The reputation of northwest Michigan wines is well-known in the state, and beginning to be more so in the Midwest, but how does it compare internationally?
The answer's pretty clear from the results of the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition this spring: Right on top.
Chateau Fontaine of Lake Leelanau's 2010 Gewurztraminer is, at least, having taken home the "best in class" award out of all the white wines judged. The vineyard also won a gold medal for its 2010 dry Riesling, a silver for its 2010 Chardonnay, and bronze medals for its Woodland White and Big Paw Red for 2010.
The Pacific Rim competition saw 1,400 wine entries from 300 wineries in 10 countries, and that's part of what makes the awards so impressive.
"For our little bitty state of Michigan, especially northwest Michigan, it's phenomenal, not only for Chateau Fontaine, not only for the Leelanau Peninsula Vintner's Association, but also, this means that Michigan can stand up to the best wine-producing countries in the world," says Dan Matthies, who owns Chateau Fontaine with his wife, Lucie. Their son, Doug, also is in the business, running the vineyard's new, state-of-the-art winemaking facility, French Road Cellars.
Matthies gives credit to winemaker Shawn Walters for the wins as well, calling him "in my opinion, one of the best in the business."
It was the first time Chateau Fontaine entered the Pacific Rim competition, although other northwest Michigan wineries have in past years; Bel Lago Winery's semi-dry Riesling took best in class in 2010, and in 2009, Forty-Five North Winery took the award for best rose.
"We decided to enter this year because the 2010 wines are going to be some of the best wines ever produced in the state of Michigan," says Matthies. "We had a good growing year, but the only problem is that there's a lower quantity, because we had a freeze early on."
As a result, although the 2010 Gewurztraminer has had several offers to buy Chateau Fontaine's stock up, Matthies has decided to sell it only one bottle at a time, and not by the case, to allow more people to taste the prized wine.
Other northwest Michigan vintners also saw success at the competition. Blustone Vineyards had a gold medal for its Chardonnay; Boathouse Vineyards had a gold for dry Riesling and a silver for Pinot Grigio; Chateau Chantal had a bronze for Pinot Grigio and a silver for sweet Riesling; Circa Estate Winery had a silver in other reds and a gold in other whites; Forty Five North had a bronze in fruit wines, two silvers in other wines and other roses, a gold in Chardonnay, and a bronze in Riesling; and Longview Winery had a bronze in other red blends and a gold in dry Riesling.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Leelanau Peninsula Vintner's Association
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