Good Harbor Vineyards
Good Harbor Vineyards is a family-owned Michigan winery, founded in 1980 on the Leelanau Peninsula, producing whites, reds, rosés, and Charmat-method sparkling wines from 100% Michigan fruit for direct-to-consumer tasting-room, wine-club, online, and wholesale trade customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersLake Leelanau, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Good Harbor Vineyards does
Good Harbor Vineyards is a family-owned winery founded in 1980 on the Leelanau Peninsula in Northern Michigan, producing wines from 100% Michigan fruit across a portfolio of whites (Pinot Grigio, Unoaked Chardonnay, Late Harvest Riesling, Fishtown White, Trillium), reds (Harbor Red, Pinot Noir-Zweigelt, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Lemberger), rosés (Sleeping Bare), and the John W. Simpson Sparkling Series (Blanc de Blanc, Blanc de Noirs) made via the Charmat method. Winemaking is led by Head Winemaker Drew Perry, with vineyard operations managed by Nick Florip under sustainable and organic practices (cover crops, composting, cane pruning, VSP training) on 125+ acres within two miles of Lake Michigan. The Simpson family operates the business across three generations, with second-generation vintners Taylor and Sam Simpson having assumed operating roles in 2009 alongside co-founder Debbie Simpson.
The commercial model is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer and trade/wholesale. DTC channels comprise a first-come-first-served lakeside tasting room at 34 South Manitou Trail in Lake Leelanau, an online wine shop shipping to six authorized states (Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Texas, Florida), and the Connoisseur Wine Club, which mandates 6-bottle seasonal allocations in Spring (March/April) and Fall (September) with a 20% discount and double loyalty points. B2B revenue is generated through a Trade & Wholesale program serving retailers, restaurants, and distributors, plus a curated personal and corporate gifting line with luxury packaging for $750+ orders. Marketing is multi-channel: a content blog, the 'Cork News' email newsletter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, plus on-premise events (Wine Down Wednesdays, Sips & Soup Sundays, Cellar Crew Happy Hours) and earned media coverage in Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, and Robert Parker Wine Advocate.
The brand has accumulated national and international recognition, including Jefferson Cup awards, multiple Best of Class designations at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Judge's Selection awards at TEXSOM, VinePair '50 Best Wines of 2022' (the only Michigan wine on the list), and inclusion as the only Michigan and Midwest winery in a Robert Parker Wine Advocate article by Mark Squires. The company is privately held with no institutional investment, no subsidiaries, and no public disclosures of revenue.
Good Harbor Vineyards firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Good Harbor Vineyards
- Legal name
- Good Harbor Vineyards
- Website
- https://goodharbor.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Good Harbor Vineyards is a family-owned Michigan winery, founded in 1980 on the Leelanau Peninsula, producing whites, reds, rosés, and Charmat-method sparkling wines from 100% Michigan fruit for direct-to-consumer tasting-room, wine-club, online, and wholesale trade customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Good Harbor Vineyards industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Winery
- NAICS
- Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Organic Vineyard & Wine Grape Farming (AFAGAKAI), Irrigation, Fertigation & Water Management (Vineyard-Specific) (AFAGAJAC)
Keywords
Where Good Harbor Vineyards is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lake Leelanau
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Good Harbor Vineyards business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through the tasting room and online shop. Includes all wine varieties: whites, reds, rosés, and sparkling wines.
- Wine Club Membership: Connoisseur Wine Club with seasonal allocations (Spring and Fall). Members receive 20% off all wine purchases, complimentary tastings, exclusive wines, and double loyalty points. Wine club members are required to purchase 6 bottles during each allocation season.
- Wholesale/Trade: B2B sales to retailers, restaurants, and distributors through the Trade & Wholesale program managed by Taylor Simpson, Trade & Wholesale Manager.
- Gifting Services: Personal and corporate gift sets including curated wine gift boxes, personalized notes, luxury packaging for $750+ orders, and custom corporate gifting options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Enthusiast Loyalty Members - Free entry level |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Connoisseur Wine Club Members - Premium tier |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | General Wine Sales |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Good Harbor Vineyards product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Good Harbor Vineyards is a family-owned farm-focused winery on the Leelanau Peninsula producing wines from 100% Michigan-grown fruit. The portfolio includes white wines (Pinot Grigio, Unoaked Chardonnay, Dry Riesling, Late Harvest Riesling, etc.), red wines, rosés, and Charmat-method sparkling wines (Blanc de Blanc, Blanc de Noirs). Wines are sold direct-to-consumer through a lakeside tasting room, online shop, and a seasonal Connoisseur Wine Club, with additional distribution to trade partners.
Product overview
Good Harbor Vineyards is a farm-focused winery on the Leelanau Peninsula producing wines from 100% Michigan fruit. The product portfolio centers on a diverse wine collection including white wines (Unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Fishtown White, Trillium, Late Harvest Riesling), red wines (Harbor Red), rosé wines (Sleeping Bare), and premium sparkling wines (Blanc de Blanc, Blanc de Noirs from the John W. Simpson Sparkling Series). The company operates a wine club (Connoisseur Club) offering 20% discounts and exclusive access, maintains a rewards/loyalty program with Enthusiast and Connoisseur tiers, provides a tasting room experience on the lakeshore, offers curated wine gift sets for personal and corporate gifting, and supplies trade/wholesale programs for retailers and restaurants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- John W. Simpson Sparkling Series: Sparkling wine series including Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noirs produced using the Charmat method.
Products and services
- White Wines White wine collection including Unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Fishtown White, Trillium, and Late Harvest Riesling, all made from 100% Michigan fruit from the Leelanau Peninsula.
- Red Wines Red wine offerings including the Harbor Red blend, made from estate-grown Michigan fruit.
- Rosé Wines Rosé wine selections including Sleeping Bare, made using cold-soaking techniques on the Leelanau Peninsula.
- Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine Sparkling wine produced using the Charmat (tank) method from 100% Chardonnay grapes, part of the John W. Simpson Sparkling Series. Awarded Best of Class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
- Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine Sparkling wine made from 100% Pinot Noir using the Charmat method, featuring fruit-forward flavors with creamy texture. Part of the John W. Simpson Sparkling Series.
- Connoisseur Wine Club Wine club membership offering 20% off all wine purchases, double loyalty points, complimentary tastings for member plus three guests, exclusive parties and events, and access to limited release wines and vintages. Members purchase 6 bottles per Spring (April) and Fall (September) allocation season.
- Tasting Room Experience First-come-first-served lakeside tasting room on the Leelanau Peninsula offering wine flights, tastings, and tours, including hosted events like Wine Down Wednesdays and Sips & Soup Sundays.
- Wine Gift Sets Curated wine gift sets including single-bottle offerings and custom multi-bottle collections with personalized notes, luxury packaging for $750+ orders, and branded corporate gifting options.
- Trade & Wholesale Program B2B wholesale program for retailers, restaurants, and distributors to carry Good Harbor wines, managed by Trade & Wholesale Manager Taylor Simpson.
Quantifiable outcome
- Only Michigan winery to win multiple Best of Class awards at San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Good Harbor Vineyards
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Good Harbor Vineyards technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Good Harbor Vineyards partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Traverse Wine CoastcoreGood Harbor Vineyards is a proud member of the Traverse Wine Coast, an association of wineries on the Leelanau Peninsula that promotes the region's wines and wine tourism.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Good Harbor Vineyards competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery: Old Mission Peninsula Michigan winery with vineyard, tasting room, and wine club. Comparable as a Michigan cool-climate producer competing for tourism, DTC, and wholesale business in the same regional ecosystem.
- Aurora Cellars: Sibling Leelanau Peninsula winery under Simpson Family Estates, co-owned and run by the same Simpson family with the same head winemaker. Directly comparable as a Michigan cool-climate boutique winery sharing production leadership and family ownership.
- Chateau Grand Traverse: Long-established Leelanau Peninsula winery specializing in cool-climate varietals including Riesling and Chardonnay. Highly comparable as a same-region Michigan producer competing for DTC visitors, wine club members, and wholesale accounts.
- Shady Lane Cellars: Leelanau Peninsula estate winery focused on cool-climate varietals including Pinot Noir and Riesling. Comparable as a same-region boutique Michigan producer targeting overlapping DTC and fine-dining wholesale customers.
- L. Mawby Vineyards (Mawby): Leelanau Peninsula winery specializing in Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines. Closely comparable as a same-region Michigan sparkling wine specialist competing in overlapping varietals and DTC channels.
- Bonobo Winery: Leelanau Peninsula boutique winery with tasting room and wine club. Comparable as a same-region DTC-focused small Michigan producer competing for visitors and direct-to-consumer wine club members.
- Black Star Farms: Northwest Michigan (Traverse City area) winery with on-site tasting room, wine club, and restaurant operations. Highly comparable as a Michigan DTC-focused winery with hospitality-driven revenue and regional distribution.
Regional players
- Silver Thread Vineyard: Finger Lakes (New York) cool-climate estate winery with sustainability focus and tasting room. Comparable as a small east-coast cool-climate producer with sustainability-driven DTC positioning, though operating in a different regional market.
- Fox Run Vineyards: Finger Lakes (New York) winery producing Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir with tasting room and wine club. Comparable as a cool-climate boutique producer with DTC model, though operating in New York rather than Michigan.
Broad incumbents
- St. Julian Winery: Michigan's oldest and largest winery, headquartered in Paw Paw with broad varietal portfolio and statewide distribution. Comparable as a Michigan wine brand but operates at substantially larger scale across a broader product mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Good Harbor Vineyards social profiles
Digital presenceGood Harbor Vineyards financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Good Harbor Vineyards leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Good Harbor Vineyards funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Good Harbor Vineyards M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Good Harbor Vineyards
What does Good Harbor Vineyards do?
Good Harbor Vineyards is a family-owned farm-focused winery on the Leelanau Peninsula producing wines from 100% Michigan-grown fruit. The portfolio includes white wines (Pinot Grigio, Unoaked Chardonnay, Dry Riesling, Late Harvest Riesling, etc.), red wines, rosés, and Charmat-method sparkling wines (Blanc de Blanc, Blanc de Noirs). Wines are sold direct-to-consumer through a lakeside tasting room, online shop, and a seasonal Connoisseur Wine Club, with additional distribution to trade partners.
Is Good Harbor Vineyards a public or private company?
Good Harbor Vineyards is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Good Harbor Vineyards founded?
Good Harbor Vineyards was founded in 1980. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Good Harbor Vineyards based?
Good Harbor Vineyards is headquartered in Lake Leelanau, United States, in the North America region.
How does Good Harbor Vineyards make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct Wine Sales are the primary driver. The others are wine Club Membership, wholesale/Trade and gifting Services.
Who are Good Harbor Vineyards's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Aurora Cellars, Chateau Grand Traverse, Shady Lane Cellars, L. Mawby Vineyards (Mawby), Bonobo Winery and Black Star Farms. Regional players are Silver Thread Vineyard and Fox Run Vineyards. St. Julian Winery is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Good Harbor Vineyards have an API?
No public API is recorded for Good Harbor Vineyards.
What industry is Good Harbor Vineyards in?
Good Harbor Vineyards's product category is Winery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAB, Wine Production & Winemaking, with a secondary code of THAFALAE, Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 312130.