Tastemakers: Village Cheese Shanty/Chateau Fontaine

June 6, 2007

At this Saturday’s Leland Wine Festival (noon to 6 p.m. at Fishtown), the focus won’t just be on wine. Summer fashions come in to play and so does the food. There will be all the favorites including blackened whitefish from The Bluebird and escargot in a bread bowl from The Cove. Leland is blessed with a lot of great places to dine but whether you’re visiting for the Leland Wine Festival, just hanging out in Fishtown, or taking a trip to the Manitou islands, don’t overlook the Village Cheese Shanty.
Located in Fishtown just down from The Cove, the Village Cheese Shanty packs a lot of delightful items into a small space. With more than 20 sandwiches on the menu, all priced at $4.95, they not only taste great but are a real value. Try the Harbor: smoked turkey, brie, spinach, tomato, cucumber, and herb mayo on a fresh baked baguette or the Fishtown: green peppers, onion, spinach, cucumber, olive spread, tomato, dill havarti and guacamole on pretzel bread. The shop has a selection of micro and imported beers and plenty of cheeses. A personal favorite of mine are the Wisconsin Cheese Curds that make for a great snack while hiking around visiting the locally owned shops.
Look for the Village Cheese Shanty table at the Leland Wine Fest where they will offer an assortment of their gourmet sandwiches and wedges of their
famous Brie. Check out their menu at leelanau.com/cheese or call them
(231) 256-9141.

Chateau Fontaine 2005 Woodland Red
This weekend summer kicks off a couple of weeks early with the Leland Wine Festival. This event is about seeing and being seen. It is also about celebrating the success of the wine scene here in Northern Michigan. In all, 15 of the 27 area wineries will be at the Festival.
If you were to paint a portrait of the Leelanau Peninsula wine country it wouldn’t be complete without Dan and Lucie Matthies of Chateau Fontaine. The longtime Leelanau residents, who were fixtures in the local ski business, opened their winery on French Road between Cedar and Lake Leelanau eight years ago. Their winery characterizes the agricultural heritage of the Peninsula — family owned and
family run. The Matthies do it all — with some help from friends and family —
from growing the grapes to making the wine to selling it. It is a real treat for visitors to their tasting room to find them behind the tasting bar 99 percent of the time; there is that something extra special when the proprietors are present to share
their passion.
Dan and Lucie are passionate, not only about their 22-acres of vineyard, but the local wine industry as a whole. Their friendly service has customers seeking their off-the-beaten-path tasting room daily during the summer months and on weekends the rest of the year. While they have been pleasing the palates of white wine drinkers with their Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, White Riesling and Gewürztraminer and dessert wine drinkers with their “tastes just like cherry pie” Cherry wine, they have proven to wine drinkers that Northern Michigan is capable of making bold reds with their 2005 Woodland Red. A blend of Cab Franc, Merlot and Syrah — all grown in their vineyard — this red has plenty of rich ripe fruit aromas (something often lacking in so many mass-produced wines) with hints of blackberries and plum and a seasoned palate will pick up notes of raspberry and pepper. Pair this wine all summer with your favorite grilled foods and works well with wild game.
Hurry, the wine is about sold out, though the ‘06 will be out this fall. You won’t find the Matthies’ smiling faces at their tasting room this Saturday, instead look for them at their Leland Wine Festival booth from noon-6 p.m.