Maker: Chateau Grand Traverse, Traverse City, Michigan, USA
Grape: Chardonnay (at least 85% by law)
Place of origin: Old Mission Peninsula AVA, Traverse City, Michigan, USA
Vintage: 2013
ABV: 10.5%
Purchased for $12 (Meijer)
Appearance: Medium gold.
Nose: Sweet cream butter, papaya, mango, orange com? con? cow? (notes unclear)
Palate: Medium sweet. Butter, golden apple.
Finish: Pineapple, butter.
Parting words: Chateau Grand Traverse has a history of producing uncommon wines along with quality grocery-store varietals. This is one of the former, obviously. Before this bottle, I’d had late harvest Gewürztraminer and Riesling, obviously, but I had never even heard of late harvest Chard.
The result is very nice. It’s fuller-bodied than the usual style of Chard with big tropical fruit drenched in butter. I expected it to be sweeter than it was, but that may be due to the cool vintage. I’m eager to try a 2016 CGT Late Harvest Chard. Pick me up a bottle if you see one. 2013 Chateau Grand Traverse Late Harvest Chardonnay is recommended.
Sipology 