Michigan wines just keep getting better and better. Need hard evidence? Sales of Michigan wines are up 12 percent, and longtime wineries, such as Chateau Grand Traverse on Old Mission Peninsula, are garnering oodles of accolades at national and international wine competitions. Chateau Grand Traverse, for instance, earned a Best of Class for its 2009 Lot 49 Riesling at the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and scored six medals at the 2012 event in early January, as well as numerous other medals last year. And they're not alone. Dozens of longtime wineries are earning medals at renowned wine competitions and, surprisingly, new wineries are scoring impressive victories, too. (Get the full list here)
Verterra Winery of Leland, which opened in 2011, won big at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The winery's 2010 Pinot Blanc won double gold, Gewürztraminer won gold, and three white wines (including two Chardonnays) won medals as well. (I'm particularly excited to taste their Pinot Blanc and 2011 dry Gewürztraminer to be released this year.)
Great article!
