'Tis the season for giving, and it's no exception among Michigan wineries, many of which are participating in charitable events or holding promotions benefiting worthy causes this holiday season.
Dividing Lake Michigan's Traverse Bay, Old Mission Peninsula is the place to go when you want to get away from the grind of daily life. Although it's home to only eight wineries, it's an official American Viticultural Area. A long weekend here means you'll have enough time to get to know each winery well. We suggest you begin with Chateau Chantal, an Old World-style winery on a 65-acre estate. Along with an eleven-room bed-and-breakfast, the grounds are home to a cooking school, where demonstration and hands-on classes include the opportunity to learn the fine art of pairing food and wine. Touring local wineries is a pleasant way to pass the time, especially when it is followed by a glass of house wine on the château's patio, overlooking the vines, cherry orchards and bay.
Shannon gets "dirty" — well, not in the way you'd think — as we taste through Chateau Chantal's 2010 Proprietor's Reserve Cab Franc. Meanwhile, Cort babbles random trivia ("True story!"), yet, we still manage to keep it short and sweet. Relatively, anyway.
Celebrity chef Batali teamed up with Pure Michigan to host food and travel journalists from around the country on a "familiarization tour" of his favorite vacation region. The June 27-July 1 tour included visits to area farms, restaurants and wineries like The Cooks' House, Grand Traverse Pie Co. and Black Star Farms.
It also took the journalists to scenic landmarks including the Sleeping Bear Dunes in Glen Arbor and Leland's Fishtown.
But the highlight was Batali's cooking demonstration at Chateau Chantal showcasing locally sourced ingredients. The "Made in Michigan" epicurean event gave journalists the chance to get up close and personal with the über chef and part-time northern Michigan resident and to sample two of his new summer recipes.
In today's podcast, we risk embarassing ourselves in front of our neighbors by shifting to "Studio 2" (a.k.a., our patio) and abandon all pretense of trying to stay under three minutes (oh well, nice while it lasted, right?) as we taste through Chateau Chantal's 2010 Proprietor's Reserve Chardonnay. Also, Shannon uses the priceless line, "I used to be in the naked camp. A lot."
Congratulations to LORI FISHER TERBUSH! She was randomly drawn from yesterday's entrants to win a wine rack and bottle of wine from Silver Leaf Vineyards. Lori, please email us at cort@michiganbythebottle.com within 48 hours to claim your prize. (For prizes not claimed within 48 hours, we will redraw from the original pool of entrants to determine a new recipient, so be sure to check back daily to see if you're a winner!)
This contest is closed as of 11:59 p.m. Saturday, April 28. Today's sponsor: Chateau Chantal
Today's prize: A VIP tour and tasting for up to six people. Valued at $150, this experience includes a private tour of the vineyards, wine cellar and winemaking processes, followed by a private tasting with a staff member.
Please click through for restrictions and instructions on how to enter...
Congratulations to JIM BROWNRIGG! Jim was randomly drawn from yesterday's entrants to win a certificate for up to 10 people to attend to Fenn Valley's Wine Festival. Jim, please email us at cort@michiganbythebottle.com within 48 hours to claim your prize. (For prizes not claimed within 48 hours, we will redraw from the original pool of entrants to determine a new recipient, so be sure to check back daily to see if you're a winner!)
This contest is closed as of 11:59 p.m. Friday, April 13.
Today's prize: A pair of tickets to a Tapas Tour at Chateau Chantal, a $52 value. Led by experienced guides, the tour walks guests through the winemaking process "from vine to wine," augmented by tapas-style small plates paired with Chateau Chantal wine.
Please click through for restrictions and instructions on how to enter...
"WOW — I LOVE this wine," was what Shannon said off camera about this Chateau Chantal 2010 Proprietor's Reserve Trio, a Merlot/Cab Franc/Pinot Noir blend. His never-ending raves on camera forced what was likely a record number of edits as we valiantly tried to whittle down the time. As a bonus, he inexplicably dons a Detroit Tigers jersey in the middle of winter.
Dividing Lake Michigan's Traverse Bay, Old Mission Peninsula is the kind of place to go when you want to get away from the grind of daily life. Although it's home to only seven wineries, it's an official American Viticultural Area. A long weekend here means you'll have enough time to get to know each winery well. We suggest you begin with Chateau Chantal, an Old World-style winery on a 65-acre estate. Along with an eleven-room bed-and-breakfast, the grounds are home to a cooking school, where demonstration and hands-on classes include the opportunity to learn the fine art of pairing food and wine. Touring local wineries is a pleasant way to pass the time, especially when it is followed by a glass of house wine on the château's patio, overlooking the vines, cherry orchards and bay.
Congratulations to ADAM AFFHOLTER! He was picked randomly from entries in our Thanksgiving Day contest that asked readers to show us which Michigan wines were gracing their holiday tables by posting pics on our Facebook page or emailing them to us. Adam will get his pick of either a Michigan By The Bottle "I Support the State with Every Sip" T-shirt, a copy of Sharon Kegerreis' and Lorri Hathaway's book "The History of Michigan Wines: 150 Years of Winemaking Along the Great Lakes," or a copy of Kegerreis' and Hathaway's book "From the Vine."
