The folks over at
Chateau Grand Traverse may have had to pay for extra luggage when they caught a plane back home from California following the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, which claims to be the largest wine competition in the country.
The winery, located on Old Mission Peninsula, earned the gold for best of class with its 2009 Lot 49 Riesling, which was just one of six medals the company lugged home.
"Competitions are fickle, and are hardly the last word on the relative worth of the wine," admits Sean O'Keefe, vice president of Chateau Grand Traverse. "However, the Best of Class for the 2009 Lot 49 Riesling--as well as the medals for the other wines--were a nice vindication that one can make excellent wine even in the very difficult vintages like 2009. It vindicates for me that Old Mission Peninsula is truly one of the great regions of the world to grow Riesling."
In addition to the impressive gold medal, Chateau Grand Traverse--which has been operating for 37 years--has to make room in their trophy case for a silver medal for their 2009 Dry Riesling, a silver medal for their 2009 Gruner Veltliner "Laika", a silver medal for their 2009 Late Harvest Riesling, a bronze medal for a 2009 Whole Cluster Riesling and a bronze medal for their 2009 Ship of Fools.
But the Lot 49 earned the highest marks, and O'Keefe thinks it still has more potential.
"The 2009 Lot 49 is a hard wine to pin down," he says. "It comes across as sweet in the nose and first sip, but tastes decidedly dry in the finish. It is a complex wine, that is only just now beginning to show its potential. I highly recommend saving at least one bottle down to try again in six or eight years. In the meantime, you can try it by the glass at Trattoria Stella."
Winning medals is nothing new for Chateau Grand Traverse. In fact, in 2010 alone the winemaker brought home more that 80 medals for its various wines. Notable awards included two other best of class awards, with one coming from the London International Wine & Spirits Competition and another at the Lost Angeles International Wine Competition.
Writer: Sam EgglestonSource: Sean O'Keefe, Chateau Grand Traverse
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