By Justin Flagel
Sawyer, Michigan is home to one of the region’s newest wineries with last November’s opening of Solasta Winery.
Solasta, which translates to “luminous” or “shining” from Scottish Gaelic, is the long held dream of Rasa Mitkus, a wine lover and graduate of the Lake Michigan College Wine and Viticulture Technology Program.
Rasa’s journey to Sawyer started as far away as Lithuania, where she grew up before moving to the United States in her twenties. She spent another 25 years in the Chicago area, earning a Business Management degree from the University of Illinois and leading a career in real estate and mortgage. During that time, a visit to Napa Valley in California ignited a passion for wine.
“It felt right,” described Rasa. “It felt like something I wanted to do one day.”
It would be years later, after her children had grown and the COVID-19 pandemic changed much of how the world operated, that she was able to fully pursue her wine dream. Enrolling in the Lake Michigan College Center for Wine & Viticulture program in 2020, she learned directly about the wine industry, working in local wineries and vineyards.
Rasa’s plan had been, from the start, to open a winery in the Southwestern Michigan area. She had visited with her family for decades, enjoying the beaches and lakes.
“It reminds us of Lithuania,” she said. “It reminds us of the Baltic Sea and the dunes.”
That love for the Michiana region helped Rasa in choosing the location for Solasta Winery, close to Warren Dunes on Red Arrow Highway. The name itself is meant to symbolize the sun that unites the grapes in Lake Michigan shore growing regions. The location is easy to find, with the new sign and partially restored 1955 Plymouth Belvedere out front of the beautified building and property.
Within, visitors will find a cozy tasting room, emphasizing a welcome and comfortable atmosphere. Adjacent to the wine bar, a rectangle of soft chairs and a couch feels more like a living room, granting a view out the windows while encouraging conversation within. The nearby patio and yard gives customers an outdoor gathering space, sealed and supplied with heaters for the colder months and open to the air and sun in the warmer months. Rasa noted several times that Solasta is meant to be more than a tasting room and production space, with the design created specifically to communicate warmth and “genuine appreciation for all who visit”.
Already, the winery has scheduled events that go beyond wine-tasting. In addition to inviting customers to bring their clubs or personal celebrations, they’ve hosted yoga events, life coach workshops, and floral arrangement classes. As they expand into the space, they may eventually also provide small entertainment options for customers to enjoy.
Solasta’s wines are made mostly from nineteen varieties of Michigan grapes grown from farms in the region. The selection honors the variety of Michigan styles, with a nod to European wine. The assortment provides something for all tastes, whether they be sweet and fruity or dry or bubbly. Wine flights are available for those who’d like to try multiple options. Seasonal drinks are also available, from mulled wine to sangria, mimosas, and wine slushies. Charcuteries boards and smores are also available for those looking for a snack.
Rasa has set out to create a sense of the “Solasta family” among her customers. Flights come with a take-home wine glass to remind customers of their visit and a free wine club offers a variety of benefits and exclusive events. Her staff is trained to not only guide guests through their wine journey, but to create an inviting and memorable experience.
The opening of Solasta Winery is the culmination of years of planning and dreaming for Rasa. She emphasizes that she is just getting started, with plans to shift much of her production into the tasting room building and adding more events to create a destination for gathering and sharing in the story of wine.
Information on Solasta Winery, including events, can be found at solastawinery.com.
