On my tour of Old Mission Peninsula, the overall best experience was saved for last.  And the thing is, heading to Chateau Grand Traverse after a delicious lunch overlooking the bay, I had no idea I was in for something special.

This vineyard is essentially next door to the family farm of a good friend of mine so I was treated to a private tour with none other than the President of Chateau Grand Traverse!  I had hoped to get to know some of the people that make the wines while on my journey and to hear Eddie O’Keefe talk about the winery, the wine, and the grapes he grows was really an inspiration.  Chateau Grand Traverse is a family run winery that was the first in the region.  They worked with the climate, learning how to make the land of Old Mission Peninsula produce a fine wine.  I heard about how the slope of the land can direct the flow of the colder air away from the grapes and how the abundant snow of the region actually protects the vines during the winter.  This lesson really gave me an appreciation for the land and climate along with a desire to expand my knowledge about varietals of wine each grape produces.

There was more to this tour though than just land and history.  I got to see wine being bottled – an operation that was pretty snazzy just in itself – and I got to go in and enjoy the musty, oakey, winey scent permeating the barrel aging room.

Then I got to taste.  From the under-the-radar Gamay Noir Reserve to the light, fresh Pinot Grigio, (and, yes, the dry Reisling again) Chateau Grand Traverse is doing something very right.  I will proudly bring a bottle or two of their wines the next time I visit friends & family in Chicago so they can also enjoy a little taste of Michigan.