Shady Lane Cellars offers exclusive perks for members
May 19, 2026 (Suttons Bay, MI) — Michigan Wine Month is the ideal time to support your local wine club.
“Being a wine club member is one of the most direct ways to support a local wine region,” said Alissha Shank, wine club manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay, Mich. “It helps sustain the people, agriculture and small businesses that make the area unique.
“Every membership supports local jobs—from vineyard crews to tasting room staff—and allows us to continue preserving farmland and investing in sustainable growing practices.”
For years, Shady Lane Cellars has offered a highly-personalized, three tiered wine club membership. Shank said now is the time to join.
“As we move into the busy summer season, it is a perfect time to enjoy upcoming member events like pick-up parties, tastings, live music, holiday events and special releases,” she said. “Also, joining now means members can immediately take advantage of patio season and special offerings throughout the busiest winery months in Northern Michigan.”
Save the Date: Pick-up Party June 11
The team at Shady Lane Cellars will host its next Wine Club Pick Up Party 3-6 p.m. Thursday, June 11 and it’s packed with members-only perks. Chef Maria Leggett-Guldner will be on hand with appetizer and wine pairings. She’ll also debut a locally-made line of hot sauces. Assistant Winemaker Maddie Vint will sell handmade pottery.
The featured wines for club members during this event will include:
- 2024 Gewürztraminer – An aromatically pronounced dry, medium-bodied wine with flavors of lilacs, lychee, papaya, peach and pear juice, mandarin orange zest and sandalwood.
- 2022 Cabernet Franc Reserve – A limited estate reserve with notes of raspberry compote, red plum and dried herbs.
- 2023 Brio Rose – A fruit-forward wine with notes of cherry, orange blossom and sweet citrus.
- 2023 Hartwick Red – A blend of 70 percent Merlot and 30 percent Cabernet Franc, it is barrel-aged for 20 months in neutral French oak and gives expressions of dried cherry, espresso and truffle.
Executive Winemaker and General Manager Kasey Wierzba considers Gewürztraminer an often misunderstood wine, and she’s out to change that perception.
“People expect it to be very sweet and it’s a very expressive wine,” Wierzba said. “If it’s left to ripen too long, it becomes too perfume-y. To avoid this, we pick the grapes early, ensuring they don’t overripe.”
June 11 also marks the debut of Cabernet Franc Reserve 2022. Shady Lane Cellars Wine Club members will get to taste rarities like this one before it’s poured for anyone else.
“We only make 4 barrels, about 100 cases,” said Wierzba. “It’s always a really limited, special amount of wine.”
The cost to join Shady Lane Cellars Wine Club ranges from $75 to $325 per shipment. Wine shipments are scheduled for February, June, September and November. They may be picked up directly at the winery or shipped around Michigan or 38 other states.
That also makes a wine club membership a memorable gift.
“Instead of a one-time present, recipients enjoy multiple shipments, seasonal releases, and new wines to discover over time,” Shank said. “Wine clubs are also perfect gifts, because selections can match someone’s tastes, whether they love bold reds, crisp whites, roses, or trying something new!”
She called it a great option for any hard-to-shop-for friends or loved ones over 21. Learn more or sign up at https://www.shadylanecellars.com/wine-club-info/.
ABOUT SHADY LANE CELLARS
Shady Lane Cellars produces one of the largest percentages of estate-grown wine in its region. Offering hilltop views of the Leelanau Peninsula in northern Michigan, the winery and its staff create a comfortable approach to wine. The winery was founded in 1999. Since 2017 all Shady Lane Cellars wines are 100 percent estate-grown. In 2020, Shady Lane Cellars’ vineyard earned Sustainability in Practice – or SIP Certified – status. Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Monday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The winery is closed Tuesday-Wednesday.
