Marty Lagina set out to make world class 100% estate wine from grapes that had never been grown on Old Mission Peninsula. He named the winery for his Italian grandmother, Teresa Mari, and planted the varieties she would have recognised: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and their northern Italian relatives, in a part of Michigan where the received wisdom said they would not ripen.
The first vineyard went in within a mile of the winery over one hot and frantic weekend in 1999. It produced Row 7, the flagship blend, which became their first official production in 2006 and has been the most popular wine on the list ever since.
What makes it work is the site and the cellar built into it. The wines age in caves dug by hand into the peninsula, and the range keeps pushing at the edges of what northern Michigan can do: Lagrein alongside Gamay Noir, skin-contact Malvasia in an oak Doppelstück after the Georgian qvevri tradition, a wine made entirely from the sugar maples on the property, and a cider fermented on grape pomace that would otherwise have gone to the compost heap.
Wines
A tasting room Mari Vineyards can open from the cellar.
Vesper is live video and a checkout in the same window. Independent wineries broadcast from where the wine is actually made, talk through what is in the glass, and sell it direct without you leaving the stream. Most bottles worth knowing about never reach a shelf near you. This is how you meet them, and the people who made them, anyway.
- 1Follow, and get the call
Following Mari Vineyards means a notification the moment they switch the camera on. Tastings are announced here, not buried in an email list.
- 2Watch and ask
The winemaker pours what is in front of them and talks through it. Chat is open, so the thing you actually wanted to know gets answered on camera.
- 3Buy direct, mid-pour
The wines being poured are purchasable on the spot. Mari Vineyards is the seller of record and ships the order themselves. Vesper only earns a commission when a bottle sells.
Frequently asked
What is Vesper?
Vesper is a live tasting room for independent wineries. Wineries broadcast live video from the cellar or the vineyard, talk through what they are pouring, take questions in chat, and sell those wines direct in the same window. Mari Vineyards is the seller of record and ships orders itself. Vesper takes a commission only when a bottle sells.
Where is Mari Vineyards located?
Mari Vineyards is based in Traverse City, MI.
What wines does Mari Vineyards make?
Mari Vineyards produces Red Blend, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Maple Wine, Skin-contact White, Chardonnay, Riesling, Malvasia, Cider, with vintages spanning 2021–2024.
Can I buy Mari Vineyards wine online?
Yes. You can buy Mari Vineyards's wines directly on Vesper, ranging from $22.00 to $42.00. The winery ships your order directly.
Does Mari Vineyards host live tastings?
Mari Vineyards can host live tastings on Vesper where you watch the winemaker pour and buy featured wines as they're presented.
Do I need a ticket or a reservation to join a tasting?
No. Live tastings on Vesper are free to watch and open to anyone. Follow Mari Vineyards and you are notified when they go on camera. You only pay if you decide to buy a wine.
Who ships my order, and who am I buying from?
Mari Vineyards. On Vesper the winery is the merchant of record: it sets the price, takes the order, and ships the wine directly to you. Vesper handles the video, the checkout, and the payment, and earns a commission on the sale.
Be in the room when Mari Vineyards pours
Following puts you on the list for their next live tasting. Watch from wherever you are, ask the winemaker anything while the bottle is open, and buy direct from the winery in the same window.