A DiVine Place for a Cocktail

By Sandra Scott

There was a lot that John and I liked about the Round Barn Winery in Baroda, MI. It is located not far from the southwest shore of Lake Michigan where the climate is perfect for wine making. However, it was not just the wine that makes Round Barn a great place to visit—it is also their historic round barn, the beer they brew, and the spirits they distill. The owners, the Moersch family, produce a libation to suit everyone.

It was the beautiful barn that caught my attention. The Moersches had a turn-of-the century Amish Round Barn transported from Indiana and rebuilt on their property. Originally built in 1911 the Moersches rescued the Round Barn from a farm in Rochester, Indiana. Rescued is the right word because the barn was in need of a new roof and was two weeks from being burned to the ground due to safety concerns. Chris Moersch explained, “The historic building is the perfect home for the round copper pot still because only good ‘spirits’ abide within. Legend says that because round buildings have no corners there is no place for evil spirits to hide.” Surely the Moersches didn’t want evil spirits to mess with their spirits.

The Round Barn Winery & Distillery introduced the Midwest's first ultra-premium estate vodka. DiVine Vodka is one of only four vodkas in the world made from grapes instead of potatoes or grain. Handpicked grapes are distilled in a copper pot and bottled on site to create their estate vodka.

Complimenting their wine and vodka, they also produce handcrafted beers with a bold taste. They brew a variety of beers including, Cocoa Stout with a bittersweet chocolate taste that is said to be especially good in a float with vanilla ice cream. And, of course, being a winery it is not surprising to find one called Grape Expectations that melds fruity notes from the grains, hops, yeast, and of course Niagara Grapes. The beer tasting room is housed in its own barn, a traditional red one.

The wonderful cocktails that can be created using Divine Vodka, Bourbon, and Rum were an unexpected find in a winery. DiVine Bourbon is made of corn, malted barley and just a touch of rye to give it a nice spicy kick. The 80 proof rum is distilled twice, charcoal filtered then aged in stainless steel at a cool temperature to give it a fresh fruit character.

We loved the beautiful rescued barn, the variety of libations, and the fact this family-owned and operated business takes pride in all they do. There were so many wonderful cocktails to choose from. John and I finally decided on their White Grape Martini. It was a refreshing mix of 1 ounce of DiVine Vodka with 3 ounces of white grape juice, and a bit of lime juice. We have to agree with a limerick composed by Ed Gill one of their happy, loyal customers:
 

There once was a barn shaped round,
Whose products did certainly abound.
The beer is great.
The wine is first rate.
And the vodka will surely astound.

Sandra Scott is a frequent contributor to travel publications and to Creators Syndicate
and has co-authored two books on local history. She lives in Mexico, NY.

Photos by J. J. Scott.

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