By Kevin Alan Lamb
It’s a family feel and rustic vibe at the recently opened Three Trees Vineyard located at 5200 Elm Valley Road in Suttons Bay. Named in tribute to the three mothers of co-owners Phil and Lyle Cifuentes, and Scott and Laurie Muschong, who are no longer with us — Three Trees is a space for gathering, healing, and honoring the offerings of the land.
Their concert series, Three Trees Sounds launched on June 24 with folk duo Ask Carol from Norway, giving way to a run of notable Michigan acts including Jordan Hamilton, Jake Allen, and Dixon’s Violin.
Phil and Scott had an automation company in Detroit, and like many others during the pandemic, realized they had spent more than 20 years in windowless factories, and knew they didn’t want to spend the next 20 doing the same. With a long history of visiting the Leelanau Peninsula, the two families decided to follow their hearts to Suttons Bay, take a leap of faith, and fulfill a lifelong dream of owning a vineyard.
Born and raised in Detroit, the Cifuentes are a couple grunge kids at heart, and couldn’t envision their dream without music in it.
“We felt this could be a place where people were drawn to without knowing why,” Phil Cifuentes says, “getting the chance to connect with and feel at home on the vineyard that has become ours over these last three years. The only thing that’s been missing, is music, until now.”
Set to primarily take place on Mondays, the concert series will be ticketed events, taking place in either the tasting room, or outside. In either instance, outside food is welcome, and children 12 and under are free.
Visionary violinist Dixon’s Violin is performing on July 15. Tickets are $25 online here.
Nashville’s rogue-folk duo and band Adrian + Meredith make their Three Trees debut on August 5. Tickets are $15 online here.
The Three Trees Vineyard team closed on their Suttons Bay property in early 2021, though they waited until they had a few vintages bottled before they set an opening date.
“Now we have 2021 wines, 2022 wines, and 2023 wines, and we’re ready to open,” Lyle Cifuentes shares. “And for the most part, we’ve farmed all the property ourselves.”
In terms of wines, Cifuentes points to merlot and cab franc as the “bread and butter” at Three Trees, though the winery also has pinot gris available to start. Other varieties – such as pinot noir and chardonnay – were planted more recently, but will eventually join the wine rotation.
Pruned and built with their own hands, the Muschong’s and Cifuentes continue to pour their love and sweat equity into the vineyard, embracing the philosophy of being great neighbors to adjacent homes, businesses, and the cherished customs of the peninsula. Embracing their shift to natural living, both families continue to enjoy RV camping aside the jack pine forest.
If the tasting room sign says open, take a drive down the dirt road at 5200 Elm Valley, follow the signs to park on the grass tucked within the vineyard, and gather at Three Trees to be reminded how magical this adventure could be when you let yourself getaway.
This Is A Good Sound 