Brengman Family Wines

AS MOST ARE AWARE, I committed to writing short essays about favorite places along our iconic M-22 highway in northwestern Michigan.

The majority of the 116 miles of the roadway is in Leelanau and Benzie Counties, with the beginning and ending segments in Manistee and Grand Traverse Counties. There is so much to see and experience along this infamous highway that connects four beautiful counties, each offering a unique blend of adventure and lifestyle opportunities.

I had a nice surprise over the first weekend of the new year when I enjoyed a spur-of-the-moment visit to Brengman Family Wines. The winery is located 5 miles north of Traverse City, up M-22, and an additional 1.5 miles west on Crain Hill Road. The entrance greets you at the top of the winding hill on Center Highway (633). https://brengmanfamilywines.com/

Their winter menu featured a Margherita pizza. My companion and I decided to share one, accompanied by their luscious pours of unoaked Chardonnay wine.

How good is that!

With filled glasses in hand, we sat next to the warmth of their glowing gas fireplace and took in the afternoon views of the rolling vineyard, and chatted with the helpful associates who made us feel right at home.

After savoring my first glass of wine and a slice of the artisan pizza, I felt I needed to meet the chef to compare notes. I consider myself a practiced dough/pizza maker in my own kitchen.

How nice of Chef Josh Morrison to come from his duties in the kitchen and spend time with us discussing his recipe and its nuances in creating one of the best, crusty, and chewy crusts I have experienced. It was clearly an excellent pizza.

Northern Express did a nice in-depth story about the winery in their fall 2025 publication. https://www.northernexpress.com/news/food/cafe-exalt-shifts-with-the-seasons/

How fortunate we are to have a world-class venue with its wines and creative fare along our M-22 Lakeshore Trail.