St. Julian’s Mountain Road Estate Vineyard, located in the Lake Michigan Shore AVA, is just miles from the moderating influence of Lake Michigan. This 40-acre vineyard is planted with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese, producing some of the most awarded and loved wines year after year. But what makes a vineyard an “estate” vineyard?

In the United States, “Estate Bottled” is defined by law and the wine must have been made and bottled at the producer’s winery and from grapes from the vineyard owned or controlled by the producer within the same AVA as the winery. This also means that the wine stayed on premise during the entire production process, including fermentation, bottling, and aging.  

St. Julian’s Estate wines have grapes that come 100% from the Mountain Road Estate Vineyard, which is owned by Sarah and John Braganini. Sarah and John have the highest standards for grapes grown in their vineyard and for wines that bear their name. When you see the words “Estate Bottled” proudly displayed on a Braganini Reserve wine, you will know the grapes were sourced from Mountain Road.

But why does this matter? The simple answer is that estate wines experience the highest level of control possible and deliver consistent quality and style. Ready to try out some of our estate wines? Be sure to try out the first ever Braganini Reserve Estate Pinot Grigio, the Braganini Reserve Mountain Road Estate White Blend, and the Braganini Reserve Mountain Road Estate Sweet Riesling.