PAW PAW, Mich. — St. Julian Winery & Distillery, the family-owned winery and distillery headquartered in Paw Paw, has opened a new tasting room in Gaylord, marking the company's expansion into Northern Michigan.
The new location at 2250 M-32 in Gaylord is St. Julian's seventh tasting room and opened to the public on Wednesday, September 30. The space brings the company's portfolio of Michigan-made wines, spirits, hard ciders and non-alcoholic beverages to the region's residents and visitors.
To mark the grand opening, the winery is offering complimentary wine tastings to guests through October 14, the company said.
"We are incredibly excited to officially become part of the Gaylord community and welcome guests into our newest tasting room," Apollo Braganini II, president of St. Julian Winery & Distillery, said in a statement. "Gaylord is such a vibrant destination in Northern Michigan, and we look forward to sharing the St. Julian experience with both the people who call the area home and those visiting throughout the year."
St. Julian was founded in 1921 and describes itself as Michigan's longest-running winery and first craft distillery. The family-owned company has grown from its early winemaking roots into one of the state's most recognized wine and spirits producers, with six other tasting rooms located throughout the state. Its products are also distributed through wholesale partners in several states across the U.S.
The winery says most of its grapes are grown within 40 miles of its Paw Paw location, thanks to its estate vineyard in Coloma and partnerships with local growers.
St. Julian has been an active part of Paw Paw's local events calendar. The company hosted wine tastings, live music and food trucks during the Paw Paw Wine & Harvest Festival in early September, which runs throughout downtown Paw Paw.