Appropriately dubbed “fizzmaster extraordinaire” by British wine writer Tom Stevenson in his Wine Report 2005, Larry Mawby has made a name for himself and the sparkling wines he’s created in northern Michigan vineyard L. Mawby. Michigan is not typically a region people associate with wine production, but Mawby has helped put the “Mitten State” on the vintner’s map.

With a background in agriculture and extensive study abroad, Mawby debuted his first bottle of bubbles, NV Cuvée Brut, back in 1984. When Mawby discovered that his property on Leelanau Peninsula shares the same latitude as Champagne, France, he was able to introduce sparkling New World wines with superior bubbles and rich, abundant flavors reminiscent of Old World wines.

Lawrence Mawby helped put Michigan on the vinter’s map

His production since then has exploded like the cork out of a bottle—as of 2011, Mawby has sold tens of thousands of cases of his wines throughout the U.S. and Europe—and Wine Enthusiast called L. Mawby a “Great U.S. Sparkling Wine Producer” in 1998.

Today, the winemaker keeps up with demand while protecting the integrity of his wines by continuing to hand pick and allowing whole-cluster pressing of his grapes. The result is what we can expect every time from his Blanc de Blancs Brut, a luscious beauty that boasts a creamy, butterscotch structure with an effervescent minerality.

L. Mawby’s offerings are Chef Alex Young’s favorites to pair with his reserve collection of oysters, and that’s just what he’s doing for our Oysters & Bubbles special dinner on Wednesday, December 6. The multi-course meal will include array of oyster preparations—like, oyster shooters, oyster stew, and oyster-stuffed quail to name a few—served with special selections from L. Mawby. Don’t miss this opportunity to let his bubbles tickle your taste buds while you enjoy Chef Alex’s delectable oyster dishes.

You can see the full menu here.

Seats are currently available for our Oysters & Bubbles Special Dinner at Zingerman’s Roadhouse, December 6, starting at 7pm. You can purchase your ticket online today. Price per person is $95 and includes multi-course meal and wine pairings.