Behind the Scenes Tour of Detroit Vineyards Tasting Room

Story by Lindsay Whitman Drewes | Photos by Lindsay Whitman Drewes

Detroit Vineyards has been making wine in Detroit since 2014 and selling it through select stores and restaurants. On May 3, they’ll open their first tasting room, located in the former Stroh’s Ice Cream factory.

Whether you're a fan of sweet wine or dry, you’re a wine newbie or expert, there’s something for you to enjoy at Detroit Vineyards Tasting Room. A tasting will provide the chance to learn more about wine from an educated staff. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming for wine novices to comfortably learn and expertly executed for wine connoisseurs.

Shoppers have been able to purchase a selection of dry wines in certain stores and restaurants. The tasting room will offer a wider variety for a range of palates. There will be at least 15 selections ranging from wine, to cider, to mead. Detroit Vineyards traditional favorites will be available along with new varieties including a line of sweet wines.

Renovations have been underway for months transitioning the former ice cream factory into a high-end tasting room. Instead of gutting the building and starting fresh, the owners decided to give a nod to the past and leave certain elements from the ice cream factory. The mixture of exposed pipes, polished concrete floors, and rough cinder block walls give it a decidedly industrial chic feel.

Inside you’ll find sleek floating tables suspended by black industrial pipes. A large piece of old machinery has been repainted, surrounded by a polished stone bar and accented by a cascade of lights overhead. With friends, you’ll be able to enjoy a new wine favorite, share stories of the week’s events, and dream of the creamy cold froth that was churned by the industrial fossils about the room.

Wine, mead and cider will be available when the tasting room doors open to the public in May. Soon to follow, Detroit Vineyards’ will begin offering a small menu including charcuterie. Food trucks will be available on certain dates. Plans are underway to host private parties and tours once the tasting room is up and running.

Detroit Vineyards does more than just make wine in Detroit. They’re working to turn empty lots throughout the city into vineyards. The goal is to work with residents to grow the grapes, giving it a truly Detroit taste. They’ve already helped residents to plant about two acres of vineyards and that will soon be expanded to 10 acres. Detroit Vineyards provides the vines and trellises. They then instruct interested residents on how to maintain the plants. The residents tend to the vines and sell the fruit back to the vineyards for a premium. Until Detroit grape production is in full swing, Detroit Vineyards is purchasing grapes from other parts of Michigan. The honey for the mead is produced from beehives within the city.

With the tasting room tucked between Eastern Market and the Entertainment District and overlooking Ford Field, it’s the perfect place to stop before or after another event. Make sure to add a tasting time to the itinerary for your next night out in Detroit.

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