The vast majority of grapes used for our products are grown within a 40-mile radius of our Paw Paw location—from our estate vineyard, in Coloma, and 19+ local growers.
A few factors make Michigan an amazing grape-growing state:
- A 30-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline that offers a consistent climate combined with Lake Effect, which moderates temps and extends our growing season
- Large clay content, which retains moisture
- Sandy soil, which runs off excess water
- Rolling hills, offering good drainage and fewer frost issues
And while grapes shaped our heritage, we also harvest other produce, like cherries and apples.
Michigan Fruit for Michigan Wine
Steve and Lauryn Holden
Lawton, MI
Cronenwett Family Farms
Lawton, MI
Matt and Emily Dietrich
Baroda, MI
Ed and Phyllis Oxley
Lawton, MI
St. Julian’s Mountain Road Estate Vineyard
Located in the Lake Michigan Shore AVA, our Mountain Road Estate Vineyard boasts riesling, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, pinot noir, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and sangiovese across 40 acres—yielding some of the most awarded and loved wines year after year.
The “Estate” Difference
In the US, estate bottled is defined by law and requires the wine to have been made and bottled at the producer’s winery and made from grapes from a vineyard owned or controlled by the producer, also within the same AVA as the winery. Such designation also requires the wine to have stayed on premise during the entire production process, including fermentation, bottling, and aging. Why does all this matter? Estate wines experience the highest level of control possible and deliver consistent quality and style.
Our Estate-Bottled
Wines
100 percent of St. Julian’s estate-wine grapes come from Mountain Road Estate Vineyard. Sarah and John Braganini, owners of Mountain Road, have the highest standards for the grapes grown in their vineyard and for the wines that bear their name. When you recognize the words estate bottled on a Braganini Reserve wine, you can be sure that the grapes were sourced from Mountain Road.
Ready to try some of our estate wines?
Rooted in Yesterday. Committed to Tomorrow.
At St. Julian, sustainability isn’t just a practice—it’s a promise. From our vineyards to your glass, we’re committed to responsible farming, ecofriendly winemaking, and reducing our footprint for future generations.
