The familiar “M-22” diamond-shaped sign appearing in hundreds of car windows seems to be as ubiquitous as “My child is an honor student at … ” bumper stickers. Highway M-22 is a wonderfully scenic road that wraps around the perimeter of the Leelanau Peninsula, showcasing picturesque vistas of Grand Traverse Bay, neighboring Old Mission Peninsula, islands and verdant vineyards as it darts through historic villages, such as Suttons Bay and Leland.

The Southern River Rhone Valley region in Southeast France is home to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, where some of the world’s great red wine is grown. Thanks to hot summers and strong winds, the rocky soils absorb heat by day and gradually release the heat to the grapes during the cool nights. Typically, the wines are bright, rich, and deep, made in a style that minimizes oak influence, if oak is used at all.

Pinot Noir is renowned as a grape variety that can be challenging to grow and even more challenging to turn into great wine. It is the signature grape of the Burgundy region of France and thrives in cooler grape growing regions where it achieves a wonderful balance of tannin, sugar and acid.

France is the most prototypical example of strict growing and labeling regulations, which also simplifies ordering French wine once the rules are understood.

As we turned east off of Napa Valley s Silverado Trail and started the winding trek up Howell Mountain, a brisk brilliant blue-sky day welcomed us to Napa Valley s famed and historic Burgess Cellars. In an era in which so many Napa Valley wineries are small cogs in sprawling corporate wine conglomerate empires, the perpetuation of a multi-generation family owned winery is a refreshing change of pace.

These wineries boast many medalwinning wines and are attracting loyal followers. Geographically, the northernmost winery on the trail is Burgdorf s Winery, east of Haslett, and the southernmost is J. Tree Vineyards, near Blissfield. In between, six other wineries span from Dexter on the east side to Albion on the west.

As fall colors explode in full splendor, and freshly picked grapes begin their metamorphosis into fine wine, what better time to enjoy a weekend excursion to one of Michigan’s fine wine trails? And there is no better time for an introduction to Michigan’s newest winery and tasting room, Verterra Winery.

Mark Carlson of Suttons Bay’s Silver Leaf Vineyard poured his 2009 reserve Chardonnay, aged 18 months in French oak. Fans of full malolactic, barrel-aged Chardonnay will enjoy the buttery, vanillatinged flavors, broad palate and creamy mouth feel.

Craft beers. Micro brews. Whatever you choose to call them, appreciation for craft-brewed beers and ales and other specialty beverages, such as hard cider and mead, is expanding in Michigan.

Although a variety of wine styles are produced in the Douro, when most people think of port, they think of a sweet red wine, fortified with neutral grape spirits to increase the alcohol content and stop fermentation while plenty of sugar remains in the wine.