It's a pretty big deal when a Michigan winery wins a gold medal in an international competition, especially when it's held on the West Coast, and that's just what
Chateau Grand Traverse's 2008 Lot 49 Riesling did at the recent 2010 Los Angeles International Wine Competition: Gold-Best of Class.
But this family-owned winery must be doing something really extraordinary when that award comes a month after earning Best of Class Silver honors at the
2010 London International Wine & Spirits Competition a couple of months ago. According to Chateau Grand Traverse founder Ed O'Keefe Sr., this is the Big Kahuna for any wine: "Among 60 countries, both northern and southern hemispheres and around 8,000 entries. We win a lot of medals, but on this one they grade wines chemically and with points – the wines we were beating were in the 90s."
The judges offered these notes: "Aromas of cantaloupe skin, white flower and lime peel stimulate the palate for this rich Riesling from Michigan. Its medium sweetness delivers a refreshing, ripe tropical and citrus fruits. The length is substantial."
Chateau Grand Traverse is Northern Michigan's oldest commercial winery specializing in premium vinifera wines, most recognized for its Riesling. It's also a beautiful B&B with tasting room on the same high elevation as neighboring Chateau Chantal.
O'Keefe brought his purebred stock back from Germany in 1974, when naysayers said hybrids were the only type of grapes that could survive Michigan's harsh winters. But O'Keefe, now 79, a former paratrooper for the U.S. Army's Green Berets, attorney, FBI undercover narcotics agent, insurance executive and builder of nursing homes around the country, didn't listen, and the many awards he's received ever since stand as a testament to his acumen.
Writer: Patty LaNoue Stearns
Source: Ed O'Keefe Sr.
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