Our Winemaking Journey
2008: International airline pilot Lorenzo Lizarralde founds Chateau Aeronautique Winery and vinifies his first wines in his Hangar/Home on a grass runway in an ‘Airpark’ community.
2009: Our tiny ‘Gazebo’ Tasting Room at the Airpark opens for wine tastings.
2012: Our ‘Michigan By The Bottle’ shared Wine Tasting Room in Shelby Township opens.
2014: Lorenzo purchases 22 acres in the Irish Hills of Michigan for a Vineyard. Our Michigan By The Bottle shared Wine Tasting Room in Royal Oak, Michigan opens.
2016: A beautiful addition to the Gazebo enlarges the Airpark Tasting Room to 1,700 square feet with a full wine cellar below. The addition features a hand-painted mural, 8’ by 31’, of wine country. Lorenzo’s Shih Tzu dogs Bacchus & Arianna are painted into the scene. Our Michigan By The Bottle shared Wine Tasting Room in Auburn Hills opens.
2017: Lorenzo adds 5 acres to the Irish Hills Vineyard property, builds an 8,000-square-foot building, and moves the winemaking operation from the Airpark to the Irish Hills.
2018: We bring a 1940 Stearman Biplane (featured on every wine label) home to the Airpark! In the Irish Hills, Lorenzo founds Blue Skies Brewery, opens the Kitchen, and develops the 5,500 square foot outdoor patio.
2019: Blue Skies Brewery is added to the Airpark. Build-out begins for a Blue Skies Brewery Taproom in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The Irish Hills starts hosting classic rock ‘tribute bands’.
2020: Blue Skies Brewery - Auburn Hills opens mid-pandemic. The Irish Hills Kitchen becomes a Pizzeria. The Irish Hills 5,500-square-foot open-air, covered, heated timber frame ‘Biergarten’ opens.
2021: Twenty acres of the Irish Hills property is cleared of trees and graded for Laurent Vineyard, named after the glacier that formed the Irish Hills (Laurentide Ice Sheet).
2022: The first 1,000 grape vines are planted in Laurent Vineyard! A timber frame ‘Pavilion’ is added to the Biergarten outdoor space for hosting weddings.
2023: Four thousand Chardonnay and Pinot Gris grape vines are planted. Our first sparkling wine, Chardonnay Sparkling Wine, is bottled; Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling Wine is next. A wedding stage is added to the Pavilion. Lorenzo founds Mile High Distillery in the Irish Hills and we start serving spirits and cocktails!
2024: Mile High Distillery is added to the Airpark and Auburn Hills; all three venues now have wine, beer and spirits. Auburn Hills and the Airpark are taking off with new events. The Irish Hills hosts Classic Rock Tribute Bands nearly every weekend now, with dance bands and dueling pianos sprinkled in. Best year ever!
