I’m always interested in the ways wineries benefit their communities. Just having a winery tasting room in a community would typically benefit restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts and gas stations. I’m sure other businesses get some extra business from those staying for the night, very likely purchasing items from other shops in the area. After writing about how communities benefit from wineries in their local area, I asked for wineries to contact me about what they do to help their communities. I quickly received a response from Coryn Briggs, Director of Marketing for Black Star Farms.

Black Star Farms in Traverse City, Michigan offers three tasting rooms. The original winery and tasting room is located on Leelanau Peninsula and the other winery and tasting room is on Old Mission Peninsula. White wine is featured at the Old Mission Peninsula tasting room. Black Star Farms also has a tasting room in downtown Traverse City.

Black Star Farms helps both non-profit and retail business in the immediate area and around the state of Michigan. The winery works with non-profits including culinary programs, environment and the arts. Examples cited were the Northwestern Michigan College Culinary Scholarship Program, The Traverse Symphony Orchestra, Public Radio and The Michigan Land Use Institute. In addition Black Star Farms works with non-profits that are organizing auctions by donating in-kind donations of wine.

Retail business can benefit from Black Stars’ community involvement. They will work with a conference planner to have Black Star Farms wines at events. Special tours are also available for conference attendees.

Read a review about a visit to Black Star Farms Leelanau Peninsula. Read a review of Black Star Farms Old Mission Peninsula.

Many thanks to Coryn Briggs, Director of Marketing, for providing me with information about Black Star Farms community involvement.

Do you know of a winery that contributes to the community or charity? Let me know and I’ll add a blog about it.

Cheers, Kathy