What a gem! Our group of 8 was seated on the patio. Between us, we tried almost all the wines on the list, moving from dry to sweet. My favorite was the off-dry gewurztraminer, but we enjoyed many of their offerings. We also got two pre-packaged charcuterie trays. Our server, Rhonda was wonderful! She even recommended other wineries we might like. A great experience! read more

Chateau Fontaine - Cork wall! - Wineries Near Me - Lake Leelanau, Michigan

This is the way wine tasting should be...and in a stemmed glass. $2 per taste (per pour, no limit how many you wanted, not pre-determined) but was enough of a pour that my wife and I could share. We tasted quite a few of their wines. Picked out a few for purchase. We will be back. read more

We enjoyed the wines so much! Marcy was AMAZING! We felt like family. She explained the best way to enjoy each of the wines. The patio was completely enjoyable. This is my first trip to Michigan for wine tasting & I have to say Napa has nothing on this place. Thank you so much for this experience. read more

Excellent customer service! Everyone was kind and knowledgeable ... and well dressed! Someone was rocking a top hat, which was my husband's favorite part. Family members were delighted in the gifts they received from here. read more

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Just had a wonderful time here! James was amazing at guiding our wine selection. He was super knowledgeable about the local food scene and gave great recommendations on must see places. The wine quality exceeded expectations. His style of service really made the whole visit! read more

Food: 5 stars Ambiance: 5 stars Wine: 5 stars Value: 6 stars This is a super low key winery with great wine and great food! Their tastings and food are also a great value. For some reason (possibly how low key they are?) they are not one of the super popular wineries and are usually not crazily crowded, but they still get a good number of visitors. Their Pinot noir was the only wine I wasn't impressed with. I purchased their Chardonnay and cows on the beach, and also love their dip! Highly recommend stopping by, especially on Wednesdays when they stay open a bit later and have live music. read more

Delicious wine, beautiful outdoor seating, extremely friendly staff. We're red wine drinkers so our server brought us an additional tasting of a red blend not on the tasting menu. Including with the tasting are 12 different wines, cheese & crackers and some chocolate to finish with the cherry wine at the end. NO CHARGE!! But you'll be compelled to take home something because it's so fabulous. Must stop for your winery tour! read more

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Great wines, and great crew that works there. They were very helpful and knowledgeable in regard to their wines.

Pretty disappointed with em at the leelenau wine and food 2023. They hit you for 2 tokens for an $18 bottle of wine (price from menu). Servers were "robots". Distributor was standing aside and wouldn't shut up between mouth fulls of food (spitting) kinda weird. Total money grab at this event. read more

Fabulous wines The staff was great and very helpful + only 2$ for a taste of whatever you wanted to try!

Beautiful winery with a great free tasting that is casual and classy at once. They pair with an in house garlic cheese and crackers. It was amazing and a bit of dark chocolate for another tasting. Try the Sweetwater sip for $2. Excellent. Best winery we have found. read more

Visited Chateau Fontaine on a whim. This place actually spoiled it for all other wineries it was THAT good. This is some of the smoothest, tastiest wine I have ever had. The server providing the information was providing a history of the wine, what it works well with and just totally pleasant. The owner came out and discussed his vineyards with such delightful pride. The wine is bar none the best around. Thanks for the great wine tasting. I probably would not go elsewhere because you have set the bar so high. read more

Free wine tasting. Cheese ball. Pups! Chateau Fontaine is certainly off the beaten path and I would never have known about it had a friend not brought us here but it's now one of my favorite wineries. The tasting room is a cozy house packed full of all sorts of fun gadgets, tchotkes, and other knick knacks. It's definitely shabby chic but I've always left with some great item I never would have seen otherwise (Cabearnet flag? check. Squirrel napkins? check) You get to sample all of their wines and the staff are super nice and knowledgeable. Favorites are the Big Paw Red, Rieslings, and Woodland White. The prices are very reasonable and the bottles are great to have in the house for a dinner or gathering. The labels are unique and nice mementos of the peninsula. Unfortunately they do not ship so plan to check a bag or ask a kind friend :) read more

Free tasting of every wine they have!! You really can't beat that. The wines were good, but not my favorites compared to other wineries in the area. One of my friends loved it so much she bought a case though, so what do I know :) The real hit for me here was their Chardonnay cilantro cheese ball mix! My friends and I actually all ended up buying it because the sample we tried was so delicious. Really looking forward to making it for an upcoming party! read more

They have always been one of my families best wineries to visit Since they opened up but this year they exceeded everything when it comes to great customer service. We went up 4th of July week and and bought wine and some small wine stopper and cheese garlic mix. When I went home I could find the wine stopper of mix until I got a call later that week from them. Told me they had it and would be sending it to me and sure enough got in the mail two days later. Outstanding customer service!!! Gave me hope in humanity and giving grace during this crazy Covid year and trying to get back to normal. We will always make this a stop for sure every year! read more

This was not originally on our list of wineries to visit but it ended up being our favorite. The tastings are free and the gentleman who walked us through all the wine was fantastic! He was extremely informative and very passionate about all the wines, which made it even more fun. They offer mostly whites but they are all pretty tasty. The place is small but they accommodate the crowds well and they have a cute patio if you want to purchase a glass to enjoy afterwards. I would definitely recommend adding this winery to your visit read more

the wines are very good. the wine tasting is $14.00 per person. My husband and I purchased 2 cases of wine totaling close to$600. our host asked if we would like of glass of wine while we were deciding what we wanted to purchase. My husband said yes assuming there was no charge..nope $15. I feel that when you purchase as much as we did in wine that the tasting and the glass of wine should be complimentary. Again the wine is good but I think the service could have been a lot better read more

This was my favorite tasting that we went to during our Leelandau Pennisula wine tour. Remarkably the tasting is free and it not just a couple of their wines they present to you to try. Initially the list was ten wines but the staff member paid attention to what we liked and brought out additional wines that she thought we might like as well. She gave an excellent presentation that was a good learning experience as I came from the wine yard with an increased knowledge. Towards the end we were given crackers a cheese ball. For the dessert cherry wine she pulled out dark chocolate kisses to go with the wine. This is a smaller winery than some of the others but they had a small side porch to sit outside. It was not very busy when we were here but I can see how it would get crowded. read more

This is *SLIGHTLY* off the beaten path, but RUN there. Originally, we were not planning on stopping here, but after being urged by the owners of Amoritas Winery we couldn't say no. Man, that was the best advice we got on this trip! First off, free tasting OF ALL THEIR WINES. Yep, all of them. For free. And a sample of their wine cheese ball. Nom Nom Nom. All their wine is price conscious (I believe all of them are under $20). The employee doing our tasting was personable and easy to joke around with, and killing it for her first week. There was no wine that I disliked here. My favorite was the Big Paw Red and my fiance really liked the cherry and the ice wine. We both got glasses and headed out to the patio to relax an take in the scenery. Not much to look at, but you have to appreciate summer time day drinking. Lastly, THERE IS A PUP ON THE PREMISE. If that's not a reason to go, I don't know what it. read more

This is my favorite winery on the peninsula! They let you try all the wines for free and they're all pretty fantastic. I usually buy at least a few bottles - Big Paw Red is my favorite, but seriously, they're all good. They also always have a cheese ball out, which I've definitely bought the mix for before - it's really good! They tend to have the best pairings out of all the wineries for any of the pairing events. read more

This was the first stop on our Michigan wine tour and certainly the most charming. The owner, Dan Matthies, was very friendly and talked us through each wine. His lovable pup darted in and out of the door, greeting visitors with his wet nose and bloodshot eyes. I really liked the Woodland Red but ended up buying the Big Paw Red, which was named for Dan's previous pup. Yes, there's a dog on the bottle and I thought it was cute but it's a really good wine too! The Big Paw Red is a quaffable, easy drinking wine. This is the perfect red to sip on while sitting on your porch or deck. I liked it so much that I asked a friend who was up there this past weekend to pick up another bottle for me. When we were leaving, Dan suggested we take a ride up to the vineyard to check out the gorgeous view. That was a nice touch and we certainly appreciated it. read more

Chateau Fontaine - Wineries Near Me - Lake Leelanau, Michigan

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A little off the typical wine route, but we always stop here for tasting and one of the few places we buy wine on Leelanau Peninsula. So Why? People are great and knowledgeable and you can drink the wine when you get home. I think there are a lot of times when you let the the fun of visiting these wineries and the tasting and enjoying the moment get in the way of making decisions you may regret when you get home. We are not big riesling people and Michigan reds with few exceptions are not our favorites . . . that said we bought eight bottles (Chardonny/PinoGris, Pinot Noir, Dry Riesling Rose) and have enjoyed every bottle. read more

This is by far my favorite winery. We have been visiting for our anniversary for 16 years and have always had a great experience here. I love that they take the time to tell you about each wine and you can try them all because the taste can change year to year depending on the harvest. No other winery makes me realize how much my tastes have evolved, from our honeymoon 16 years ago when all I could drink were the super sweet whites to our latest visit where we went home with mostly dry reds. I love that the staff really know their wines and can tell you for instance how the 2017 compares to the 2015. I love their Gewurztraminer and Big Paw Red for an everyday red. The tasting room is small, which is good in my opinion and provides a more intimate, less commercial setting. They don't charge for tasting, almost unheard of nowadays. (Their hard cider is excellent as well.) Can't wait to go back! read more

Have a seat on the porch... when it's raining?? No thanks!! You had plenty of open tables... even with social distancing ... won't be back !!! So disappointed!!! read more

Absolutely the place to stop on your wine tour!! Waitstaff was wonderful and the tastings are free but tipping is encouraged and it's well deserved. Setting is lovely and well worth the stop! read more

We stopped here on a wine tour and are sure glad we did! Of the 5 wineries we sampled it was easily the best. The flavors are fantastic and the wines are all easy to drink. The vintner gave an awesome presentation and walked us through all of the different tastings. He had a great personality and really got people excited. They even had a home made cheese ball that was a palate cleanser in between tastings. We ended up buying half a case and are excited to drink them all :) (The tasting itself was free which is an added bonus) read more

One of our favorite wineries in Leelanau. The folks at Chateau Fontaine will help you taste your face off. The complimentary tasting here seems endless. My favorite part is when you're offered a Hershey kiss to enjoy with the cherry wine, along with instructions on how to detect flavor differences as you eat and sip. The cheese ball is also a hit with people, though I've tended to shy away from it (communal cheese, you know?). The wines here are very affordable, with many costing under $15 per bottle. We like the Big Paw Red as an easy-drinking table wine. Chateau Fontaine also has one of my favorite cherry wines, although it is very sweet. I like that its flavor is so true to that prototypical ripe cherry. If you're doing a wine tour, note that Chateau Fontaine's hours are a little more limited than most wineries', so make sure you plan your timing accordingly. read more

This is THE ultimate tasting experience in Traverse City. My husband and I have been up to TC numerous times in the last several years, and we've watched the area explode with business and new wineries. It's almost TOO busy up there to really enjoy it in the spring/summer. There are too many, what we call, "McTastings" - the places where 21 year-olds serve you tastings with no more information other than, "this is cab/franc." Fontaine will let you taste all their wines. They'll explain every flavor profile, every nuance, every intention of why this wine tastes the way it does and you'll understand that they take their craft very seriously. It's incredible. Their wines have won local and national awards and I HIGHLY recommend. Also, they have a dog on-site - a beautiful English Setter. Go there. read more

This place was recommended by another winery- a pretty good indicator that I needed to go here (the sparkling Yelp reviews didn't hurt either). As far as I am concerned (as a person that has been to two Leelenau area wineries) Chateau Fontaine is the must go spot in the area. I wish I had got the name of the woman that led our tasting because she really made the experience and I need to give her a shoutout on the influential place that is my Yelp page. She had so much knowledge on the area and wines, and her passion for them showed. We tasted a good 8 or 9 wines, along with a cheese plate, and dark chocolate. Went home with the Big Paw Red, Dry Rose, and Pinot Gris. I cannot recommend this place enough - whether you are a wine newbie, or a connoisseur, I am already looking forward to coming back next season and bringing my family! read more

Absolutely Splendid with Delicious Wines! Make a reservation and do a tasting at the bar! The staff is so super knowledge and loves to answer questions about the wines! Very engaging!!! This winery does not add any sugars! The gift shop is fun with many useful wine gadgets and gifts for wine lovers! read more

Came here while on a trip to Traverse City last week. The wine was fantastic and the service was great. They have a nice little shop as well with various mixes for soup/dips. If you're traveling through the wineries in the area this one is definitely worth stopping at! read more

Chateau Fontaine - Wineries Near Me - Lake Leelanau, Michigan

My husband and I went to this winery based in all of the positive reviews. It did not disappoint! We both really enjoyed all the wines we tasted. All of the whites were very good. We especially liked the Dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and the cherry wine. The Cherry wine is the best I've ever had. I said that to the man assisting g us with the wine, and he said that's what everyone says. We ended up purchasing 3 bottles of wine for Thanksgiving dinner. The only drawback was that we did feel rushed by the two workers we encountered. From the moment we walked in a man rushed us up to the counter and the man offering samples rushed us. We were in and out in about 15 minutes. It was busy and I would rather be rushed than completely ignored. We did love the wine, so it was easy to try and buy! read more

We were lucky enough to work with Dan and pour his wines at Tawas Uncork'd. It was the best part of the day. As an investor in another Michigan winery and a retail wine advisor, I can say without a doubt, Dan is an extraordinary wine maker as exemplified by his unique presentation and knowledge of his award winning wines. We get up to the TC area many times a year and Chateau Fontaine has been added to our short list of must visit wineries. We even went to the Village Corner Market in Ann Arbor to buy some Woodland White and Big Paw Red. Thanks Dan! read more

First of all, we walked out of here with 18 bottles of wine. By far the best wine in the area. Came here for "Small Plates" shout out to "9 bean rows" who provided the meal, which was phenomenal. We plan to have lunch tomorrow at their restaurant. Upon walking into their shop, we were welcomed with a generous glass of wine from the owner who talked with us about their business history and about their plan for our meal for the evening. It was nice to hear from someone who knows what they're talking about at a winery! I always get a new employee at a wine tasting. I highly recommend this hot spot for a legitimate wine tasting experience for all ages. They have a neighboring atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. read more

To begin, the tastings are free! The staff is so friendly and their wine is tasty. The pour sizes are perfect and overall it has a great feel! read more

This is the most generous, friendly, and best tasting winery on the peninsula. Complimentary tastings and easy going people you can really relate to. Nice patio to enjoy a glass of wine too! read more

I've been coming here annually for several years now and this is the best place for a wine education (wine and a show) and free tasting. Truth be told, I had first heard that this is the place to come for their great cheeseballs; however that's just the start... We came in on a Thursday and Matt welcomed us to the tasting counter and provided a great experience. read more

Very nice staff and good selection of wines. You get to sample most of their wines in a free tasting. I really like the Big Paw Red. Very smooth, good taste nice red table wine. The Big paw Red is in loving memory of their woofie. I also like they fact they are dog lovers and keep the spirits up. they also offer food mixes which are YUMMY! simple to make, some miz with wine others do not. Worth the stop for sure and I will be returning! read more

One of the few wineries in Leelanau we visited with free tastings, given the quality of their wine this was a pleasant surprise. We arrived to a full taproom with a great atmosphere, and were instantly greeted and shown a spot at the counter. We were given a full tour of their list, and it was nothing short of awesome. We walked out the door with four bottles of wine, easily our favorite during our stay in Leland. read more

The best wine we have tried out of all the wineries in northern Michigan. Staff always friendly. Even with COVID-19 they made it a great visit outside. read more