Round Barn Winery, Brewery and Distillery
by
Kathy Sullivan
Summary: The Round Barn Winery tasting room on the estate property is a most unique facility. The barn was built at the turn of the century and moved piece by piece to its current location. Vodka and beer is also produced on the property. Wine enthusiasts will enjoy tasting Michigan wines and viewing the architecture of a round barn.
Round Barn Winery began as the result of an area winery that needed advise. A student at school asked his biology teacher, Rick Moersch, a question about winemaking and it wasn’t long before Rick was working in Tabor Hills Winery lab analyzing wines, producing wine and eventually planting his own vineyards. Rick was the winemaker at Tabor Hill Winery for years. Eventually Rick started his own winery. Today Round Barn Winery is home to a winery, distillery and brewery operated by Rick and his sons, Chris and Matt. Chris is the General Manager and Matt is the winemaker.
The Round Barn Winery began life as “Heart of the Vineyard Winery” that opened in 1992. After the Round Barn was added to the winery site, people began referring to the winery as the winery with the Round Barn and the name officially changed to Round Barn Winery.
Visitors to the Round Barn Winery, Distillery and Brewery drive past the distillery with its gleaming copper still. The same building also houses the winery and brewery. Set farther back on the property is the Round Barn where wine tastings take place. The large Round Barn is white and rises high above the adjacent vineyards. The structure has a sloping roof with a light at the center. The first floor has two semicircular copper covered tasting counters. The second floor also has tasting counters. Elongated copper lights line the walls. Each copper plate has an alchemy image cut out. The winery has enough room to accommodate buses and limousines.
The Round Barn was originally constructed in Indiana. The Moersch family purchased the Round Barn two weeks before it was due to be demolished. Amish workers took down the barn piece by piece and it was transported to Michigan where Amish craftsmen rebuilt the barn.
Currently there are 20 acres of vineyards on the property. Some of these vineyards can be seen outside of the Round Barn where they are sloping down towards the entrance. Grape varietals include Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Pinot Gris. Production is 10,000 cases.
Sparkling Wines
Blanc de Blanc was produced with Chardonnay. This pale yellow sparkling wine was crisp and palate cleansing. There were citrus notes with tropical fruit notes. Blanc de Noir was a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The sparkling wine was crisp and palate cleansing. There were fruit notes with a hint of sweetness.
White Wines
Reserve Chardonnay 2008 had a light yellow color. The aroma offered apple, pear and oak nuances. The taste had butter with notes of apple and caramel. The finish was crisp with caramel yielding to citrus. Pinot Gris 2008 was a pale yellow with a citrus aroma. The taste was smooth with citrus. The mineral finish yielded to tropical fruit. Riesling 2008 aroma had floral and tropical fruit nuances. The taste was of apples and pears. The finish was fruity.
Red Wines
Merlot 2005 was aged in oak for 20 months. This ruby wine had dark fruit notes with a smooth, dark fruit taste. The finish was fruity with tannins.
Dessert Wines
The winery offers several dessert wines. The Apricot wine had 20 percent alcohol. The aroma and taste were of intense apricot notes while the finish was smooth with no heat. The finish was very long with a long apricot aftertaste. Other dessert wines available include Black Currant and Raspberry.
Vodka
DiVine was a clear vodka with a high alcohol heat on the finish. This vodka had a long fruit (grape) aftertaste.
Events
Round Barn offers events throughout the year. Of special interest are the Reds, Whites and BBQ Festival in July, Harvest Party in August and special two-day Winemaking Classes in September and October. The website provides details of events.
When planning your visit to Round Barn Winery, consider tasting wines, vodka and beer. Call ahead for tour reservations. Also, plan on visiting Free Run Cellars, a boutique winery operated by Matt and Chris Moersch.
Round Barn Winery, Brewery and Distillery
10983 Hills Road
Baroda, Michigan 49101
GPS: N41º 55.263’ W86º 27.237’
