About Northern Sun Winery
Northern Sun Winery sits on rolling farmland outside Bark River in Delta County, one of the few places in the Upper Peninsula where you can taste wine made entirely from grapes grown on the property. The vineyard covers about five and a half acres of cold-hardy varieties picked to survive U.P. winters: Brianna, La Crescent and St. Pepin for whites, Leon Millot and Marquette for reds, plus a field blend that becomes their rosé. Wendy and Melissa Middaugh bought the winery in 2020 from founders Dave and Susie Anthony, and Wendy's son Jonathan Bovard now runs the vineyard and makes the wine.
The tasting room is a Mediterranean-style cottage with a pergola and fountain looking out over the vines, and a wine cellar built below ground. It is open every afternoon from May through October and on weekends the rest of the year, with tastings at $10. The list runs through reds, whites, rosés and fruit wines.
The best-known tradition here is the fall community harvest. On Saturday mornings from mid-September to mid-October, volunteers gather at 8 a.m. to pick one variety at a time, with coffee to start and lunch for everyone who helps. In 2026 the schedule ran from Brianna on September 12 to St. Pepin on October 17. Summer brings Sunday afternoon concerts in the vineyard from late May through August, with a $10 entry that goes to charity.
Purple Lavender Farm is also in Bark River, a short drive away. It opens by appointment from July through September, so a summer afternoon can pair a booked lavender visit with a tasting and a Sunday concert.
What to do
- Taste estate wines made from Brianna, Marquette, La Crescent and other cold-hardy grapes
- Help pick grapes at the volunteer harvest, Saturday mornings mid-September to mid-October
- Bring a chair or blanket to a Sunday concert in the vineyard, late May through August
- Sit under the pergola overlooking the vines
- Take home a bottle of red, white, rosé or fruit wine
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Tasting room open daily May through October and on weekends November through April; volunteer grape harvest Saturdays mid-September to mid-October; vineyard concerts late May through August
- Hours
- Posted on their website (2026): May–October daily 1–6 p.m. Eastern; November–April Friday–Sunday 1–6 p.m.
- Admission
- Free to visit; tastings $10 and summer concerts $10 entry (2026, as posted on their website)
Good to know
- Age
- 21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
Tips for your visit
- Harvest dates depend on the weather, and a rainy Saturday usually moves picking to Sunday; check their social pages the week of
- Harvest volunteers join the winery's Harvest Club, which gives a discount on wine during visits
- Bring your own chair or blanket for concerts
- Plan a designated driver before you head out
Pair it with a lavender farm
Purple Lavender Farm · about 15 minutes away
Purple Lavender Farm is also in Bark River; book a summer lavender visit (July–September, by appointment) and stop for a tasting on the same afternoon.
Getting there
Questions
Are the wines made from grapes grown at Northern Sun?
Yes. The winery grows its own cold-hardy grapes in Bark River and makes its wine from that fruit.
Can the public help with the grape harvest?
Yes. Volunteers pick on Saturday mornings from mid-September to mid-October starting at 8 a.m., with coffee and lunch provided.
How much is a tasting?
Their website lists tastings at $10 (2026).
Is the winery open in winter?
Yes, on Friday through Sunday afternoons from November through April.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Escanaba & Delta County, Michigan
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
