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Evoking your sense of taste by making a lovely meal is a special way to connect with someone. And you can make it even more memorable with a carefully selected wine or two. Whether you’re [...]

Creativity in wine making knows no bounds – and sometimes even the physical demands are high! When you hear the term “punch down,” you may think, “Well, that’s not the artistic or elegant [...]

Wine gift baskets make excellent personalized gifts. And they’re surprisingly easy to put together with an elegant final presentation. To assemble your gift, you’ll need a few things: a reusable [...]

Harvesting grapes in Michigan is never easy, but it’s always rewarding for Chateau Grand Traverse! The wine harvest season wraps up for us in early November. During this busy time, our president, [...]

The Grape Life Cycle Every year, year after year, we at Chateau Grand Traverse marvel at the seasons of the grapes’ lives. It’s a story told through the vines and how they respond to their [...]

Northern Michigan is home to some of the greatest small lot wines in the country, and these wines are definitely something you don’t want to miss out on. At Chateau Grand Traverse, we are [...]

The Best Northern Michigan Charcuterie Board Ideas Charcuterie is the perfect appetizer for a romantic dinner or a party with friends. Some of the staples to include are cheeses, meats, nuts, [...]

You may have heard that Traverse City is home to several world-class wineries, including Chateau Grand Traverse, located in the heart of beautiful Old Mission Peninsula. But did you know your [...]

The Best Wines for Picnics and Camping From the fresh air to the recharging power of sunshine, there’s something special about enjoying a glass of wine in the great outdoors. Whether it’s a [...]

Curating the Best Salad and Wine Pairing Is No Easy Task Now here’s something civilized: There nothing more refreshing (and delicious!) than a colorful, healthy salad paired with a tasty glass of [...]

15 Wine Tasting Terms to Know Before Your Tasting Going wine tasting without knowing the most-used wine terms can be like watching the sequel of a movie without first seeing the original. Sure, [...]

How to Host a Virtual Wine Tasting  That pop of a cork or clink of wine glasses doesn’t sound quite the same over a video call. But when it comes to a virtual wine tasting, it’s all [...]

Sugar and Carbs in Wine If you enjoy a lovely glass of Chardonnay like us, you’ve probably asked yourself, How much sugar is in a glass of wine? And for that matter, What is the amount of carbs [...]

The concept of a “Dry January” is becoming a more and more popular New Year’s resolution, with folks deciding to give up all alcohol consumption for the month of January. As the New Year begins [...]

Dinner parties are a fantastic way to entertain and reconnect with friends and family. You’ve embarked on being the gracious host and now you’re on the hunt for recipes to impress. Whether wooing [...]

Ingredients 2 lbs peeled and skinned chestnuts 1/3 stick butter 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup Chateau Grand Traverse Cherry Port Wine. Directions How to peel and skin chestnuts Preheat oven to 360 [...]

Make Your Own Red Wine Vinegar at Home! Wine vinegars are an essential element in your cupboard arsenal! While picking up a bottle from the store is easy enough, there may be a better (and [...]

Have You Ever Wondered How Many Beers Are in a Bottle of Wine? You’re enjoying a glass of Chardonnay while your pal sips a cold pilsner and the thought crosses your mind—how many beers equal a [...]

The weather is gorgeous and your friends are assembled at the winery. Or is it the vineyard? Which one is it, again? While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is a difference. Let [...]

Ingredients 1 (1 1/4 pound) pork tenderloin 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley 1 onion, diced 1 apple, diced 1/2 cup CGT Whole Cluster Riesling 1 cup apple jelly 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons [...]

A Wine for Every Northern Michigan Adventure Sultry beach days, tranquil morning hikes, and cozy campfires—could your up-north vacation get any better? The answer is yes! Complement your northern [...]

How to Chill Wine Fast It’s a warm summer day and, after an afternoon on the beach or working hard in the yard, all you want is a nice cold glass of wine while you relax in the shade. You open [...]

Make Your Own Low-Calorie Drinks! Hard seltzers have been having a moment. They may offer a refreshing and low-calorie drink option, but they’re also often packed with artificial ingredients and [...]

What’s the Best Wine to Pair with Pizza? Have you experienced the magic of good wine with pizza? Meat, cheese, veggies—pizza is essentially a charcuterie board you bake in the oven! With the [...]

Wine barrels play an important role in the flavor profiles of many wines. The team at Chateau Grand Traverse is ready to help guide you through the basics of barrel-aging and the impact it makes [...]

Wine has two favorite pairings: cheese and chocolate, so we’ve pitted them against one another to determine which is the preferred combination to serve after a good meal. Dive in with Chateau [...]

Holiday Season Wine Wrapping Tips & Tricks If you’re searching for how to gift wrap a wine bottle, you’re not alone. Wrapping a wine bottle is tricky and many give up halfway through, taking [...]

The holiday season is here, which means it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to be gifting, how you’re going to thank party hosts, and what you’re going to bring to those festive [...]

Chateau Grand Traverse is the leading wine producer in Traverse City and, as a pioneer, has been paving the way for decades. So how exactly did this family-owned-and-operated Michigan winery get [...]

Standing in front of dozens of wine glasses trying to pick out the perfect one for your wine can be intimidating. With more than 20 varieties of wine glasses available, you could easily end up [...]

Becoming a winemaker requires extensive knowledge and a passion for wine. Find out what it’s like to be a CGT winemaker, how much chemistry is actually involved, and what an average day looks [...]

What goes into the bottling of Chateau Grand Traverse wine and who is in charge of it? Keep reading to learn how CGT staff use complex wine bottling equipment from Italy, and how the important [...]

We don’t always think about drinking wine alongside ethnic cuisine, but by looking at the standout item in your meal and pairing it with a favorite wine, you can easily create an unforgettable [...]

Red wine and cookies are an incredible combination, but what happens when you put red wine in your cookies? The answer is: magic! And the good news is that chef Perry at Chateau Grand [...]

Tasting wine critically, like a sommelier does, can seem overwhelming if you’ve never tried it before. Our team at Chateau Grand Traverse is ready to share how to properly taste wine, critique it [...]

Wine slushies are perfect for cooling down on a hot summer day – or enjoying on a gorgeous summer evening. Commonly found on restaurant bar lists, wine slushies are not as difficult as you would [...]

Sunshine and warm days are officially upon us, and we’re ready to help you prepare for these hot days with the perfect answer to the rising temps: wine spritzers! These Chateau Grand Traverse [...]

Grilling season is here and we’re ready to give you the pairing you didn’t know you needed: wine and burgers! Don’t even consider grabbing a beer to go with your burger next time you grill – [...]

One question we often hear in our tasting room at Chateau Grand Traverse is, “How can you tell the difference between a wine’s aroma and bouquet?” Today we dive-in to this topic to share our CGT [...]

We live in one of the most beautiful places in America, surrounded by fresh water and natural environments calling out for exploration. The surroundings we’re lucky enough to enjoy need to be [...]

Winding your way through the gorgeous country roads of Old Mission Peninsula, spellbound by row after row of vineyards and glimpses of the shimmering waters of Grand Traverse Bay, it’s easy to [...]

Calculating how much wine to buy for a wedding or party can feel like an impossible task. You may be worried about not buying enough alcohol and watching the party run dry after a couple of [...]

Old Mission Peninsula wineries are popular destinations for locals and visitors alike. Traverse City wineries host crowds of people touring the area’s wine trails all year long. Wineries may be a [...]

Controlling Quantity and Wine Quality by Carefully Pruning Grape Vines If you’ve visited northern Michigan in winter or early spring, you’ve probably noticed people pruning grape vines in the [...]

Forget about real diamonds for a minute; we have wine diamonds on our minds this Valentine’s Day! While diamonds will likely remain a girl’s best friend, they’ll be even better when paired with [...]

With so many Rieslings in our lineup, you might not be surprised to hear that we consider this crisp, sometimes sweet wine to be our niche and our specialty. Since we pride ourselves on our [...]

The new year is here, and everyone’s working hard to keep up on their resolutions for the year – many of which involve being healthier. To help you stick to your resolution, we’re giving you [...]

Wine Glass charms are super helpful for keeping track of guests’ glasses during a party and make a “charming” gift for your favorite wine-o! This holiday season, why not make your own wine glass [...]

‘Tis (almost) the season for holiday parties, creatures stirring and of course–gifts galore. This holiday season, don’t be left out in the cold without a gift for the perfect host or [...]

Everything You Need to Know About Wine Temperatures Temperature impacts the flavors of everything we eat and drink, including our favorite glass of red or white wine. Wines have an optimal [...]

How to Clean Wine Glasses in the Dishwasher Without Breaking Them You’ve just finished a glass of your favorite Late Harvest Riesling, and now it’s time to face the tricky task of cleaning your [...]

So you’re drinking a glass of red wine. All your other friends grabbed a dainty little flute of champagne or a chilled glass of sweet white wine, but not you. No, you went for that earthy, full, [...]

It’s nearly impossible to top the perfection of summer on the Old Mission Peninsula, but there’s something extra special about visiting Chateau Grand Traverse during wine harvest season. Old [...]

Poached Salmon Recipe – It’s That Time of Year! Fishing boats dot Grand Traverse Bay as the salmon run returns, and the likelihood of a successful evening on the lake swells. For those who take [...]

Wine is a popular ingredient in recipes, from quick sauces to slow-cooked stews, regularly begging the question, “What is the best wine to cook with?” Plenty of home cooks are quick [...]

What’s the Meaning of Vintage? At its most basic description, the meaning of vintage is the year when a wine’s grapes were harvested. Even if two particular wines are from the same vineyard and [...]

What Makes Old Mission Peninsula Wine Unique? When it comes to understanding a world-class winemaking region like northern Michigan, it’s easy to focus on the grapes. They’re the star of the [...]

The winter months are a big part of what makes this place so special. It’s not for the faint of heart, but those who stay through the frigid winds and grey skies are rewarded with a magical world [...]

7 Best Wine Movies Pour a Glass, and Prep for the Traverse City Film Festival Each year, the Traverse City Film Festival brings thousands of film buffs to the bay in celebration of filmmaking. [...]

How to Tie-Dye a Shirt with Wine Get groovy with grapes! If you threw a party and have half-empty bottles of red wine lying around, Chateau Grand Traverse has the perfect activity for you, your [...]

The Return of Riesling Many people assume all Rieslings are sweet, but they can also be dry and refreshing. Riesling is a classic northern Michigan wine that captures the terroir of the area [...]

Best Summer Wines Let’s be honest – wine tastes great during any time of the year. Yet each of our wines shines brightest during a certain season. Let us help you pair those late summer evenings [...]

Why Do I Get a Headache After Drinking Wine? There are a number of pieces to the wine headache puzzle. Depending on your physiology, any of the following could be contributing to your wine [...]

What do beer, margaritas and wine have in common? The perfect way to welcome the weekend, refreshing drinks for a warm evening, and of course – They all pair well with the official food of [...]

Filling your home with plants is a beautiful way to bring an extra dose of joy into your space, and we couldn’t imagine a more fun way to do it than by repurposing wine corks into tiny magnetic [...]

Corks can be a huge debate in the wine world, with traditionalists insisting natural cork is the only way to close a bottle of wine and modern winemakers open-mindedly exploring alternatives. [...]

Let’s be honest, we all want to be drinking wine on a random weekday just because we feel like it. Here at Chateau Grand Traverse, we’re all about weeknight wine for no special reason other than [...]

Olympics season is coming around yet again with the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, and let’s be honest – there’s little better than relaxing on the couch at home watching the most elite athletes on [...]

Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Traverse City this year! As a city where people love to live, vacation, and plan as a wedding destination, Traverse City is the perfect place to celebrate your love. [...]

When the topic of wine tasting in northern Michigan comes up, most people think fondly of cruising along the lake on a sunny summer day with the windows down and sipping wine on a patio [...]

Bubbly wines might get all the attention when it comes to New Year’s Eve traditions, but we’re here to tell you that this holiday is about drinking the wine you love most. The wine that gets you [...]

When there’s a chill in the air and the snow quietly falls outside, there’s no better way to warm your hands than with a steamy glass of mulled wine. This warm, gently spiced red wine drink is a [...]

Thanksgiving can be stressful enough – with all the planning involved, having all of the dishes ready at exactly the right time, and of course, the massive clean-up effort. We’re here to take one [...]

With the holiday season ramping up, we’re all drinking a little (or a lot) more wine than normal. This year, put those empty wine bottles to work by turning them into festive DIY holiday [...]

As the weather grows cooler in northern Michigan, our minds have turned to comfort food classics. Warm, hearty dishes are feeding our souls and finding their place alongside a full glass of wine. [...]

We’re quickly approaching the most rivalry filled weekend of the year in Michigan, when our two biggest college football teams battle it out on the field. Our staff has been known to participate [...]

Prepare your cocktail shakers! We’re firm believers that wine is perfect in its simplicity, but we also understand that sometimes it’s fun to shake things up a bit. If you’re looking for a way to [...]

We’re always sad to see our tasting room slow down after the hustle and bustle of summer, but this time of year is perfect for locals, like us, to take a staycation. Be it for just a day or a [...]