Whites, reds and charcuterie spreads Graham Vineyard and Winery opens in Laingsburg

Heather and Michael McDonald have been running their Laingsburg wedding venue, Graham Banquet Center, since 2016. However, several years ago, they began looking for a way to utilize more of their 6.5-acre property. They decided to pursue winemaking, which led to the establishment of a sister operation on the property, Graham Vineyard and Winery.

“It’s been a trial and error of a three-year process,” Heather McDonald said. “I’ve taken classes to learn most of it. From there, I figured things out through more research and trial and error.”

The winery opened for business on June 7 with 15 different wines at the ready. Guests can enjoy classics like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, moscato, pinot grigio, riesling, rosé and traminette, plus flavored wines like cherry, raspberry and sparkling peach.

“We’re going to be adding another 10, hopefully by this fall or next spring. We’ll also always have some specialty wine blends and stuff that our customers tell us they think would be lovely to try,” McDonald said.

The duo is still in the process of outfitting their land to grow their own grapes. For now, they’re sourcing their ingredients from other wineries across Michigan.

“We’ve started clearing trees at the back of the property, and we’re hoping that we can earn enough funds to get that started by next spring,” McDonald said. “We’ll never have the acreage for all our wines, but no winery does. So, you’re always going to have to outsource through other vineyards to carry all the wines you have. We try to keep everything local.”

The food is another draw, McDonald said. The menu includes pizzas, sandwiches, wraps, salads, charcuterie boards, kids’ meals and more. 

“All of our dishes are artisan and scratch-made,” she said. “Our guests just devour them. They absolutely love them, and we’ve been very blessed with the easy spread of word of how delicious our food is.”

McDonald noted that the winery is kid- and pet-friendly and also offers camping through Harvest Hosts, a Colorado-based company that connects owners of wineries, farms, breweries, museums and other attractions with RV owners looking for somewhere to dock for the night.

“If you have a camper or motor home, you can log in and pay their dues, then travel with your camper or RV and stay the night on the property,” McDonald explained.

The winery occasionally closes to accommodate special events like weddings, but McDonald said its online hours will be kept as up-to-date as possible ahead of expected closures.

Overall, she hopes the new winery will provide a “laid-back” atmosphere where “everybody’s very neighborly and having a good time.”

“When my husband and I are on vacation or traveling, we’ll go to several wineries in a day. That’s what I wanted Lansing to have — another location for people to stop and relax and enjoy their stay,” she said.