The Round Barn Winery

Okay, okay, I know that when I started this blog, I said it would encompass the latest and greatest in Chicago's happenings. But one of the best things about this city is its proximity to some fantastic weekend retreats.  Armed with an invite to the annual Harvest Fest at the Round Barn Winery in southwestern Michigan, a reservation at an inn on Lake Michigan and my easy going sidekick, Saturday and Sunday was spent moseying around in St. Joe, Michigan. Not only does Round Barn produce a selection of white and red wines (opt for the Vineyard Tears, their best-selling dry white table wine), but they also make one of the world's only grape based vodkas- DiVine (check out Chicago Scene's September Drink Report on vodka). If vodka and wine weren't enough, the family owned estate, brews their own hand crafted beer. After the wine tasting in the old round barn, I tried their seasonal oak IPA- one of the better beers I've had in a while. Unfortunately didn't sell growlers during the tasting, alas, I couldn't bring any back to the city. But I did manage to buy an entire case of wine: a sampler of their Pinot Gris,  Dry Table White, Cabernet Sauvingnon, Merlot and Gewurztraminer. After the winery came dinner a new bistro in St. Joe. I was so inspired by my vineyard experience that I had to have a DiVine vodka martini, straight up with with three blue cheese olives. And to the novices who think that vodka is flavorless and dull, DiVine is one of the best vodka's that I've had. It's smooth, velvety and leaves a subtle aftertaste that makes you wonder what that special touch is. Then you realize that it's a local, small batch vodka, personally signed with the distillers seal of approval: a silver, cursive script that reads Vodka Dave, and you know it has to be good.