muse Winery in Baroda will transport you to an era of beauty, self expression, and wild artistic entertainment in its many forms. The winery will live in the former King Products building at 8903 Stevensville-Baroda road, and with the past three years dedicated to building renovation, it is ready to make its debut.
“The pandemic has thrown us a lot of curve balls, but we are totally committed to the success of this project, and look forward to finally opening to the public this June,” says owner Analisa Leppanen.
The goal of the newly transformed space is to have the tasting room feel like a vacation, and though it won’t be far from home for some, the styling and character of the winery will reflect a Victorian steampunk aesthetic, as well as the Moulin Rouge of Paris. This will be easily achieved as adjacent to the tasting room will be an art gallery, formed from Gallery E.G.G: an ecological art gallery started in Chicago’s West Loop in the 1990s by Analisa and her mother, Marianne Leppanen. Gallery E.G.G. served as Chicago’s first environmental art gallery.
Analisa holds a Ph.D. in History of Art & Architecture, and has taught in art institutions in California and Chicago for the past twenty-five years. Upon transplanting to St. Joseph from Chicago in 2016, the wine and viticulture program at Lake Michigan College caught her eye.
“Initially, (taking wine classes) was just for fun, but I was drawn in by Mike Moyer’s mentorship and passion for wine. I realized that Southwest Michigan is the site of some truly great winemaking, and has the potential to gain greater recognition, comparable to the regions of Bordeaux and Northern Italy,” she tells us. Analisa completed nine classes, passed the Level One Sommelier exam, and spent time employed in the Lake Michigan Vintners Winery and tasting room.
from the Golden Muse Winery Photo Gallery
Golden Muse Winery will offer a taste of a time that focused on the eccentricities of artists, writers, and performers of the Beautiful Age, and an experience that is unique and new. The tasting room will have a patio that overlooks picturesque Lemon Creek, which will add an air of relaxation as well as a sense of adventure. They are women-owned, and represent turn-of-the-century Paris by fusing delicious wine with art and all forms of decadence. Serving their own wines, a curated selection of dry and semi-sweet reds, whites, and sparkling wines, they also plan to offer small vegetarian bites. The wines are also vegan-friendly.
“We aim to provide a fun and relaxing experience for everyone’s visit. Looking back on the last few years, I can honestly say that I’ve made so many good friends and am very excited for our future,” says Analisa.
To stay up to date on the grand opening this June, visit goldenmusewinery.com, and be sure to follow them on social media.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM contributor
