This is one of those instances when everything just clicks. This place, with these grapes and this growing season produced something spectacular. Pure silk on the palate. So smooth it leaves the impression of sweetness even though it is totally dry. The nose is honey, nectarine and lemon swimming in wet shale. There is a precise streak of Granny Smith apple acidity. Ridiculously expressive considering it's leanness. The finish has honeyed lemon and fresh peach lingering expression with just a touch of sassafras leaf and tree sap flavors.

On my second visit to this tasting room, I was just as impressed as the first. These people have a nice touch with cool climate grape varietals. They have a particular nice hand with Pinot Gris, which to my palate are high 80's point wines. Tasted great at the tasting bar, and at least as good or better at home. There is a really nice rift of Granny Smith apple acidity behind some perfectly ripe white pear and apple. Typical Northern Michigan lean elegance. Lingering honey and nectarine from lips to finish. A touch of shale earthiness. Lots of mild complexity for a wine this soft and delicate. Ripe pear and mild lemon on the long finish.

Really big for a Pinot Blanc, maybe Leelanau peninsula is a new hot spot for this varietal. The color is yellow golden. Attractive nose of honeysuckle and ripe peach. The entry is honeyed peach with green apple. The kind of mouth coating integration of acid, fruit and mild mineral secondary flavors that make this close to a 90 point wine. Some lemon drop, nectarine, honey and acid keep coming during a long balanced and satisfying finish.

The web site does not mention it, but the tasting room staff revealed this Chardonnay received a month in oak. Have to applaud them and their farming techniques to have ripened and developed these grapes. This is full bodied Chardonnay from a region known for it's elegant delicacy. The oak helps with the body and character, but these were good grapes to start with. Nice melding of orchard and citrus fruits. It is deep, luscious, crisp, fruity and balanced.

As is typical for Leelanau Peninsula white wines, and especially for this producer, this dry Riesling is the epitome of mild, light elegance. There is enough of that oily, rich viscosity, honey and fig aroma and flavor profile to easily identify the variety as Riesling. But then the terroir, farming and winemaking bring their own unique nuances that have been highly regarded by judges wherever it is entered. So balanced that no flavors or aromas jump out. Very pure and expressive, crisp, green apple, fig, pear and citrus on the finish.

The Chateau Fontaine people bring their signature, Leelanau Peninsuls delicacy now to the Viognier grape. They creatively aged this on for 6 weeks in neutral oak, and it seems to work. Floral and ripe pear nose. Quite ripe and very fruit forward. Lychee, melon, peach, pear and apple. Way more elegant and delicate than we consider normal from other regions. Crisp lemon/lime accentuates the other fruit on the finish.

I would call this 2016 more typical to the varietal and mainstream than the 2011 I tasted 4 years ago. That wine was lean and elegant. This one, though by no means big, has a little stuffing than the 2011, and I think a touch more RS. True to the variety, no matter where it is grown, there the expected floral nose. It is a little spicy. Has some of the more weighty fruit flavors like melon and nectarine. Has the style of balancing acid that lets the fruit shine. Really clean and well made.

They call this Woodlands White, but tell us it is Auxerrrois. The label says it is dry, but my palate does not. At the tasting room my palate was unsure, so we bring one home for further research. The color is almost as clear as water. The viscosity is very heavy by white wine standards. The nose is really nice honeysuckle and over ripe pear. Also, there seems to be a delightful little spritz. To me this tastes like a desert wine, though lacking some acidity. Don't know whether to give it an 87 or a 91. It is very clean and tasty. Some apricot and peach appear on the finish.

There is a reason for semi-sweet Riesling, I don't really care for it, but many do. This one is exactly as expected. Sugar dominates the nose, palate and viscosity. There is plenty of the richer type fruits like melon and nectarine with honey. Very commendable attempt at balancing acid that keeps things from being cloying. The overall finish is honeyed sweet peach and apple.

We have a sleeper here. Shows very well in the press and competitions for the simple reason this is a commendable, tasty, well made rose of 100% Pinot Noir. Because this is Pinot from a region renowned for elegant, delicate wines, it dances across the palate very softly. I get some sassafras on the nose with roses and mild red fruit. The palate is precise cherry and raspberry. Totally balanced with acid and mild tannins that melt in the mouth. Fruity, clean finish.

The front label is a picture of a vintage wooden speed boat, probably a Garwood from the 30's cruising down the lake, most likely Lake Leelanau, where I grew up about a half mile south of the "Narrows". This was a small enough community where we knew who was cruising by our dock by the sound of their engine. I am certain I could intelligently converse with whoever chose this theme for this bottle.

Obviously a different batch from what I reviewed in 2013. Generally speaking, "It is what it is". I would not seek this out, but when visiting a tasting room we try them all and give our best, somewhat informed opinion. They need wines for everyone's taste, and this one does a pretty good job. The nose is pure Cabernet Franc. This is a fun wine with loads of cherry and strawberry fruit, albeit a bit sweet.

This 2013 Reserve Pinot shows just how the grape growing and wine making has developed in the middle of the Leelanau Peninsula. They have produced grapes strong enough to handle and deserve 18 months in French oak. The aromas and flavors of this Pinot Noir would be classic no matter where it was grown. The nose shows the oak, but also vanilla and rich red fruit. The entry is mature, delicate, soft red cherry. Commendable body and character. The kind of spicy, deep, complex, lingering flavors that deserve a low 90's score.

This is my first introduction to the use of Syrah in Northern Michigan. They thought it was strong enough to deserve and need 10 months in French oak, and the tasting result definitely confirms the validity of their decision. This is the total, complete red wine package with only a touch of the typical Leelanau Peninsula lean, delicacy. Sryah typical, expressive blueberry fruit. Enough complex, earthy, sappy flavors and solid mid palate to break the elusive 90 point glass ceiling. Some oak, vanilla and blue fruit on the balanced, lingering finish.

Mostly Cab Franc, and with a few years of bottle age under it's belt, another 90 plus point offering from the increasingly impressive Chateau Fontaine. From a special year, the fruit got totally ripe. Deep dark red color. The nose and entry is big oak and big red fruit, supported with tons of blackberry. Typical Leelanau Peninsula lean delicate softness, but almost on steroids. Basically mature and ready. Complex finish with layers of rustic earth, vanilla, ripe red and dark fruit, oak and tannins.

Been exposed to cherry wine most of life, most of them syrupy sweet. This one is mostly just the opposite. It is elegant and delicate, and really not all that fruit forward. Shows some of the nuances of cherries that does not require sugar. The color is more salmon than expected. Of course they gave us a candy kiss, which we all know literally bonds with cherry in a match made in heaven.

Normally not a fan of most fortified wines, while visiting the tasting, why not? They stopped the fermentation and fortified this to 18%. Plenty of deep, rich, lovely cherry flavor. The liquor enhances, not dominates. Very clean smooth, mouth coating finish.