Brys Estate’s Spiked Hot Cider (& Hot New Trail!)
Tastemaker
Per the governor’s order, tasting rooms are closed to indoor wine and food service through Jan. 15, but that doesn’t mean Brys Estate’s gorgeous Old Mission Peninsula property — or its inspired libations — are off-limits. Just one day after Christmas, the inventive estate crew opened a new winter trail on Brys’ 111 snowy acres (open to the public only during normal business hours, 11am–5pm daily).
Whether you hike, snowshoe, or XC ski the easy mile-long vineyard loop or add on the additional 1/2 mile through Brys’ snowy wooded valleys and sleeping lavender fields, you can enhance your trek with a cup of your favorite Brys wine ($8–$11) or our new favorite, their trailside Spiked Hot Cider ($8), made with the estate’s own Estate Dry Riesling, apple cider, brown sugar, and mulling spices.
Want to go warmer and longer? Add a Brys insulated tumbler, on sale for $7, and a Cheese & Charcuterie box ($15), then sit yourself down at one of their new outdoor tabletop firepits and make a chill afternoon of it. Find Brys Estate at 3309 Blue Water Rd., in Traverse City. (231) 223-9303, www.brysestate.com