The road into Black Star Farms in northern Michigan is well, actually through the farm. Mostly the vineyard, actually. As we approached the Inn, I flashbacked to the movie “Gone with the Wind.” With its white pillars and stately façade, I imagine that I am Scarlett O’Hara returning to my home, Twelve Oaks, after the Civil War, vowing “I will never be hungry again.”
Well, Scarlett would have that right if she had been a guest at the Inn at Black Star Farms. Between the tasting room with its estate bottled wine and cheese from the onsite creamery plus the wonderful breakfast, no one who spends time at Black Star Farms will be hungry for even a moment. But I digress; let’s start at the beginning of the visit.
As you enter the Inn, the sweeping staircase stretches gracefully up to the second floor. In the middle of the marble floor is a stylized black marble star. Elegant and sophisticated, it is hard to believe that you are in the wilds on northern Michigan, on the Leelanau peninsula and very close to Lake Michigan. We are escorted up to our room, Castor and Pollux, a two-room fireplace suite. Having the second room is a wonderful thing when traveling with our daughter. All the rooms are named after various stars in the Northern galaxy and trust me—they are heavenly!
With only eight rooms, the Inn is small and cozy. Some of the rooms have fireplaces while others feature spa tubs. That is a hard choice for me—to soak in a fragrant tub or to stretch out in front of a fire place. But it is a choice I am willing to struggle with. I made sure to book the sauna and spa for early in the evening.
These folks don’t miss a trick. Just to whet our taste buds for the wine, our hosts have thoughtfully left a bottle of the “Red House” wine in our room. Our first stop is a quick stroll down to the tasting room to sample some of the other wines.
The Tasting Room is as well-appointed as the rest of the property. We sampled just a few wines from the extensive list of varietal wines and unique spirits. Don’t miss picking up a bottle of pear brandy where the pear is grown right in the bottle. You can support the local farmers in the area with every bottle.
But back to the tasting room, out of the big windows you can see the Leelanau Cheese Co.’s creamery. Tasting the Leelanau Raclette cheese makes a wonderful counterpoint to the wine.
As we amble back up to the house, we made sure we are in time for the pre-dinner wine and cheese reception in the Pegasus bar. You can never have too much wine or cheese in my mind. We could have chosen to take a walk through the some of the 160 acres of orchards, vineyards, and wooded trails. Nah. The king size bed with down comforter in front of the fireplace is calling for a quick snooze before heading out to one of the great restaurants in Sutton’s Bay village. The village has wonderful shops and multiple dining choices — a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
If we had brought our horses, we could have used the stables and riding trails. Only problem is that we don’t have any horses. Oh well.
If you are looking for a wonderful getaway to “An Agricultural Destination” you can have it all at the Inn at Black Star Farms. No hayseeds here—just luxury and comfort for body and spirit(s).
On the Indulgent Traveler’s checklist, the Inn at Black Star gets the highest of marks.