Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Traverse City

Brys is a great stop to make. Although their tasting was the most expensive one we came across on the Old Mission wine trail, it was still worth it. On busy days they have you move through stations to get your tasting, which was very cool. You go from the front room to the wine bottling area, to the barrel room, to a different room in between, and back out to the main bar. They also have recently expanded their deck, where you can go out to drink a glass and relax. If you give your email address, they also give you a truffle to eat with your fourth tasting - very good pairing. Their wines are a little on the expensive side, and we did end up buying a bottle here, but all of the wines that we tried were very good. This winery has a more upscale feel to it, almost snooty. But I will say that most of the staff that we encountered were friendly. They did seem to rush us through the stations and our tasting as a whole. Also, check out the secret garden if you have some down time. It is very cool!

Best experience on Old Mission. Don’t skip the charcuterie. It is excellent and paired nicely with a glass of Cab Franc. Also loved there was an area where dogs could hang out with Adirondack chairs. Very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. View is excellent especially from the upper tier deck.