(GLEN ARBOR, MICH) – Three times a year, wine lovers retreat to The
Homestead – appropriately titled “America’s Freshwater Resort” – for a
weekend escape like no other. This year’s annual Harvest Wine Tour Weekend,
October 26-28, features winery tours and gourmet meals set in the heart of
the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

This year, weekend guests will be divided into two tour groups, with one
traveling to Longview, Shady Lane and Ciccone and the other visiting
Leelanau Cellars, Black Star Farms and L. Mawby during the day on Saturday.

Later that evening, an exquisite 6-course winemaker dinner will be held at
Nonna’s, with paired for each course from the local wineries. This is the
first winemaker dinner for Mario Deruda, The Homestead’s new executive chef.
This year’s menu includes:

• Bresaola E Rugola (oil and lemon marinated air cured beef served with
  baby rugola)
• Finocchio E Arancie (fresh fennel, oranges and berries in triple sec
  dressing)
• Quaglia Con Polenta (pan roasted European quail served with grilled
  polenta and mushroom sauce)
• Farfalle Alla Paesana (bow tie pasta tossed with lightly spiced tomato
  sauce, onion, bacon and fresh herbs topped with aged ricotta cheese)
• Sorbetta Al Limone (lemon sorbet)
• Herb Coated Roasted Rack of Veal (served with radicchio/balsamic vinegar
  sauce)
• Cannoli Alla Siciliana (cannoli shells filled with sweet ricotta and
  chocolate chips)

This time of year, the colors of Leelanau Peninsula are at their finest as
the rolling hills and wooded valleys are awash in nature’s color. Autumn -
the harvest season – is the perfect time to tour the vineyards and taste the
spectacular wines of Leelanau.

Located just a half hour drive to of all 15 of the Leelanau Peninsula’s
wineries, The Homestead has earned a reputation as Northwest Michigan’s
premier wine country destination. This year marks the sixth year of a
partnership with the Leelanau Peninsula Vintner’s Association (LPVA) that
features seasonal wine tours and dinners.

The Harvest Wine Tour weekend package includes breakfast each morning, a
boxed lunch along the tour route on Saturday and the evening dinner. Guests
also receive a souvenir wine key and wine tasting journal to use during the
tour. Gratuities for the meals are included. Rates start at $161 per person,
per night for two adults. Space is limited to 49 couples.

The Homestead is a waterfront resort community located in the heart of the
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a unit of the National Park Service.
Along with its unmatched natural setting and miles of frontage on Lake
Michigan and the Crystal River, the resort offers guests pools, tennis and
golf in the summer; downhill and cross country skiing in the winter; and
shops, restaurants and meeting centers in all season of the year.

For more information about the Harvest Wine Tour Weekend or other packages,
call 231.334.5100 or visit www.thehomesteadresort.com