When looking at a map of Grand Traverse area wineries, the spectacular views are the obvious attraction at Rove Estate and Vineyard—a new winery and Cherryland member.

The winery stands at the highest point in Leelanau County. But it’s not the view that a visitor to northern Michigan would expect. It doesn’t include Grand Traverse Bay or the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Rather, Rove’s view is towards the southwest, looking upon the vast landscape of Leelanau and Grand Traverse County: the lush trees, rolling hills and rich farmland.

This is the same landscape Rove’s owners Creighton and McKenzie Gallagher call home.

Rove’s husband and wife duo were born and raised in the Grand Traverse area. The Gallagher family is one of the original names in the farming area. It might seem natural that a fifth generation farmer and his wife would want to jump into the business of growing grapes and selling wine, but sometimes it takes a little inspiration.

Upon graduating from Grand Valley State University with a degree in accounting, Creighton Gallagher returned home to Traverse City, working in various jobs including helping out on the Gallagher family farm.

In all that work, it was the moments when he worked alongside friend and local winemaker Coenraad Stassen assisting in the vineyard and the wine cellar that were truly impactful. “One time I was helping Coenraad do some bottling and it just hit me,” said Creighton. “This was what I wanted to do. I wanted to go into wine.”

As simple as it might sound, jumping into the wine business is not easy. It takes plenty of time and money, and that is before you even put wine in a bottle. “When Creighton first told me about wanting to open a winery, I asked him, ‘Yeah, with what money?’” joked Creighton’s wife McKenzie. “But as I put together a business plan as my thesis for my MBA, I saw that we could do this.”

The dream became a reality when they purchased a portion of the family farm from Creighton’s father. When learning that 15 acres of cherry trees on the property needed to be replaced, Rove Estate & Vineyard was born.

The concept for Rove stems from a visit to the Gallagher’s ancestral homeland. “When we visited our cousins in Ireland, the community was so warm and welcoming,” said Creighton. “They made you feel like you were a local—that you were home. We want our guests to feel the same way.”

This visit to Ireland resonated with the Gallaghers enough that they modeled the winery’s name and logo after an era in Irish history called the “Flight of the Wild Geese.” This was a time when thousands of Irish fled from their native land across the world more than 300 years ago—many of whom became winemakers.

Like their Irish relatives, the Gallaghers see Rove as a destination winery that visitors and locals alike can feel at home in and be proud to call their own. “We want our guests to bring their kids, stay a while, drink our award-winning wine and enjoy live music,” said McKenzie.

For the Gallaghers, being a “local’s spot” means being receptive to what locals want in their winery. Rove is now open later and has expanded its live music offerings because of guest input. “When we first opened up, we were booking live entertainment only once a month,” she explained. “But after the great reception we had the first night, our guests asked for more and we listened. Now we are hosting live music weekly.”

Most importantly, Creighton and McKenzie Gallagher aspire to have their patrons feel at home when visiting their winery. Whether sampling wine, enjoying music, or taking in the views, the Gallaghers hope visitors and locals will enjoy a taste of home and northern Michigan hospitality while experiencing an evening at Rove.