COLLEEN PETERSON

ON A JOURNEY TOGETHER

by Cortney Casey

As if there wasn’t enough upheaval occurring in spring 2020, Colleen Peterson was preparing for a job interview. It was shortly after the start of the pandemic, and just before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted quarantine restrictions. The odd circumstances led to a whole new level of anxiety for Peterson as she prepared to meet with Verterra Winery co-owner Paul Hamelin. “I was so nervous,” recalls Peterson, who — spoiler alert — ultimately snagged the

position as Verterra tasting room manager. “Do I wear a mask? Will it be outside? Do I shake his hand?”

Prior to working at Verterra, Peterson spent eight years at Sandhill Crane Vineyards in Jackson, on the Pioneer Wine Trail, before relocating to the Traverse City area with her partner, Nicole Schulte. Peterson briefly worked at Peninsula Cellars on Old Mission Peninsula before making the leap to Leelanau Peninsula.

Now, two years in, she says her passion for the Michigan wine industry was “truly set back on fire” when she stepped into the Verterra manager position.

Below, Peterson shares some of her up north and down south experiences, tips for would-be visitors, and why she passionately believes that wine is for everyone.

Q: How did you originally get into the wine industry? I answered an ad for a little winery in Jackson, Michigan, called Sandhill Crane Vineyards to work in the kitchen as a café worker. Every time I would work, I would listen to the people in the tasting room, and just got so intrigued by the wine and all there was to learn, so I started begging to work on ‘that side.’ From there, I just became obsessed with how much there was to learn!

Working for a winery that had their own kitchen, I learned a lot about pairing wines, which is so fun. I remember being like 22, trying these dry red wines, thinking, what the heck? Then, when our winemaker and chemist paired them with the right things, it’s like my world just opened up, and it all made sense.

Q: You moved from southeast Michigan to the Traverse City area in April 2019. What made you decide to move? What has that been like?

I think I learned all I could (at SCV). It’s a small winery, and I had moved up in the company as much as I could. Working in wine, you constantly can keep learning, and that’s all I wanted to do, was to learn more on a bigger scale. And the wineries up here are producing two times or more than SCV does, and growing fruit that can struggle down there.

I’m not going to lie: At first, it was super hard. I missed my regulars so much. Lucky for me, a lot of them have followed me around … And I’ve made so many new regulars in the process.

I would say it’s definitely much much busier up here. I mean, it’s a tourist destination; at times, that can be hard and tiring. But working for Verterra, the clients I see care so much about the wine and want to learn, and that always keeps me going, because I just want to pour great wine and break down the stigma that the wine industry tends to have that you have to be of a certain walk of life to enjoy wine, when there’s something for all of us, no matter where were from. It brings us together.

Q: As you noted, wine sometimes carries the misperception of being stuffy, or as only intended for a certain demographic. What would you want wine newbies to know about the accessibility of wine? How do you think tasting room staff can help make wine feel more approachable to newcomers?

I think how and where I was raised plays a lot into how I approach the tasting room. I was the kid that was friends with all the different cliques in high school. I never wanted anyone to feel unwelcome. I think this has shaped how I speak and welcome new people into the tasting room. I went to a giant public school in Jackson, Michigan. We had every type of kid you could think of, and I’m so grateful for that experience, because I think it has helped me look back and realize I don’t carry a judgement of someone before I actually get to talk with them.

It’s important to realize so many guests are still having their first wine experience when we have the pleasure to meet them in the tasting room, and I want to welcome them no matter where they’re from or what they do. Putting anyone in a box has never made sense to me.

When working at SCV, I had multiple experiences that instantly made me proud, but broke my heart. We would meet all different people, and they would confide to us that it was the first time that they felt welcome, safe and comfortable in the wine world being served by us. Special, yet sad.

Wine is for everyone. And if you think you don’t even like wine — well, jump in, we’re going on a journey together. Hopefully we’ll find something you love, and you’ll learn a few things along the way, too!

My biggest advice … would be to always drop your perceptions/expectations at the door, and welcome everyone in with an open mind and heart. We all have so much to learn and take from each other, even in our short experiences in the small amount of time we’re spending during a wine tasting. Keep evolving and growing.

Q: In your current position, sometimes you’re at Verterra’s Leland tasting room, and sometimes you’re at The Ridge, their offsite tasting room amid the vineyards. What’s it like working at one versus the other?

The Leland tasting room is so cute and quaint, especially in the winter. That’s my favorite; you feel like you’re in a Lifetime movie.

Leland sees more of our walk in/tourist traffic. Most people walking in during the summer think we’re another shop or have food, and ending up tasting wine … usually loving it and joining the club. It’s the Leland tasting room’s eleventh year, and somehow we still have people who have come to Fishtown their whole life and never known we were hiding right off Main.

The Ridge is just jaw-dropping gorgeous. It’s the highest point that far north, so you see the entire bay in front of you while you ’re surrounded by our grapes, and Lake Michigan you can see over the parking lot. It’s like you’re in some secret place. The Ridge is usually busy on most Saturdays with weddings, but it gets very intentional traffic. This is only the second season of us doing a “tasting room” up there, so the word isn’t super out about it. It’s where you go to bring a picnic and stay for the day because it’s just so gorgeous and beautiful!

Q: What does your typical schedule look like in your current job?

I think one of the major things that drew me to working in the wine industry was how many different hats you can wear. For Verterra, in the spring, you can find me bottling wine, or labeling, or at the warehouse for days, packing our giant wine club. I will help harvest as long as I can find the time in October. I will step in and work weddings, which can be a lot of fun.

But typically, as a tasting room manager, I will usually arrive an hour or more before open, which is at noon (and so nice, ha) have my coffee and my quiet time before putting on my game face for the day. If it’s the weekend, I try to mostly do what I

call floating: jumping around where needed in the tasting room, supporting my team. Keeping the dishwasher going so we have clean glassware, filling wine orders, guiding traffic, sweeping outside, being wherever I’m needed. If it’s the weekdays, I’ m usually on the bar … my favorite place to be with our guests.

Q: I know this is hard to answer, but … what’s your favorite Verterra wine?

OMG, you would think after 11 years in the wine industry, I would loathe this question, but honestly, for the first time in my career, my answer is, “Well, I have a favorite in every section of the wine list!”

Rosés: Right now the Rosé of Merlot has my heart. Super juicy strawberry — it’s yum.

Sparkling: I love our new 2021 Chaos Sparkler. It’s a blend of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc, has a whisper of sweetness, but the acidity on it just makes it pop!

White: Dry Riesling, forever and always. My go to! It is so exciting and fun to try them each year, because they’re so different and layered with flavors, then they just change throughout the season.

Red: Pinot Noir, always! Our 2018 is so beautiful; it’s super mocha, caramel, toasted walnut on the nose.

Q: What tips would you give people who are visiting tasting rooms for the first time, or for the first time post-COVID?

My biggest tip would be to call your favorite wineries you’re planning to visit, check in with their protocols, so that you aren’t surprised or upset if things have changed, and to be flexible if they have. Most of all, to be kind. So many places in northern Michigan are short staffed, and maybe things haven’t reverted back to what you’re used to because of this. So I would say be open minded, be flexible, and be kind.

Q: How have things changed in the business post-COVID?

This year so far has felt like back to “normal” pre-COVID, I have seen so many bigger groups, so many friends finally able to get back together and do the trips they used to do to Northern Michigan. It’s exciting.

We are a tiny tasting room in Leland. We didn’t have the option to throw up igloos and put people outside, so we always stayed (with) “traditional” wine tasting at the bar. Which really tickled our guests! I mean, when you’ re confined to (table-side) flights most places you go, it’s pretty exciting to go to winery where things are ‘like they used to be.’

We also have seen our (Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail) events shift a bit, which has been nice — slimming down ticket sales, so it’s not so crazy and congested, and encouraging people to do the month-long events, so you can take your time. Also, encouraging people to use the Leelanau Peninsula wine pass, which is good for a year, so once again you can take your time with it, and you get little perks at each winery!

Q: Can you share a few of your favorite moments from behind the bar?

One of my absolute favorites happened at SCV. It was a dead Sunday and all of a sudden, a 50-person bus pulled in, unexpected … which makes anyone working in the wine industry freak out a little. But anyone that knows me knows I thrive on the chaos. I threw together our back room and did a little pre-selected tasting for the group. They just happened to be the most intimidating female rugby team that had just won their championship game and were celebrating. They made songs with my name every time I came back, made me blush more than I would like to admit, and took hundreds of pictures with me. They made me laugh like crazy. Their excitement was intoxicating. It was so much fun, and I think about them all the time. It went from a sleepy Sunday to one of the most fun days!

Another one that happens almost every other weekend that always makes me laugh is getting little notes from Two K. My partner is a tasting room manager there, and both Two K and Verterra are on Leelanau Peninsula, so it’ s not unlikely that we both see a lot of the same customers in the day. But she will find the funniest, most wild groups and tell them to come to Verterra, and write little hand-written notes to the Verterra team saying, “Hi” and “Hope you all are having a good day,” and of course tells the group funny little inside jokes to say. It always makes me smile and laugh on the craziest of days.

Q: As you mentioned, your partner, Nicole — who you met while working at SCV — is the tasting room manager at Two K Farms Cidery & Winery. What is it like having a partner who also is in the industry?

I don’t think I would ever want to be with someone who didn’t deeply understand the nuances of being a tasting room manager. We both know what it’s like to support a team doing what we do. We help each other problem solve. That level of understanding is just priceless, and I cherish it.

I am such a helpless romantic. I love love stories, and romcoms, all of it. When I was working at SCV, I used to tell all my coworkers, “I’m going to meet my person here, I just know it.” Yet, I had no idea it would be her. She started working there and instantly became my closest friend. Falling in love with your best friend is something that we’re both just so lucky to have. Understanding each others’ job is an added blessing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cortney Casey is a certified sommelier and co-founder of Michigan By The Bottle, an online community promoting the entire Michigan wine industry. She’s also co-owner of Michigan By The Bottle Tasting Room, tasting rooms operated in partnership with multiple Michigan wineries, located in Shelby Township, Royal Oak and Auburn Hills. Contact her at cort@michiganbythebottle.com.