Tsillan Cellars

Tsillan Cellars is the crown jewel of a growing number of young wineries that have popped up in the Chelan-Manson area in recent years. With spectacular views of Lake Chelan as well as the scenic mountains in the distance, there is little doubt that Tsillan (pronounced “Chelan”) Cellars is the destination winery on this area’s WineTrail.

Dr. Robert Jankelson, a dentist and the owner of Tsillan Cellars, has a special love for Italy, having made 47 separate sojourns to that country over the years. As you turn off the highway and make your way up the gentle hill to Tsillan’s 135-acre estate, you spy the Tuscan-inspired architecture of the winery and tasting room. The majestic 35-foot bell tower houses a 650-pound cast-bronze bell. The surrounding vineyard is composed of more than 40 acres of syrah, merlot, malbec, chardonnay, pinot grigio, riesling, and gewürztraminer. Not far from the tasting room is a spectacular amphitheater, where live musical performances are hosted during the summer. Three waterfalls surround the island stage, creating a sense of harmony and offering a spectacular backdrop for the performers.

This sense of elegance continues into the tasting room itself, which features a wine bar stretching 40 feet in length. No need to rub elbows with strangers here. Behind the bar is plenty of cellar space to house many of the 7,000 cases of wine produced annually. It is clear that the Tsillan goal is to sell as much of its wine as possible directly from its tasting room rather than at wine shops and grocery stores. Dr. Jankelson and his staff want you to experience the beauties of life—be it food, music, architecture, lovely grounds, or the wine itself—in a setting reminiscent of Italy’s Lake Como. To this end, tasting room manager Lupe Peterson and her staff possess excellent training and patient smiles as they respond to myriad visitors wondering how to pronounce “gewürztraminer.”

This is a destination winery where you can easily wile away an afternoon tasting great wine, strolling through the well-manicured grounds, exploring the vineyards (and noting that a rose bush is planted at the head of each row), and most certainly uncorking a bottle of Tsillan Cellars wine to enjoy with a picnic. Tours of the winemaking facility and tasting room are conducted daily at 1 and 3 p.m. Often the tours include a visit with Peter Devison, Tsillan’s winemaker. You will learn that in the near future all its white wines will be 100 percent estate wines, and the reds will increasingly rely on Tsillan’s own vineyard fruit as those plants mature. The summertime heat, little moisture, sloping hills, and a deep-water lake all conspire to create a vibrant viticultural venue. Salute!

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  Tsillan Cellars was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Lake Chelan South Shore WineTrail on page 238!