The Vineyard at Cornman Farms
Vineyard
In spring 2027 we plant 14 acres of wine grapes on the fields around the barn and farmhouse. The event venue will sit nestled in a working vineyard, and the fruit will be made into wine just over a mile down the road at Social Vines, our sister vineyard and winery.
The Plan
An event barn in the middle of a vineyard
Rows on the fields to the east, west and north; the farmhouse, Red Barn, gardens and ceremony lawn in the middle; the drive and the maples as they are.
14 acres
Cold-hardy hybrid vines on the open fields, fenced, irrigated and farmed without till, the way Social Vines farms its home vineyard.
Spring 2027
Planting with family, friends and the Social Vines crew. The first small harvest follows a few seasons later; the views start the first summer.
One mile
Grapes travel just over a mile to the winery and tasting room at 6620 Dexter-Ann Arbor Road, where the wine is made and poured.
What we’re planting
Cold-hardy grapes built for Michigan winters
The same University of Minnesota and Elmer Swenson varieties that thrive at Social Vines: resilient to deep cold, resistant to disease, and good in the glass.
Marquette
A medium-bodied dry red with cherry and spice, happy to spend time in oak. The backbone of the planting.
Itasca
A crisp white with bright acidity and a clean finish, named for the source lake of the Mississippi.
Frontenac Noir
Exceptionally hardy; makes everything from light fruity reds to rich ones, plus rosé and port-style wines.
Petite Pearl
Fine tannin and a long finish for a fully hardy red grape.
Prairie Star
An upright, handsome vine and a crisp aromatic white, often used in blends.
Frontenac Blanc
Tropical fruit and citrus aromas in dry, semi-dry and sparkling wines.
The Social Vines Story
A vineyard that started in a family barn
Social Vines began in 2020, when Lori and Brian Herron looked at the 150-year-old red barn on their 70-acre farm between Dexter and Ann Arbor and imagined a place where people could reconnect over wine. In 2022 they planted the first acres of cold-climate hybrids with family and friends, doing the trellising themselves. Lori earned her viticulture certification in 2023 and began making small batches; the 2023 vintage was the first on the list.
The vineyard is fenced, irrigated and farmed without till, with MAEAP verification for its care of soil and water. In the summer of 2025 the tasting room and pavilion opened to the public, with sunset views over the rolling hills and the Huron River below. Cornman Farms is the next field.
Wine at Cornman
Tastings here, and every week down the road
From time to time we open the farmhouse for tastings of new releases with Social Vines: a flight in the dining room, a walk through the gardens and, once the vines are in, the rows. Dates are announced on Instagram and in the newsletter.
Every week, the Social Vines tasting room and pavilion pour the full list just over a mile away at 6620 Dexter-Ann Arbor Road. Join the wine club for first access to new vintages and events at both farms.
Follow the planting
Watch the vines go in
Planting days, first buds, harvest and the first bottles from Cornman fruit, once or twice a month in your inbox.