| Chateau Ste Michelle |
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| We usually highlight individual wines in this column but the selection is so vast at Chateau Ste Michelle that we will instead highlight some of the great types of wine available. Meritage Artist Series Red This Bordeaux blend has been produced by Ste Michelle since 1993. Every year they invite an artist to create original art that is then portrayed on the labels of this wine. Artists such as Dan Dailey, Lino Tagliapietra and Dale Chihuly and others have produced art for this label. And with names like Mike Januik, Erik Olsen, Ron Bunnell and Bob Bertheau it's a veritable who's who of great winemakers. We have been collecting this series for years and the only vintage we are missing are the first two produced in 1993 and 1994. To see the beautiful artwork of this series just follow this link...Artist Series 1993-2006. Eroica Riesling Eroica Riesling is a partnership between Chateau Ste Michelle and Dr. Ernst Loosen. Now in its 10th year Eroica has long been recognized as one of the premier Rieslings produced in the state producing 90 point plus wines in every vintage. Ethos Ethos has reappeared as a label after many years absence. Meaning "Character" Ethos wines are a limited production bottling of the highest quality grapes available to Chateau Ste Michelle. Selections include a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, a late harvest Chenin Blanc and a Late Harvest Riesling. Cold Creek Vineyard Planted in 1973 Cold Creek Vineyard is one of the warmer climate vineyards in Eastern Washington. Ste Michelle has been producing excellent wines from here for over 30 years. Selections include Cabernet Sauvignon (Their 1982 is considered one of the best Cabernets ever produced in the state by many of Washington's most respected winemakers), a Merlot, Chardonnay and their Cold Creek Riesling. Carolyn and I have an 11 year vertical of the Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon and hope to one day taste that rare 1982 Cabernet Sauvignon! Canoe Ridge Estate Yes, that's Canoe Ridge, not the winery but the vineyard. This is home to both Ste Michelle's red wine making facility and vineyard. Canoe Ridge the winery (a separate winery) is adjacent to Ste Michelle. Climbing over 900 feet above sea level Canoe Ridge is an area overlooking the Columbia River located in Paterson, Washington. Ste Michelle's vineyard is located on the Southwest side of the ridge. Here they have been producing distinctive Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot since 1994. Horse Heaven Hills Vineyard One of the newer Washington AVA's Horse Heaven Hills is home to many great vineyards including the famous Champoux Vineyard, Destiny Ridge and of course Horse Heaven Hills Vineyard. The Horse Heaven Hills Vineyard is west of Canoe Ridge and also overlooks the Columbia River. Here Ste Michelle produces one of the state's best Sauvignon Blancs. Limited Releases Chateau Ste Michelle under the watchful eye of head winemaker Bob Bertheau has been producing small lot limited production wines available exclusively to Vintage Reserve Club members of which Carolyn and I have been members for years now. Releases have included: Austral, a Southern Rhone blend and Boreal, a Northern Rhone blend. They also have produced a Portuguese blended wine called Tempestade. Single varietal releases include a Horse Heaven Vineyard Chenin Blanc, Cinsault, Grenache, Malbec, Mourvedre, a Columbia Valley Muscat Canelli, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir (yes, believe it or not it's called Fringes), a Waussie Riesling, Winemaker's Cabinet Riesling, Marier Sauvignon Blanc, Wahluke Slope Syrah and a Viognier. We encourage you to visit the Chateau Ste Michelle link on this page to find out more about this fabulous winery and the people responsible for these great wines. Northwest Wine Fan has limited quantities of Chateau Ste Michelle wines (including library wines) available for purchase. We of course can order any wine that is regionally available. Inquire by email or by telephone. |
| Chateau Ste Michelle 14111 NE 145th Street Woodinville, WA 98072 Information: 425-488-1133 Tours/Tastings: 425-415-3633 Head Winemaker: Bob Bertheau Red Winemaker: Joshua Maloney White Winemaker: Wendy Stuckey |
| The Chateau Ste Michelle Links: |
| Talk to the Cellarmaster: |
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| Tim Sinniger |
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| Over 25 years ago Carolyn and I frequented a restaurant in Glendale California named The Seafood Broiler. We would go there with friends or by ourselves and enjoy a bowl of steamed clams, fresh baked bread and shrimp on a skewer. Oh, and we would order a bottle of Chateau Ste Michelle's Johannesburg Riesling! Alas, the Seafood Broiler is no longer there and Ste Michelle no longer uses the name Johannesburg for their Riesling. But our fondness for Ste Michelle and what it has added to our years together endures to this day. Built in 1976 Chateau Ste Michelle is a breathtakingly beautiful facility that rests on the old Stimson Lumber property. Dinners and summer concerts are held here and we were lucky enough to see Diana Krall at a Ste Michelle Summer Concert. A full gift shop and two tasting rooms await you. If it will be your first visit we highly recommend the free guided tour which is one of the better tours around. Once complete you will sample some of their Columbia Valley wines at no charge. The main tasting room offers theme flights for purchase. The Vintage Reserve Room pours flights of some of their most sought after wines. There is a charge and an appointment is recommended when planning a VRC tasting. Our last visit included a Cold Creek Vineyard sampling as well as being able to try the 2005 Col Solare. We have been members of Ste Michelle's VRC wine club for years and it is the only club we have ever belonged to. Chateau Ste Michelle stands as one of the largest production wineries in Washington along with their cousin Columbia Crest. Here you will find good wine at every price point imaginable. You can quaff on a very good $7.00 Riesling or enjoy the rarified air of their Single Berry Select Eroica Riesling collaboration with Dr. Ernst Loosen at a whopping $200 a bottle. They also produce both white and red wines that come from some of most iconic vineyards in the state. Names like Indian Wells, Canoe Ridge and Cold Creek are just a few of the vineyards that Ste Michelle sources grapes from. Chateau Ste Michelle is part of a larger group of wineries flying under the banner of Ste Michelle Wine Estates. Many of the names mentioned below you will immediately know and many have already been reviewed by Northwest Wine Fan. If underlined you can click on the link and it will take to that page of our website. Ste Michelle Wine Estates Pacific Northwest Wineries or Labels Chateau Ste Michelle, Col Solare, Columbia Crest, Domaine Ste Michelle, Erath, Northstar, Red Diamond Snoqualmie, Spring Valley Vineyard, 14 Hands California Wineries or Labels Conn Creek, Hawkeye, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Villa Mt. Eden Partnerships Antica Napa Valley, Antinori, Eroica, Haras, La Breccesca Montenisa, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Palme's D'Or Santa Cristina, Tormaresca |
| Ste Michelle's Wines |
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| The beautiful glass art of Flora C. Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick appearing on the 1998 Chateau Ste Michelle Artist Series Meritage |
| Standing outside the VRC Room in front of artwork on display by Gerard Tsutakawa. This artwork appeared on the labels of the 2002 Chateau Ste Michelle Artist Series Meritage |
| In the VRC Room sampling Ste Michelle Cold Creek Vineyard wine |
| One of the famous peacocks at the Chateau |