Wine region | |
Type | American Viticultural Area |
---|---|
Year established | 1982[1] |
Country | United States |
Part of | Michigan |
Other regions in Michigan | Old Mission Peninsula AVA, Fennville AVA |
Climate region | Maritime[2] |
Soil conditions | Clay-rich subsoils and free-draining topsoils of gravels, sands and loam. |
Total area | 75,000 acres (30,351 ha)[3] |
Grapes produced | Aurore, Auxerrois, Bianca, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cayuga, Chardonnay, De Chaunac, Dolcetto, Gewurztraminer, Malbec, Marechal Foch, Merlot, Pinot Blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Seyval blanc, Traminette, Vignoles[4][5] |
No. of wineries | 28[6] |
The Leelanau Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Leelanau County, Michigan. This Michigan wine region includes all of Leelanau County, which forms a peninsula between Lake Michigan on the west and Grand Traverse Bay on the east. Being surrounded by water helps to moderate the climate of the region, which is generally cold for viticulture. Frost can occur on all but about 145 days of the calendar year. The soil in Leelanau Peninsula is complex, with glacial deposits of clay, sand, and loam on top of bedrock of granite and limestone.[4] The hardiness zones are 6a and 6b.[7]