The Story of bigLITTLE Wines: Big Memories from a Little Peninsula

Tucked just behind the MAWBY tasting room in Suttons Bay, inside what used to be Larry Mawby’s old house and the first structure on our estate, you’ll find bigLITTLE Wines.

Around here, we call it the Treehouse. Two big birch trees grow through the patio, and the whole space has the feeling of a grown-up hideout in the woods. The kind of place you would have climbed into as a kid with your favorite people, no schedule, and nowhere else to be.

bigLITTLE is our sister winery, founded by brothers Michael and Peter Laing. The wines are small-batch, made from Leelanau Peninsula fruit, and shaped by a simple idea: wine as a way to connect and bring people together.

For Mike and Pete, connection has always started with shared memories. Their wines carry the names of childhood moments that stayed with them: climbing into treehouses, swinging in the backyard, searching the creek bed for crayfish, and piling into the car for family road trips.

Those names invite people into the story behind bigLITTLE, where wine is made with craft, shared with ease, and rooted in the memories that bring people back to themselves and each other.

From a family vineyard to a winery

The bigLITTLE story began long before the first bottle ever had a label.

In 2002, Stu and Sharon Laing, Mike and Pete’s parents, bought land in the Suttons Bay area and planted two acres of wine grapes on an old cherry orchard in Leelanau County. They planted Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, and by 2005, the Laing family was selling fruit to Larry Mawby.

Larry already knew the land well. Growers and winemakers in Northern Michigan trusted his eye for quality sites, and his cellar had become a place where people learned, experimented, and found their footing. Through that relationship, the Laings got closer to the daily work of growing grapes and making wine on the Leelanau Peninsula.

While Stu and Sharon were managing the vineyard, Mike and Pete were each finding their own way back to Northern Michigan. Mike had been teaching, including time overseas in Abu Dhabi, before returning in 2007. During summers, he had helped his parents establish the vineyard, making some of his favorite early memories while working alongside his dad and brother.

Pete had an engineering degree from the University of Michigan and a background in operations, data, finance, and business. He spent a summer working in Northern Michigan vineyards, then returned to corporate life with the feeling that he would be back. By 2009, both brothers were here, working in the vines, learning from Larry, and starting to imagine a brand of their own.

That brand became bigLITTLE Wines.

Big brother, little brother

Mike and Pete are brothers, and the bigLITTLE brand grew from their close relationship. It’s personal in a very real, very lived-in way.

The name speaks to both of them: big brother and little brother. It also speaks to this place. Big wines from a little peninsula. Small batch with big personality. Seriously crafted wines that don't take themselves too seriously

bigLITTLE feels easy to connect with. The wines are thoughtful and handcrafted, and the experience feels warm, casual, and a little nostalgic in the best way. Like finding your favorite old sweatshirt, but make it wine.

When asked to describe bigLITTLE in three words, Mike called it a “happy little experience.” Pete described it as “relatable, craft, fun.” Their answers feel right at home in a tasting room built around childhood memories and handmade wine.

The first wines

Once the name bigLITTLE came together, the rest followed naturally.

By 2009, Mike was learning winemaking from Larry Mawby, and sparkling was the style he knew best. Around that time, a grower on Old Mission Peninsula had Riesling to sell, so Larry and Mike drove out to meet him, walk the vineyard, and look at the fruit. That Riesling became the base for the first bigLITTLE wine, a sparkling wine named Tire Swing.

Tire Swing took shape over two vintages, with the 2009 base blended with more wine from 2010 before its release in 2011. As a bubbly, Tire Swing carried a little MAWBY influence. As a name, it carried something even closer to home: a backyard memory from Mike and Pete’s childhood.

Before bigLITTLE had a tasting room, Mike and Pete introduced the wines through restaurants and retail shops. Those early years gave them a chance to build relationships in the trade, share the brand beyond the estate, and see how people connected with the wines out in the world.

In 2013, bigLITTLE opened its tasting room right in what used to be Larry’s house. Larry had helped Mike and Pete learn the craft and build the brand, then welcomed bigLITTLE onto the MAWBY estate. Today, the tasting room sits just behind MAWBY, close enough that guests can visit both while still getting two different experiences.

MAWBY remains dedicated to sparkling wine. bigLITTLE gives Mike, Pete, and the team room to explore small-batch still wines, creative blends, and the kind of nostalgia people can recognize from their own childhoods. The two wineries live well together: connected by place and people, with distinct personalities of their own.

Why bigLITTLE wines are different

From the beginning, Mike and Pete were interested in making wines that felt expressive, layered, and a little unexpected.

While many wineries focus heavily on single-varietal wines, bigLITTLE has always embraced the idea that a wine can become more interesting when different varieties come together. A little of this. A little of that. Something bright. Something textured. Something aromatic. Something that brings the whole thing into balance. That approach shows up in wines like Mixtape, a field blend made around the idea that a carefully chosen mix can become something bigger than its individual parts.

Every bigLITTLE wine is made in small batches from hand-picked grapes. Today, Mike and Pete operate three vineyards in Leelanau County, and all of the fruit for bigLITTLE comes from those sites.

Wines named after memories

The current lineup keeps circling back to the kind of childhood moments people remember in flashes: the feeling of a rope in your hands, cold creek water around your ankles, the hum of a car ride when everyone else has gone quiet.

Although the stories come from Mike and Pete’s childhood, they leave room for other people to find their own memories in them too. That is where bigLITTLE finds a lot of its charm.

Tire Swing is rooted in backyard laughter, spinning around and around with that perfect mix of chaos and joy. The wine is a brut bubbly made from Riesling and Gewürztraminer, blending reserve wines with the current vintage for a mature yet refreshing sparkling style.

Crayfish comes from afternoons spent searching the creek bed for crayfish hiding under rocks and branches. The wine itself is 100% Pinot Gris, full-bodied and complex, made from fruit grown on the Leelanau Peninsula.

Driftwood is inspired by wandering the lakeshore, eyes down, looking for treasures in the sand. The wine is 100% Riesling, bottled while still vibrant and youthful, with a story that continues to unfold over time.

Dune Climb carries memories of sunny days on the Lake Michigan shore, sand in your hair, and the promise of a fast run down after the climb up. The wine is Sauvignon Blanc, crisp, fresh, and made for Northern Michigan adventure.

Treehouse is a white Pinot Noir, named after the childhood feeling of climbing up and seeing the world from a new angle. The name feels especially at home in the tasting room, which has become bigLITTLE’s grown-up version of that same feeling.

Underdog is a Gamay Noir inspired by playground memories and the thrill of helping someone build momentum for the ultimate swing launch. It is fruit-forward, vibrant, and a little unexpected, which feels exactly right.

Open Road is a semi-dry rosé made for road trips, new sights, and the kind of detours that end up becoming the best part of the day.

Mixtape is an off-dry white blend named for carefully arranged songs, hidden messages, and the art of putting things together with feeling.

Lightning Bug is a dry white blend that brings back dusk, summer air, and the first flicker of fireflies in the yard.

Lee Normi is an ode to Leelanau County, imagined as a savvy farmer and humble mariner, who knows the land and water by heart. The pommeau blends apple juice with apple brandy, then spends a year in oak for a rich, warming finish.

C-3 Pinot is a traditional method brut made from three Pinot varieties: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris. It reflects the sparkling side of the bigLITTLE lineup while still staying true to the brand’s playful, personal roots.

Each wine has its own story, and together they create the larger bigLITTLE world.

The Treehouse tasting room

At the Treehouse, the stories on the labels feel close at hand. Guests settle in with a glass and let the afternoon stretch a little longer. The space feels easy and familiar, made for good wine and unhurried conversation.

The idea is simple: come as you are and stay awhile. Mike and Pete’s memories shaped the wines. A visit to the Treehouse gives guests time to make lasting memories of their own.

Still growing, still small batch

Today, Mike and Pete own and manage both MAWBY and bigLITTLE with the help of a talented team. The two wineries share a home on the MAWBY estate, but each has its own voice.

MAWBY brings the bubbles. bigLITTLE brings small-batch wines with nostalgic charm and plenty of room to play. Both are rooted in a love for the craft and this place.

bigLITTLE Wines began with a family vineyard and two brothers finding their way back to Northern Michigan. It grew through hard work, curiosity, and a deep respect for the land. Today, it continues as a place where wine is made with intention, shared without pretense, and named for the memories that made Mike and Pete who they are.

So whether you’re climbing into the Treehouse for the first time or opening a bottle at home with people you love, we hope bigLITTLE brings you back to something good. A happy little experience, with big passion, little ego, and really good wine.

Cheers!