Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival goers (from left) Brooke Chapla, of Goshen, Ind.; Amy Law, of Edwardsburg, Mich.; and Erin Miner, of Sawyer, Mich. relax and listen to music. Photo by Katie Johnson

By KATIE JOHNSON
katie@offthewater.com

The Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival at Weko Beach in Bridgman, Mich. is a much-anticipated event not only for wine enthusiasts, but the industry as well.

While some wineries offered select tried-and-true favorites on June 19, others released new wines to the public.

A sampling of some new 2010 wines:

Domaine Berrien Cellars (Berrien Springs)
• Pinot noir – This wine was crafted with 50 percent new barrels and bottle-aged for a year. This is one of the winery’s “flagship reds.”

• White Satin – This 2009 is a riesling /chardonnay/pinot grigio/sauvignon blend.

Domaine was running out of White Satin halfway through the festival.

Free Run Cellars (Berrien Springs)
• Pinot grigio – Free Run is focusing this year on new vintages and small production, Chris Moersch said, and its pinot grigio is no exception. Its pinot grigio is a “really limited release,” with only about 40 cases produced.

Lemon Creek Winery (Berrien Springs)
• Compass Rose – The winemaker at Lemon Creek was inspired by a visit to France for the Compass Rose. Produced using the traditional French Saignee method, this Bordeaux-style dry rose allows the natural fruit flavors to come through by bleeding off juice during the early stages of fermentation.

Tabor Hill Winery (Buchanan)
• Valvin Muscat – This dryer white has a citrusy, flowery finish and is ideal for summer sipping.

• Lemberger – This light red has all the complexities of a dark red.