Vintner’s Cellar

??? This is closed… I went to a party there one time. It was a weird time. They serve wine but its for charity. The service was OK but i found the crowd to be very snooty. I ended up leaving for a keg party across the street at the now defunct i-​Detroit.

Drink wine for charity? Don’t mind if I do! I liked every wine I had except for one of the reds (maybe the Chianti). I especially loved the Raceberi «Merlot» and ended up buying a bottle (only $ 12!). They only do scheduled tastings and such, and my understanding is that you cannot just buy glasses of wine on a walk-​up basis. I cannot say I get their setup.

Up until now I have NOT been a fan of wine — I drank a lot of beer and liquor in college and even after I graduated, I never really got into wine. So, at least know that my review is not coming from a wine expert.
I bought a deal from Living Social for my boyfriend and I. We made an afternoon appointment for a summer Saturday to come in for a wine tasting with cheese and crackers. The woman at the bar was extremely friendly and helpful, and she was very knowledgeable and was able to answer questions and offer recommendations. She was attentive and asked what we thought of each of the glasses she brought. I was so impressed with the experience that I bought a bottle to take home. Would definitely go back again!

I’m not sure if I missed something… anything, but I just went here for a friend’s Bachelorette party, and we were not treated very kindly. The two women who worked the evening (not sure who they were) were not pleasant, snippy, and unhelpful. Many of the girls in the party were not wine drinkers and their questions went unanswered. Also, we go to «bottle» our own wine to take with us, but the instructions were not clear, the samples were either too tiny or they said they were closing soon so they couldn’t fill people’s punch cards… The amount each of us paid we definitely should have had our fill. Maybe it was an off day, but for a special girls-​day, I would not recommend it.

In vino veritas.
In wine there is the truth. On any given day I am 80% wine, so I suppose there is truth in me too. In fact, right now, just for you, I’m going to expel some truth. I’m going to feel like a jerk, but I’m going to do it.
First, we need to understand what Vintner’s is. It’s a winery, not a wine bar. You can try and walk in for a tasting, but generally you need an appointment (I found this out the hard way). They make their own wine sourcing grapes from all over the world. You can make your own wine there too. You can have parties here or make wine for your wedding. I probably wouldn’t want to subject my guests to my own wine experiment, but I suppose it could be kind of endearing.
So, the wine. How can I put this delicately? I can’t. In a word, the wine is amateur. In a more specific word, imbalanced (too much alcohol). You shouldn’t get a tingle on your tongue unless you’re drinking sparkling wine. I tasted five wines, including an ice wine, because I didn’t even know what that was. I didn’t like any of them. Turns out an ice wine is akin to a wine cooler. Cold and sweet.
So what I’m saying, with a cringed face, is that this is not a place to buy good wine. I’d really like to stand behind a woman who quit her job to open a winery, but I just don’t think the wine is up to par yet. So now that simple honesty is making me feel like an asshole I’d like to add… If you want to dabble in making your own wine (which is admittedly a lot of fun even if the end result is nothing fantastic), then give it a go.
But maybe don’t serve it at your wedding, especially if I’m a guest. I just might be the kind to Unilocal your wedding and criticize your winemaking abilities.

I bought a deal on groupon for Vinter’s as a present for my friend’s birthday. We went to the groupon tasting party, rather than schedule our own separate tasting.
There were quite a few people there — almost 30 I would say, and we started off early (the party ran from 6 – 8 and we were there at 6). There wasn’t enough seating for everyone, so quite a few people were standing, but it was not cramped and you could still move freely.
Despite the amount of people, Lisa, the owner, took the time to make recommendations to everyone who asked. I told her that I’m not really a wine fan, but she had me try a few wines I actually liked. She had an incredible memory — every time we came back to the bar for another sample, she remembered what we had previously tried!
I thought Vinter’s was a really nice place with great employees… so helpful and fun! We’re considering going back for a wine making class, which I bet will be absolutely awesome.
Try the chocolate cherry dessert wine. It’s fabulous. Also try the ice wine… I can’t imagine drinking a full size portion of it though!

This custom winery offers patrons the opportunity to taste, purchase and even make their own wine. The front of the house has comfortable chairs and a wine bar. Glass kegs of wine are stored on the other side, in various stages of aging. Patrons are invited to taste any product, discuss the nose, palate and texture, and purchase a glass, or a bottle off the shelf. There’s even free wi-​fi so you can bring a laptop and get a little work done! Or you could hang out and chat with Lisa, the owner, who is friendly and knowledgeable.
But what about the wine? It’s good! White wine lovers will enjoy the crisp and fruity Riesling or the more complex Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve sample each of the reds, with my favorites probably the Cabernet Shiraz and the Red Zin. The Zin was quite smooth with pepper notes, the Cabernet Shiraz more full-​bodied without being overly heavy. A Vintner’s Cellar specialty is the selection of fruit wines, which are lighter and slightly sweeter. A best seller is the Raspberry Zinfandel. And then save room for a Chocolate Kiss – this ruby red Port style wine is blended with cherries and deep, rich cocoa.
Wines are reasonably priced, and making your own brings the price down considerably.

I went here to do some wine tasting with a few of my friends. They have a comfy facility and you can see some of the wine making paraphenelia while sitting at the counter doing the tasting. Lisa, one of the owners, had places set for our group with wine glasses, lists of wines & a plate with grapes, crackers and several types of cheeses to cleanse the palate between wine types.
Lisa explained a lot about the wines to us, and she gave us recommendations based on what we said we liked.
I really enjoyed the white merlot (a blush wine) which I think is a little rare to find. I also really enjoyed the barolo (an italian wine I have never sampled before). The fruit wines were very different and I enjoyed them. I found the dessert wines to be very sweet. Even more sweet than a typical port wine, so I was not a big fan of them.
The price I think is typically $ 15 per person for 5 wine samples. We had a deal from Groupon that gave us 2 for 1 on the wine tasting. I do balk slightly at the (regular) price, but mostly because we are in Michigan, not Napa Valley where you anticipate paying that or more for tastings.

I stopped by Vintners to interview Lisa, the owner, for a local blog. Lisa was extremely pleasant and easy to talk to, and she was helpful in explaining the wine making process, how Vintners is unique, and in helping me pick out new wines. I sampled a handful of wines, including an awesome Pear ice wine, but I was thankful for the fact that Lisa introduced (and encouraged me to try) me to Ports. I had tried a port before and wasn’t a fan, but Vintners had a holiday port, Chocolate flavored, that was delicious. I’m glad that she educated me on Ports as I now have a new appreciation for them. I also had a taste of the Cranberry Riesling (another holiday special) that I ended up bringing home and serving at Thanksgiving (it went over well with the family). I haven’t signed up for them yet, but Vintners also has a wine making class.

I went here for a Social Media Club Detroit event to try some wines.
It was $ 10 for 5 tastes of wine. I think a dollar went to charity. They also had a spread of foods that people brought. Everyone at this private party brought non-​perishable foods to give to the needy. Very cool.
Their dessert ice wine and chocolate cherry wines were amazing. I’m a big fan of dessert wines.
I thought there was Wifi but it wasn’t working that evening.
The $ 10 is was a tad too much for 5 taste samples. Especially since the vineyards in Northern Michigan do not charge anything to sample their wines.

I had a great time last Friday night at Vintner’s for their wine tasting and jazz. I really enjoyed all the variety of wines I sampled at this tasting and a prior one, and this time I purchased four bottles to take home with me. I have never been interested in fruit wines before, but was really impressed with the peach chardonay, black currant merlot, raspberry zinfandel and the chocolate tart cherry. Also thought the pinot grigio was wonderfully smooth, compared to those in stores. The live jazz music and warm lighting added to the ambiance of the evening and it was a great time all around.

I went to Vintner’s Cellar for the Voices of Detroit networking event last night. Although I live in Royal Oak, I didn’t know anything about this establishment. It is part wine bar, part retail. They make wine on site. We got to sample three varieties. I love red, so I naturally went for the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Pinot Noir and the Shiraz (known as Hot & Sassy!) I was skeptical, because I haven’t found many Michigan reds to my liking. I enjoyed all of them, but the Shiraz was definitely my favorite — it was a mouthful of bright warm flavor! My friend bought a bottle of «Chocolate Kiss», a dessert wine that tastes like a chocolate-​covered cherry — mmm! Great location for events. And an awesome gift, as you can create your own wine, and have it labeled to suit. Welcome to Royal Oak, Vinter’s Cellar!