Who we are
Wendy and Melissa became the new owners of Northern Sun Winery in December 2020, taking over from Dave & Susie Anthony. Their first year was one of apprenticeship: learning all facets of the vineyard and winery operations under the mentorship of the previous owners.
As new owners, they came into the role with a dual vision: to preserve what had already been built in the U.P.—the community events, the vineyard traditions, the landscape—and to expand on them: growing the estate vineyard, fostering community engagement, adding new events, making the winery a welcoming destination year-round.
Wendy, born and raised near Traverse City, Michigan, and Melissa, originally from Minnesota, never imagined their paths would cross in Haiti — yet that’s exactly what happened in the aftermath of the devastating January 2010 earthquake. Their shared commitment to humanitarian work sparked both a partnership in life and, years later, in business. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Wendy’s son, Jonathan Bovard, his wife Christine and their two sons made the difficult decision to leave their home and work in Kenya. Returning to Michigan, Jonathan joined Wendy and Melissa, strengthening the family’s vision for Northern Sun Winery as a place rooted in resilience, community, and connection.
