Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris (also known as Pinot Grigio in Italy) originated in Burgundy and today, is grown with great success in regions like France’s Alsace, Trentino in Italy and the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Traverse winemakers have recognized how suitable regional soils and climate are to the grape and the resulting expression offers the kind of freshness and beautiful aromas that makes good Pinot Gris such a drinkable and likeable white.
Expect green apple, lemon, tropical fruit in the nose and flavors like apricot, citrus and apple, all with a subtle, tingling zest on the tongue. Because of the acidity, the wines can also age, revealing lusher fruit flavors over time. Paired with local cheeses, smoked or grilled fish like local walleye, or sushi, these wines are absolutely delicious and versatile. I find myself reaching for these bottles every time I’m in the area, whether I’m heading for a sail, joining a dinner party or just soaking in a view of West Bay on my dad’s patio.
“Pinot Gris from Leelanau Peninsula is incredibly balanced and provides beautiful fruit expression, minerality from our sandy loam soils, crisp acidity, and a great mouthfeel,” says Kasey Wierzba, Executive Winemaker and General Manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay. “The main challenge…is the looming threat of molds and rot. A tight-clustered variety from the Pinot family like Pinot Gris poses a bit more of a challenge than, let's say Riesling. By removing the first couple basal leaves that surround the fruiting zone we are able to open up the vine canopy to more sunlight and air movement.”
Riesling
One of the wine world’s most prized white varieties for its complexity, ageability and distinctive expression of place, Riesling originates from the Rheingau in Germany and though still found most commonly in Germany, is grown throughout the world in places like Washington State, France, California and Canada. Recognizing its potential in the Traverse region, winemaker Ed O’Keefe—founder of Chateau Grand Traverse on the Old Mission Peninsula—planted Riesling vineyards in the mid-1970s with the goal of putting the region on the world-class Riesling map. He and others identified Old Mission’s similarities to traditional, Riesling-friendly soil and climate and today, the wine is made in still, sparkling and late-harvest products in dry, semi-dry and sweet styles that are winning awards globally.
Traverse Riesling aromas and flavors are varied but expect elements like honeycomb, grapefruit, ripe pear and apple, with a crisp acidity keeping the rich layers of fruit lively. These wines are excellent with bright, salty cheeses or my favorite, spicy Thai or Indian cuisine. And think about tasting a TC Riesling with some age on it.
“Riesling likes to grow on the edge of things both climatically and literally,” says second-generation owner of Chateau Grand Traverse, Sean O’Keefe—also the winemaker at Old Mission’s Mari Vineyards. “Old Mission Peninsula is at a more southern 45-degree lower latitude (than the German region from which we draw our inspiration), but because we are on the edge of a continental climate, we experience a relatively late budbreak that moves our ripening season into late October/early November ensuring a nice acid. The glacial sandy soils help maintain dry-ish conditions. I find that growing Riesling on sandy glacial soil produces very delicate aromas without the ‘grapeiness.’ “
O’Keefe says that in some vintages, the sandy soil can create a grapefruit astringency on the finish if not managed properly, but that letting the young wines age longer on the fermentation lees rounds it out and offers “umami” depth for balance.
Gamay Noir
Fruity, flirty and a cousin of Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir is best known as the variety from which France’s Beaujolais wines are made. Though its style varies depending on where it’s grown and who’s making it, its overall lower-alcohol, tart red-fruit and high acidity character have made it increasingly popular among wine drinkers looking for a versatile, easy- and early-drinking red that goes with many foods. Though also made in places like New Zealand, Canada and Switzerland, it has found an excellent home in Traverse’s cool climate environment.
As a food wine, Traverse Gamay is a go-to. Its light tannins and subtle flavor mean it won’t overpower what’s on the plate. That includes seafood like salmon or tuna, both of which I love with Gamay. Also, it’s great with turkey, so earmark that as an alternative to Pinot Noir for your next Thanksgiving feast.
My first eye-opening experience with Traverse Gamay was at Hawthorne Vineyards, whose vineyards are a stone’s throw away from my family’s place on Old Mission. Says Brian Hosmer, winemaker at Hawthorne and also at Old Mission’s Chateau Chantal: “It’s a good wine for the region because it’s generally very easy to deal with in the cellar and doesn’t need much done in elevage [the wine-maturing steps taken from the end of their alcoholic fermentation up until finally bottling the wine] to make it expressive. We tend to do a very short barrel time in older barrels so as to not overwhelm the fruit and put the finer tannins on the mouth at the center of the wine. But the clone of Gamay from [our site] site is peculiar in that it tends to have shorter shoots and have more clusters than it should per the leaf area to allow it to ripen. Typically the vineyard manager Peter Rigan will go through and adjust that down to a couple of clusters per shoot. Otherwise, the fruit will not fully ripen in our shorter season.”
