Chateau Chantal
Encyclopedia
Chateau Chantal is a winery located on the Old Mission Peninsula, only a few miles north of Traverse City, in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The chateau sits atop one of the highest points on the Old Mission Peninsula
and has stunning views of both East and West arms of Grand Traverse Bay
. The winery is a European style chateau
on a 64 acres (25.9 ha) estate. Chantal is in an official American Viticultural Area
, one of only four in Michigan, a state that specializes
in vinifera
, hybrid and native grape varieties. The Chateau has a tasting room
, an eleven-room bed and breakfast
, and a hospitality room where cooking classes and Jazz at Sunset are hosted.
in 2003 to be able to offer a bold red wine to their lineup. The vineyard is in the province of Mendoza, Argentina
. The proper name of the South American Vineyard is Chateau Chantal SA and it grows Malbec
and Bonarda
. Bonarda is a widely planted grape variety in Argentina used to make red wines. Malbec grapes are known for their robust tannins, and are thought of as being the grape of Argentina.
Grant in the late 1960s. Further, Mr. Begin studied with the Smaller Company Management Program at the Baker School of Business, Harvard University, during the early 1970s. In 1972, he headed a construction business in the Detroit area. As a nun, Nadine earned a Master’s Degree in Home Economics and taught for 22 years. From 1972 to 1983, Mr. Begin served as the CEO of Matvest, Inc., a construction management company with operations in nine major cities at the time of his resignation. He has been the sole proprietor of Begin Orchards since 1983. In 1991 the company was renamed Chateau Chantal after their daughter Marie-Chantal Begin. Mr. Begin is the company's founder and Chairman of the Board. Nadine wrote the book Feed my Lambs, Feed my Sheep - The Meals and Memories of a Lifetime. This book is half cookbook half memoir. Nadine is an accomplished cook and prepares many of the meals in the B&B herself. The book outlines her life story from growing up on a farm, joining the convent, marrying Bob and starting a family, and starting a winery in Northern Michigan
. The book is filled with photos, prose, poetry and family recipes that she picked up in her journey that began in 1932.
in 1974. In 1983, he received a degree in Viticulture and Enology at the Federal Research Station and Institute in Geisenheim
, Germany. From 1983 to 1993, Mr. Johnson was employed as a winemaker at Chateau Grand Traverse, a local winery. His employment with the Chateau Chantal began in 1993.
in Resource Development, he switched his area of study to winemaking and viticulture after several teaching-assistant positions in France, Spain and Belgium—where he learned to appreciate wine. Hosmer went through the two-year wine/viticulture program at MSU.
was first produced in Michigan in 1983 by Mark Johnson, who was working at Chateau Grand Traverse at the time. Chantal continues to follow the German laws that govern what wine qualifies as ice wine
. German law dictates that ice wine must be picked only when the grapes are frozen on the vine, while United States law allows for wine to be sold as ice wine if the grapes are picked and then artificially frozen. Because of the impossibility of predicting nature, making ice wine requires a great deal of luck. The grapes are generally picked in December after prolonged below freezing temperatures, to ensure they are frozen all the way through. But on warmer years the grapes cannot be picked until late into January or February. It can also be difficult to protect the grapes from birds and wind as they stay on the vine until after they are very ripe. Leaving the grapes on the vine until the first hard freeze ensures the grapes have reached their full ripeness while the ice captures the excess water leaving naturally concentrated sugars. Ice wine is sometimes referred to as liquid gold because of its high cost to make and purchase and because of the wine's intense sweetness.
The high cost of producing ice wine causes it to generate little profit for the winery. When asked why Chantal still makes it year after year Johnson replied "A good ice wine is almost certain to bring home a medal or two. I do think that natural ice wine is something incredibly special, and it's quite rare. And because they can't do it in California."
began in 1925 as the Blessing of the Blossoms Festival. This Festival was originally an event held in early may to attract tourists to Northern Michigan to view the cherry blossoms. In 1931 the Michigan Legislature renamed the festival the National Cherry Festival, and moved the event to the summer. The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula restarted this tradition in 2004 by hosting the Blossom Days Festival. The festival is a two day event. The Blessing of the Blossoms is a non-denominational ceremony that takes place at Chateau Chantal. The 2011 Blossom days event took place on May 14–15 and the Blessing of the Blossoms was performed by Bishop Bernard Hedba.
Peninsula Township, Michigan
Peninsula Township is a civil township of Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,265. The township is coterminous with the Old Mission Peninsula, which projects into the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. The Old Mission Point...
and has stunning views of both East and West arms of Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
. The winery is a European style chateau
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
on a 64 acres (25.9 ha) estate. Chantal is in an official American Viticultural Area
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
, one of only four in Michigan, a state that specializes
in vinifera
Vinifera
Vinifera may refer to:* Vinifera, Victoria, a locality in Australia* 759 Vinifera, a minor planet orbiting the sun...
, hybrid and native grape varieties. The Chateau has a tasting room
Tasting room
A tasting room is a part of a winery, typically located on the premises of the winery's production facilities, at which guests may sample the winery's products...
, an eleven-room bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
, and a hospitality room where cooking classes and Jazz at Sunset are hosted.
History
While Chateau Chantal was not incorporated until 1991, its history began in December 1983, when Robert and Nadine Begin formed Begin Orchards and purchased 60 acres of cherry orchards on the company's current site. Between 1984 and 1991, the Begins cleared much of this land, planted various grapes varieties and purchased additional land. In July 1990, Mr. Begin received a Special Use Permit from the Peninsula Township to operate the Chateau. In June 1991, the company was incorporated and in 1993 construction of the Chateau was completed. July 2003 saw the completion of an expansion which added eight B&B units to the original three, and a 2000 square foot Hospitality Room equipped for executive retreats and events. In late 2010, Chantal finished its second major expansion adding on to its cellar and tasting room. The addition adds 9835 square foot to the cellar, a 1784 square foot tasting room addition, and 2730 square foot patio space located on the roof of the cellar for seasonal use.Argentina
Chantal purchased a vineyard in ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in 2003 to be able to offer a bold red wine to their lineup. The vineyard is in the province of Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
. The proper name of the South American Vineyard is Chateau Chantal SA and it grows Malbec
Malbec
Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in the South West...
and Bonarda
Bonarda
Bonarda is a name applied to several different grape varieties used to make red wine:* Charbono of California is widely grown in Argentina as Bonarda. It originates in Savoie, where it is known as Corbeau or Douce Noir , but is not the same as Piedmont's Dolcetto...
. Bonarda is a widely planted grape variety in Argentina used to make red wines. Malbec grapes are known for their robust tannins, and are thought of as being the grape of Argentina.
Founders Robert and Nadine Begin
Robert was a Roman Catholic priest for twelve years and Nadine, a former Felician Sister. The two went their separate ways from serving in the church and were married in 1974. They remain devout to their faith. Mr. Begin did post graduate studies in low income housing under a one-year Ford FoundationFord Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
Grant in the late 1960s. Further, Mr. Begin studied with the Smaller Company Management Program at the Baker School of Business, Harvard University, during the early 1970s. In 1972, he headed a construction business in the Detroit area. As a nun, Nadine earned a Master’s Degree in Home Economics and taught for 22 years. From 1972 to 1983, Mr. Begin served as the CEO of Matvest, Inc., a construction management company with operations in nine major cities at the time of his resignation. He has been the sole proprietor of Begin Orchards since 1983. In 1991 the company was renamed Chateau Chantal after their daughter Marie-Chantal Begin. Mr. Begin is the company's founder and Chairman of the Board. Nadine wrote the book Feed my Lambs, Feed my Sheep - The Meals and Memories of a Lifetime. This book is half cookbook half memoir. Nadine is an accomplished cook and prepares many of the meals in the B&B herself. The book outlines her life story from growing up on a farm, joining the convent, marrying Bob and starting a family, and starting a winery in Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
. The book is filled with photos, prose, poetry and family recipes that she picked up in her journey that began in 1932.
Governance
The company is governed by a five to nine member Board of Directors. Directors are elected by majority vote of shareholders voting at the company's annual meeting.Mark B. Johnson
Johnson is the WineMaker and also the Vice President. His responsibilities include overseeing Chantal's grape growing and wine production and distribution marketing. Mr. Johnson received his B.A. degree in social work from Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 1974. In 1983, he received a degree in Viticulture and Enology at the Federal Research Station and Institute in Geisenheim
Geisenheim
Geisenheim is a town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hessen, Germany, and is known as Weinstadt , Schulstadt , Domstadt and Lindenstadt ....
, Germany. From 1983 to 1993, Mr. Johnson was employed as a winemaker at Chateau Grand Traverse, a local winery. His employment with the Chateau Chantal began in 1993.
Brian Hosmer
Hosmer was hired as a WineMaker at Chateau Chantal in 2007. Hosmer was born in Flint, and is a graduate of Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in Resource Development, he switched his area of study to winemaking and viticulture after several teaching-assistant positions in France, Spain and Belgium—where he learned to appreciate wine. Hosmer went through the two-year wine/viticulture program at MSU.
Ice Wine
On years when weather permits Chantal preserves a portion of the Riesling grapes to be harvested after the first hard freeze. Ice wineIce wine
Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing a more concentrated grape must to be pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more...
was first produced in Michigan in 1983 by Mark Johnson, who was working at Chateau Grand Traverse at the time. Chantal continues to follow the German laws that govern what wine qualifies as ice wine
Ice wine
Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing a more concentrated grape must to be pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more...
. German law dictates that ice wine must be picked only when the grapes are frozen on the vine, while United States law allows for wine to be sold as ice wine if the grapes are picked and then artificially frozen. Because of the impossibility of predicting nature, making ice wine requires a great deal of luck. The grapes are generally picked in December after prolonged below freezing temperatures, to ensure they are frozen all the way through. But on warmer years the grapes cannot be picked until late into January or February. It can also be difficult to protect the grapes from birds and wind as they stay on the vine until after they are very ripe. Leaving the grapes on the vine until the first hard freeze ensures the grapes have reached their full ripeness while the ice captures the excess water leaving naturally concentrated sugars. Ice wine is sometimes referred to as liquid gold because of its high cost to make and purchase and because of the wine's intense sweetness.
The high cost of producing ice wine causes it to generate little profit for the winery. When asked why Chantal still makes it year after year Johnson replied "A good ice wine is almost certain to bring home a medal or two. I do think that natural ice wine is something incredibly special, and it's quite rare. And because they can't do it in California."
Entice
Entice is a blend of Chantal's ice wine and barrel aged grape brandy, making this a white port.Blossom Days
The Original Traverse City Cherry FestivalNational Cherry Festival
The National Cherry Festival is a festival in Traverse City, Michigan. The Original National Cherry Festival began in 1925 as the Blessing of the Blossoms Festival. This Festival was originally an event held in early May to attract tourists to Northern Michigan to view the booming cherry blossoms...
began in 1925 as the Blessing of the Blossoms Festival. This Festival was originally an event held in early may to attract tourists to Northern Michigan to view the cherry blossoms. In 1931 the Michigan Legislature renamed the festival the National Cherry Festival, and moved the event to the summer. The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula restarted this tradition in 2004 by hosting the Blossom Days Festival. The festival is a two day event. The Blessing of the Blossoms is a non-denominational ceremony that takes place at Chateau Chantal. The 2011 Blossom days event took place on May 14–15 and the Blessing of the Blossoms was performed by Bishop Bernard Hedba.