It’s nearly impossible to top the perfection of summer on the Old Mission Peninsula, but there’s something extra special about visiting Chateau Grand Traverse during wine harvest season. Old Mission Peninsula’s grapes are ripe, the leaves are changing, and it’s time for hoodies and wine. These are the six reasons to visit Chateau Grand Traverse during harvest season.

#1 That last glass of wine on the patio, looking out over the peninsula (in a hoodie)

Yes, summer is at an end. But up north, the crisp air coming off the bay blows through the trees, sending their technicolor leaves fluttering to the vineyard grounds where you’re sipping on a glass of wine. There’s truly nothing like the view from Chateau Grand Traverse in the fall. Traverse City wineries are worth visiting every day of the year, but harvest season is unlike any other time.

#2 Winery tours with grapes plump on the vine

This is your last chance to take a stroll through the vineyard (in pleasant weather, anyway), and the best time of year to do it if you want to see the grapes at their plumpest. This is the final stage. The fruits of our labor are ready to be made into the wine of the future. Take in the allies of vines and grapes as you’re wrapped in your favorite scarf or sweater, possibly after tasting our late harvest Riesling, a nationwide favorite, which you can see developing right there on the vine. All this, while the winery is in full swing and the grapes are being pressed and prepared for their delicious fate. For more information about our complimentary tours and to view our seasonal schedule, click here.

#3 Extended colors

The colors of the changing leaves are a major factor in a visit to CGT during harvest season. So much that they deserve their own entry. We’re located on one of the highest points of Old Mission Peninsula, and seeing the glowing oranges and yellows bursting from the treetops at peak color is truly one of the best ways to spend your time while tasting your favorite vintage.

#4 Stop by Jolly Pumpkin for a beer, just this once

Harvest season is in the midst of Oktoberfest, so just this once we’ll suggest you get a glass of something that isn’t made from our grapes. Our neighbors at Jolly Pumpkin are right on the water just a few miles northwest of us on Peninsula Drive. There are few better spots to drink a fall beer than their property, with a sour beer aged in oak, surrounded by massive, centuries-old trees. Think having a beer is blasphemy? We’re here for you with the superior choice, wine.

#5 The sunsets

The scenic overlook outside the winery is one of the best spots on Old Mission Peninsula, second only to our patio. Seeing the sun reflect golden over the west bay, with the trees bursting with color, is best experienced over a toast of our wine glasses. This time of year, the tasting room hours have changed, so now you can look out at the beautiful sunset over the vineyard after a fun CGT adventure.

#6 Venture north to see the Mission Point Lighthouse

Mission Point Lighthouse is a gorgeous (and educational) place to visit at any time of the year, but wine harvest season brings it to a new level. Taking in the historical log cabin that sits next to the lighthouse gives a new appreciation for the first settlers in the area, who couldn’t have imagined the amount of spectacular wine the land around them was about to produce.

There’s just so much you can do on Old Mission Peninsula at any time of the year, but you owe it to yourself to experience harvest season in its full glory. Stop by the tasting room or, even better, book a few nights at the Chateau Grand Traverse inn.