Flying Otter Winery & Tasting Room
When is the tasting room open?
Our seasonal tasting room is a covered, open-air pavilion. It is open from May until October, Thursdays through Sundays. Please dress accordingly.
Do I need to make a reservation?
No, reservations are not required; however, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. It’s a good idea to make a reservation, especially for parties of four or more. For groups of eight or more, we strongly recommend making a reservation so that our team can be prepared.
Can we bring our kids?
Yes, we are a family-friendly environment that features 'good humor heckling' from our entertainers on Friday and Saturday evenings. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Please be aware that our tasting room and winery is situated in a natural setting with an electric fence nearby to keep large pests out of certain areas of the vineyard, and there is vehicle traffic entering and exiting the premises.
Can we bring our dogs?
We adhere to the Michigan State Food Code, which prohibits pets and any animals other than service animals in any licensed food service area, including the winery and tasting room.
Where do I park?
The tasting room is an outdoor pavilion located on the west side of the property. Please follow the signs to the entrance. Parking is available on the gravel and grassy areas next to and in front of the pavilion. The ground varies between gravel, dirt, and grass. We have limited ADA-compliant parking spaces and a ramp entrance.
What do your wine tastings entail?
Our premium wine flight includes four of our estate-grown premier wines. Our Dry, Semi-Sweet, and Sweet flights feature six estate-grown wines. Single tastings and ‘by the glass’ pours are available for all our wines and hard cider. Single tasting pours are ¾ oz. Standard ‘by the glass’ pours are 5 oz. for wine, 3 oz. for dessert wines, 10 oz. for wine slushies, and 12 oz. for hard ciders.
Do you have food?
Our menu changes regularly, based on seasonal produce and available items. Our grill is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 5-8 pm. We also offer an assortment of lighter foods such as wraps, spreads, grazing boards, and more. All food is prepared fresh and served while supplies last.
Can we bring our own food and alcohol?
We do not allow outside food or drinks, including outside wine or alcohol, on the premises.
Can we walk around the vineyard?
Yes! However, please respect our grapevines and avoid touching or eating them. Stay away from the winemaker’s home for privacy and note that all winery buildings are off-limits unless accompanied by Flying Otter staff. Additionally, an electric fence runs partially through the vineyard; please ensure you stay clear of it.
Flying Otter Vineyard
How many acres is the vineyard?
We currently have eight acres of planted grapevines, with plans to expand!
How many vines do you have?
Approximately 5,000 to 6,000.
What varieties of grapes do you grow?
We cultivate all cold-climate, hardy varietals. For red grapes, we have Frontenac, Marquette, Petite Pearl, and trial sections of Sabrevois, St. Croix, and Norton. Our white varieties include Frontenac Gris, La Crosse, La Crescent, St. Pepin, Brianna, Itasca, and Frontenac Blanc.
Flying Otter Winemaking
How much wine do you make?
We are a small batch winery, producing about 700 cases a year, equivalent to approximately 8,500 bottles of wine. Each case totals 2.4 gallons, amounting to about 1,680 gallons of wine annually. The bottling and production figures may not always align, as some wines require more than a year to age properly and be ready for bottling, causing variations in our stock during the aging process.
How long does it take to make wine?
Whites are pressed immediately after picking, while reds are fermented on the skins and must be pressed post-fermentation. Fermentation typically lasts 1-3 weeks. Subsequently, the processes of racking, filtering, fining, aging, and other cellar treatments can extend from 6 months to several years. Generally, whites are ready sooner than reds.
Where did you get your name?
The name "Flying Otter" combines the owner, Bob Utter’s passion for aviation—he is building an airplane—with a nod to his heritage. "Flying" reflects his interest in the industry, while "Otter" is derived from his surname, Utter, which itself comes from the Swedish word for "otter." This link traces back to Bob’s earliest known ancestor, Nicholas Mattson Utter, who arrived in America in 1654. The surname was likely assigned as part of a military practice of using unique identifiers, such as animal names, to distinguish soldiers with common names in large units.
