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 [...]
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | 1:00 pm Take a deeper look into CGT’s favorite varietal during this 45 minute behind-the-scenes winery tour and Riesling tasting! Participants will enjoy unfinished tank [...]
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2020 | 6:00 PM Join us for Wine Down Wednesdays – Bingo edition! Games are free to play with prizes after each round. Back by popular demand will be Chef Perry’s small bites [...]
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2020 | 6:00 PM Join us for Wine Down Wednesdays – Bingo edition! Games are free to play with prizes after each round. Back by popular demand will be Chef Perry’s small bites [...]
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2020 | 1:00 pm Take a deeper look into CGT’s favorite varietal during this 45 minute behind-the-scenes winery tour and Riesling tasting! Participants will enjoy unfinished [...]
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 [...]
We craft all of our Grand Traverse Select wines to pair well with the foods that wine lovers enjoy on their dinner tables. These wines are [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Labor Day is just around the corner, making it time to invite your friends and family over and prepare to fire up the barbecue! Break free from stereotypes this Labor Day – kick beer to the curb [...]
Summer in northern Michigan is a magical time. Our communities bustle with visitors happy to spend some time in our little slice of heaven. The tasting rooms are packed with people excited to [...]
“Can you please pass the cheesy poofs and the Pinot Grigio?” Everyone loves it when good wine is paired with complementary cheese or charcuterie. But in celebration of National Junk Food Day, [...]
Fourth of July is the perfect blend of patriotism and warm weather. Why not get into the spirit with a thirst-quenching red, white and blue sangria made with American white wine. It’s easy, too. [...]
Empty wine bottles are the perfect thing to decorate and turn into a family-friendly ring toss game. Summer is here, the kids are out of school and it’s the perfect time to play some outdoor yard [...]
Planning a wedding is a daunting process, and while coming up with wedding registry ideas can be a lot of fun, sometimes it just feels like another item on the to-do list. Don’t worry – we’re [...]
Is that toasted Japanese maple bark? I’m getting some vanilla undertones, though I can’t tell if it’s Madagascan or Honduran. If you want to learn how to look like a wine expert, you’ve come to [...]
As springtime slowly but surely arrives in Northern Michigan, excitement mounts for warmer days and bluer skies. Long days on the beach, cherry-stained fingertips and fresh, local produce galore [...]
Some wine connoisseurs may roll their eyes when they see a few bottles of wine in your kitchen. Many argue that exposure to heat – around the oven, especially – can negatively affect the quality [...]
We’re all guilty of some questionable wine glass choices, some even leave the glass behind and might swig right from the bottle (just don’t make it a habit). Many don’t give much thought to [...]
Take a leisurely drive on a warm summer day on Old Mission Peninsula and you can’t help but marvel at the beauty around you: Rolling hills, orchards and magnificent views of Grand Traverse Bay on [...]
Have you ever wondered why wine comes in different colored bottles? The answer is an interesting blend of science and tradition – and a great way to impress your dinner guests. Winemakers have [...]
Just as temperatures dropped to a chilly 10 degrees on the morning of Monday, December 19, workers at CGT bundled up for a winter harvest, hastily picking frozen Riesling grapes for Ice Wine. Ice [...]
Why do people swirl wine, anyway? The answer is slightly more complicated than the obvious one – it’s just to make the drinker look awesome and sophisticated, right? The truth is, [...]
