BARAODA — Lake Michigan College and Lake Michigan Vintners Winery Tasting Room are teaming up to offer gourmet wine and chocolate pairings.

The chocolates are prepared by the students enrolled in the LMC Culinary Management program’s Confections class and are perfectly paired with LM Vintner’s 2015 Wavelength Red and 2015 Riesling. The students created ganache from LM Vintners wine to create a pairing that complements the wine, as well as the chocolate.

“It was a great and unique experience for our culinary students preparing a batch of chocolate bonbons with wine produced by our very own students. We had many plans for the future such as making our own chocolate from bean to bar and look forward to a growing collaboration with Lake Michigan Vintners,” said Luis Amado, LMC culinary manager instructor.

The pairings are available Oct. 26 to 29 at Lake Michigan Vintners Tasting Room in downtown Baroda. For questions, please call the tasting room at (269) 326-7195.

Pairings are $5 and include two chocolates, paired with two tastes of wine:

• Dark Chocolate Bonbons with Riesling Ganache, with a thin layer of toasted almonds, paired with 2015 Riesling

• Dark Chocolate Bonbons with a Wavelength Red Wine Ganache, paired with 2015 Wavelength Red

Lake Michigan College launched the Wine & Viticulture Technology program with the support of leading Michigan wineries from the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail to Old Mission Peninsula.

The program is designed to foster the next generation of expert winemakers, and to advance the state in its burgeoning status as a recognized, world-class wine region.

Students of the program experience every aspect of the wine industry, including vineyard management, winemaking and lab analysis, school officials said. LMC collaborates with Lake Michigan Vintners, the first and only commercial teaching winery in the Midwest, to offer hands-on training in all aspects of business and tasting room operations.

“It’s exciting to partner with our area wineries who have been laying the groundwork for the bourgeoning Michigan wine industry. World class wines are made here in Michigan and people are taking notice.” said Michael Moyer, program director. 

To learn more about the Lake Michigan College wine and viticulture technology program, visit lakemichigancollege.edu/wine.

At Lake Michigan College, Culinary Management students receive hands-on training in both the culinary arts and business and management. Beyond commercial cooking and dining room service skills, students will learn about marketing, human resource management, legal requirements and financial analysis.

Lake Michigan College is the only two-year college in southwest Michigan to offer a full associate degree with a culinary focus, and is proud to partner with local organizations and businesses to produce graduates who will be in high demand to meet the increasing need for qualified kitchen and restaurant managers in this area, school officials said.

To learn more about the Lake Michigan College’s Hospitality and Culinary programs, visit lakemichigancollege.edu/home/programs-majors/browse-all-programs?c=hospitality-culinary.

Lake Michigan Vintners Tasting Room is located in downtown Baroda on 8972 First St.

The tasting room is open from noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It is closed Monday through Wednesday.

For more information visit, lakemichiganvintners.com.