   Growing up in a Sicilian household, Dustin Stabile helped make wine with his father, Ralph, at an early age. He remembers being paid $1.00 a bag to pick dandelions for his father to make wine with. As he got older, he started experimenting alongside his dad making wine out of anything they could get their hands on. Dustin initially entered Michigan State University for criminal justice. After class was dismissed one day, he noticed a job posting for Spartan Cellars. After landing the job, he found out there was a program for Enology and Viticulture which intrigued him due to his family’s history and heritage. After completing his studies and gaining experience as an assistant winemaker,
    Dustin’s true passion for wine making lead him back to his family’s winery. In 2009,  he became the head of production so his father could expand the business. Dustin continues to expand his knowledge, craft exceptional wines, and educate staff. Along with sharing his knowledge with others, Dustin has gained experience participating as a judge at the Indy International Wine Competition, has been a member of the Craft Beverage Council, and the Michigan Wine Council. 

Dustin Stabile

Winemaker

For 20 years, Mackinaw Trail Winery has been striving to enrich lives with exceptional wines. We have a rich passion for the art of wine making and are overjoyed to share our craft with others.  Our family is proud to have contributed to the ever growing Michigan wine industry with balanced complex, and deliciously desirable wines. 

Our family’s viticultural history started when Ralph Stabile was younger and remembered making his families supply of wine alongside his grandfather, Phillip Stabile. Since then, Ralph has had a passion for making wine. In 2003, Ralph and his wife Laurie Stabile moved to commercialize his wines and open a winery of their very own. Together, Ralph and Laurie became the proud owners of the first winery license in the Upper Peninsula. They then opened their first tasting room on the harbor in Manistique, under the name Mackinaw Trail Winery in 2004. Today, Mackinaw Trail Winery is family owned and operated by Ralph, Laurie, and their son, second generation wine maker, Dustin Stabile.

Mackinaw Trail Winery

United States

Winemakers

Dustin Stabile

Winemaker