Chateau Aeronautique Winery, Blue Skies Brewery

2008: International airline pilot Lorenzo Lizarralde founds Chateau Aeronautique Wineryand 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! Lorenzo founds Blue Skies Brewery in the Irish Hills and opens the Kitchen.

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 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.