Traverse City Small Lot Wines

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 passionate about small lot wine production, and we are excited to offer a few types of small lot wines each year.

Learn why small lot wines are special to wineries, and why Traverse City is your perfect small lot wine destination.

What Are Small Lot Wines?

Small lot wines are synonymous with small-production wines. Oftentimes, only a few hundred cases (or fewer) of small lot wines are produced in one season. These wines are made with unique grapes, and typically are never repeated. Most wineries release a few small lot wines once each season.

These wines are special to wineries because they are unique. When creating small lot wines, winemakers have the opportunity to branch out and explore new grape blends and flavor combinations. Small lot wines allow for creative expression in winemaking, and very few lucky individuals have the chance to taste these new and adventurous wines.

If you’ve found a winery you love, you’ll want to taste each batch of their small lot wines every year so you can experience wines of various flavors and characteristics. You never know–you might just discover an incredible new wine that you can’t get enough of.

The Michigan Scene

If you’re interested in Michigan small lot wine production, check out Chateau Grand Traverse. We offer a diverse collection of small lot wines each season. We produce only a few hundred cases of each of these wines, and very rarely do we bring them back for a second year.

Our passionate winemakers are always excited to produce small lot wines at Chateau Grand Traverse. These wines are shaped by the growing season, fruit-style qualities, vineyard blocks, or simply winemaker inspiration and allow us to provide a truly unique experience at our winery. We strive to focus on discovery and exploration with our small lot wines, searching to uncover the next great wine flavors.

Small Lot Wines at Chateau Grand Traverse

We are excited to feature three small lot wines currently, available online and in our tasting room. Each one offers distinctive and eccentric flavors that never fail to amaze.

2020 Gewürztraminer

This is an aromatic white wine with hints of citrus, rose petal, and melon flavors. This robust wine goes perfectly with spicy and exotic foods such as Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. This small lot wine was traditionally pressed, and half the juice was placed in Acacia barrels to ferment for 8 months, preserving the spice, citrus, and floral qualities.

2020 Grüner Veltliner

This off-dry style white wine is a unique combination of tropical, citrus, and starfruit flavors with a light acidity. This small lot creation pairs well with sashimi, salads, seafood, or other light meals. The grapes for this wine were handpicked, and the juice was fermented entirely in stainless steel to enhance the fruity tones.

2020 Muscat Ottonel

This white small lot offers immense freshness with hints of rose, pear, and a touch of honey. It is best served with cheese, mushrooms, Thai, or Indian dishes. The Muscat Ottonel is typically used for blending, but this is our very first stand-alone production. The grapes used in this wine were picked during cool early morning hours, and its aging was extended to attain crisp and fresh qualities.

Your Ideal Wine-Drinking Experience

With new small lot collections released every year, there is a lot to look forward to at Chateau Grand Traverse. If you want to learn more about small lot wines and experience them first-hand, visit us for a wine tasting or grab a bottle from our online shop, we ship to most states! There is no better way to get to know us and discover new, one-of-a-kind flavors. Keep an eye out for our new small lot wine collection next year!