Chateau Grand Traverse
by Emily Ulbrich
The history, impact, and future of Chateau Grand Traverse (CGT) on Old Mission Peninsula, along with its main characters, the O'Keefe men, is a fascinating story, way too long to do it justice here. A documentary is really what’s called for, but we'll give you a “short” overview.
In 1974, Ed O'Keefe Sr. began CGT by planting the first vinifera grapes in the area. Other influential early players, such as Boskydel Vineyards, Mawby, and Leelanau Cellars, contributed to the birth of an industry that attracts 800,000 tourists and has an economic impact of $790 million in Michigan. (2005 MFK study commissioned by the Michigan Wine & Grape Council.)
Since those early days, sons Ed III and Sean have grown CGT to an 80,000+ case-per-year winery, making it one of the largest in Michigan. With austere wines in hand, they have carried the Michigan message across state lines and country borders. Their ability to compete head to head with the big boys of Germany has opened cellar doors for all Michigan wineries. There is a strong belief at CGT in wine and Michigan wine, and not just as a business. CGT markets not only themselves but the entire state wine industry -- with a special passion for the great things grown and bottled in northwest Michigan.
The Ship of Fools Blend:
The Ship of Fools’ wine concept has evolved with each vintage. In 2000, I made an attempt to make a balanced, stainless steel/whole cluster style Chardonnay without the usual lees or sugar components. 2000 was a cool vintage and the wine turned out to be one-dimensional and annoyingly malic, so I blended it into other wines. In 2001, I took inspiration from the dry white blends of Friuli and blended small portions of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc to round out the wine. This worked, for the most part, for the next several vintages, though the Chardonnay percentage kept shrinking until it was only 25 percent of the blend by 2007. At the same time, I was still searching for the magic blend that would give this wine an undeniable "reason to be" in light of so many finely-made straight varietal Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris/Grigio wines available in the marketplace. The winemakers in Friuli usually include Tocai Friuliano or Sauvignon Blanc in their house blends. I do not grow a significant number of either of these varieties and didn't want to go the aromatic Riesling, Muscat, Gewurz route either. So, for the 2008 blend, I substituted 10 percent Pinot Noir Vin Gris for the Chardonnay, in hopes that it will lend an interesting aromatic element to the wine, especially as it ages. What I like about the 2008 blend is that it reunites the crazy Pinot family tree which, in a way, ties into the greater "Ship of Fools" idea. Once again, we'll see.
Wine Geek Info:
55% Pinot Blanc: Fisher/Bella Donna Vineyard, OMP, whole cluster pressed, stainless and old oak fermented
35% Pinot Gris: Steen Vineyard, OMP, whole cluster pressed, stainless fermented
10% Pinot Noir: Zafarana Vineyard, OMP, whole cluster pressed, stainless fermented
Alcohol: 12.8%
Total Acidity: 7.5 g/l
pH: 3.32
Residual Sugar: <5 g/l
Cases Produced: 1020
SRP: $15.00
2008 Riesling Lot 49
Unbelievably, I opened this bottle a few weeks ago and did not finish it -- at least, not in one sitting. I tasted it and fell in love. In an attempt to savor it as long as possible, I restricted my intake. I have been tasting the same bottle over a few weeks, allowing it to open more and more. This wine is beyond lovely. A ringer for a Rheingau, but a whole lot closer to home, it is everything a Riesling is meant to be. This wine is another example of why our region should be growing Riesling and celebrating it, singing from the hilltops, “Sound of Music” style. If you don't shout the glories of Riesling after a glass of this, then, honestly, your palate is whacked. Aromatically, this wine was quiet at first -- as expected, since it was just bottled. Taunting me over the next few weeks, it blossomed into an intriguing blend of spices and pears and candied citrus. The flavors of ripe stone fruit are there, but it is the mouthfeel that makes me silly. High acidity demands sweetness to balance and create body. They nailed the perfect balance between the two. A long finish, that peaks long seconds after swallowing, seduces you back to the glass. All right, look...this wine is just ridiculously lovely. Buy it; drink it; buy more; cellar it. Amen.
As with the Ship of Fools, I asked Sean to talk a bit about the wine and its name:
This wine was made with minimal intervention by the winemaker: it was hand-picked, whole-cluster pressed, cool fermented in stainless steel, and left on the fine lees until bottling. No enzymes, nutrients or fining agents were used in hopes of preserving the pure expression of the fruit. If cellared properly, this wine will continue to evolve and age with grace for many years to come. I will probably hold back on the last 30 cases and re-release it as a library wine in 3-4 years. Currently, it is only available at the winery or by the glass at Stella (exclusively).
The Lot 49 Vineyard is situated on the upper half of a relatively steep, west-facing vineyard at our property on Peninsula Drive/Kroupa Road. I called it Lot 49 because Riesling Clone 49 (from Alsace) makes up a majority of the blend, and I'm a Thomas Pynchon fan, e.g. The Crying of Lot 49, (which is not one of his best novels, however, calling it Gravity's Rainbow would make even less sense!).
Wine Geek Info:
Variety: Riesling Clone 49
Alcohol: 11.0%
Residual Sugar: 41.7 g/l
Total Acidity: 8.13 g/l
pH: 3.00
Cases Produced: 364 (6-Packs)
SRP: $22.00
Chateau Grand Traverse
12239 Center Road
Traverse City, MI 49686
231.223.7355
www.cgtwines.com
Copyright 2009 Pithy Media, LLC