The view here is awesome.- FYI the trees at the entrance are chestnuts. -The $5 tasting fee can be deducted from the purchase price of your bottles.-We were told that yes they are usually this busy which is interesting as we have driven past here everytime we are in the area and unfortunately missed this view.- Parking lot is small so if you go try to go early so you can miss the crowds.
We've been to the wineries of Traverse City a few times now some years between visits. 2 Lads is still top of our list for wineries on Old Mission peninsula. This winery is a bit more contemporary, which is our speed. The staff is always friendly and the services are grwat. Most importantly though is the wine. They have the best selection and the best production of wines. My tastes are geared toward the red wines that have a slight spiciness to them. My wife prefers reds, but also drinks whites as long as they're not too dry. 2 Lads fulfills both of our tastes to the highest level. We recently signed up for their wine club and cannot wait to get our 2 shipments of wine (several bottles per shipment) each year. Whether you are like us and need to get to 2 Lads first or saving the best for last, or both, 2 Lads is a must when in the Traverse City area.
We did several Old Mission and Leelanau wineries over a two day period. My wife and I would have to say that 2 Lads was our favorite. We like big bold Cabs and Pinot Noir so Michigan is really not the ideal State to go to for them but we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of wine in Michigan. I can't really agree with the last reviewer who had bad service - we were there for 30 minutes and they treated us great. The views are also fantastic.
We went during peak color, so the place was very busy. The parking lot is on the small side, and some drivers parked other patrons in. The tasting area was extremely busy-it looked like a bridal party-so it took quite a while to be able to taste. Luckily the view was outstanding, but we saw several couples leave rather than wait. Our tasting was so-so, as we really like hosts that explain their wines a little better.
The wine samples were ok, but the view is worth the trip. The building is very nice also, but quite small.
Albeit it was PEAK wine tasting season, we went through the tasting line. It was long and REALLY slow. It took over an hour to get 5 sips of wine. Next time we will skip the tasting and go straight to the wine by the glass. Our favorite was the Pinot Noir and the Rose.
On the drive up the peninsula some one recommended stopping at 2 Lads winery. Really cool building. Modern, clean. Nice people. Have been to tastings in CA and in MI they tend to pour the bare minimum. I assume it's a state law, but that amount is ridiculous, really. It's barely one mouthful. Not 2 Lads fault. One wine here was exceptional.
Love the view, love the Pinot Noir!!! Great reds, beautiful view from the hill top. One of my favorite wineries.
When I first moved to Traverse City, I would always bring out of town guests here when they were visiting and we were tasting some wine on the Old Mission Peninsula, but I have moved it off of the list now. If you want a great view, this is the place. Their tasting room is modern and beautiful and has excellent views of East Bay, especially when the fall colors are out. However, I am consistently disappointed with their wine. There is a $5 tasting fee unless you buy two bottles.
My husband, myself and another couple had this as our last stop on a wine tasting day. We thought it was a little off the beaten path of the other wineries but we were really happy we stopped here. They gave us actual food samples that were meant to pair well with the wine the served.it was a nice. We also got an extra pour when the line at the next station got too long. The staff was knowledgeable about the wines. Would go back here again. It was my favorite winery of the day.