This week at our wine pairing and pouring we are going to celebrate Chateau Fontaine, a family-owned winery located in the heart of the Leelanau Peninsula. Chateau Fontaine is focused on making world class, fruit-forward wines, at a reasonable price. Opened in 2000, Dan and Lucie Matthies started growing grapes in 1987 and made their first Chardonnay in 1998. Starting with Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, Chateau Fontaine now grows 15 varietals and produces some of the most awarded wines in Michigan. Beyond recognition in the Midwest, Chateau Fontaine has even garnered world distinction for several of their white wines, winning the John Rose Award at the Finger Lakes International Competition for the dry and semi-sweet White Rieslings in 2012 and 2013, and the Best Pacific Rim White Wine for their 2010 Gewurztraminer. There has even been buzz about Chateau Fontaine's award-winning vintages in Wine Spectator. The Matthies continue to push the envelope on the grapes they grow, being the first to grow Syrah grapes in Michigan and the first to grow Cabernet Sauvignon in Leelanau. They have also introduced new white varietals like Viognier, Pinot Blanc and Grüner Veltliner to their vineyard with the Pinot Blanc winning best dry white at the Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition in both 2012 and 2013.
We will be offering their Double Gold winning Pinot Noir, a silky textured wine with notes of earth and spice on the nose, and redberry flavor on the palate; Riesling, a complex and fruit forward wine with tropical flavors; and Cherry Wine, a semi sweet wine, made with three kinds of northern Michigan cherries. Join us Friday night from 5-8 p.m.