Chateau Ste. Michelle

Many a would-be WineTrail enthusiast heads for Woodinville with the express purpose of visiting four or five wineries and ends up going to just one—Chateau Ste. Michelle.

A visit to Chateau Ste. Michelle usually entails a walk around its well-manicured grounds, a visit to the fishponds, and a stroll by the old Stimson family residence. During the summer, pack a picnic and a blanket and sprawl on the spacious lawn (with wine of course). You can also time your visit to coincide with the winery’s summer concert series, which attracts such artists Elvis Costello, Lyle Lovett, Pink Martini, and Bonnie Raitt.

However, the main reason you’re here is for the wine and to discover (or reinforce) why Wine Enthusiast Magazine named Chateau Ste. Michelle “American Winery of the Year” in 2004. But before you head to the tasting room, we suggest that you take a complimentary guided tour through the facility (throughout the day from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). On the tour, you learn about its estate vineyards, discover that the reds are made in Eastern Washington and the whites are made in Woodinville, and get the details about their partnership with Eroica (riesling) and Col Solare. Private tours are also available for a charge and might be the perfect answer to entertaining out-of-town guests or a visiting corporate officer you are trying to impress.

The tour conveniently ends at the tasting room, where, by now, you are salivating at the thought of a cabernet sauvignon or a sauvignon blanc. If you are overcome by an urge to shop, the spacious tasting room includes elegant wine merchandise (don’t count on finding cocktail napkins with cute sayings such as “No Whining Zone”) to pair with any wine purchases. But gravitate toward the ample wine bar, where well-trained staff is ready to give you a Nordstrom-like experience. This is good, because you might be here for a while, given the winery’s extensive portfolio of reds and whites. As servers pour, they will inform you of where the grapes were grown (typically one of four estate vineyards in Eastern Washington: Canoe Ridge, Horse Heaven, Cold Creek, and Indian Wells vineyards). Eventually you will glance at your watch and realize that you’ll have to bag going to the other Woodinville wineries. They’ll be there for another visit.

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  Chateau Ste. Michelle was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Woodinville WineTrail South on page !