by Susan Desjardins

Chateau Ste. Michelle, the largest producer of wines in the State of Washington, is located just north of Seattle, in Woodinville, on historic property previously known as Hollywood Farm. The farm was established in the early 1900s by lumber baron, Frederick Stimson, who decided to create a state-of-the-art dairy farm to supply the burgeoning city of Seattle. He established his family home there and his wife became well-known for her extensive thriving gardens from which she soon was shipping cut flowers to Seattle. Chateau Ste. Michelle includes the original homestead surrounded by century-old trees and beautifully maintained gardens.

The Chateau Ste. Michelle brand evolved from an early wine producer known as American Wine Growers and was the first company in Washington State to plant vitis vinifera vines in the mid-1960s. Vineyards include the Canoe Ridge Estate, the Cold Creek Vineyard and Horse Heaven Vineyard, all located across the coastal mountains in eastern Washington State. The Canoe Ridge Estate vineyard features deep sandy loam with cobblestones on a steep slope facing south to the Columbia River. The warm site, moderated by the river and local wind patterns, tends to produce red wines known for their elegance and restraint. The Cold Creek Vineyard, located further north near Yakima, south of the Columbia River and the Wahluke Slope is characterized by loamy sand and gravel and is located on a gentle south-facing slope at a higher elevation than Canoe Ridge. With no cooling effect from the river and the oldest vines, it produces small berries with thick skins, thus creating wines with power and concentration. The Horse Heaven Vineyard is located near Canoe Ridge, thus also benefiting from temperatures moderated by the Columbia River. These vineyards are located on 2 distinct east-west ridges on gentle south-facing slopes and tend to produce crisper wines, and most of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s white wines. The white wines are fermented and aged at the Woodinville property, while the red wines are vinified at the Canoe Ridge Estate.

The extensive, elegant tasting room allows you to sample the several tiers of wines offered by Chateau Ste. Michelle. Only the Columbia Valley and Indian Wells selections find their way to the LCBO, although Col Solare, a Cabernet Sauvignon blend jointly produced with Antinori, has previously been released through Vintages and will be featured again later in 2016. The grapes for Col Solare come from densely planted vines in the Red Mountain AVA, the state’s warmest growing region. I also had the opportunity to taste the Eroica Riesling, a joint project with Dr. Loosen of Germany. A touch off-dry, displaying vibrant acidity and lively minerality, it offers lip-smacking flavours of lime, mandarin and a touch of pear. Other wines include single-vineyard  and limited-release wines—destined for wine club members—as well as the ultimate tier, Ethos, produced from the top 1% of grapes harvested each vintage. Finally, the Artist series is released in a 3-box set (available in single bottles at the winery) and was introduced in 1993 to exhibit the outstanding collaboration of local artist and artisanal winemaking. Perhaps most famous is the 2012 vintage featuring a unique sculpture by world-famous Seattle artist Dale Chihuly, whose innovative glass sculptures can be seen at the Chihuly Gallery and Garden beside Seattle's Space Needle.

I strongly recommend a visit to Chateau Ste. Michelle’s winery in Woodinville as well as to its properties in the desert-like interior of Washington State – it’s a fascinating winery with an interesting history, mirroring the state itself.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 'Columbia Valley' Chardonnay 2014 (2013 Vintage currently in store; new vintage release June 25, 2016)
Columbia Valley $20.95 (232439) 14.0% alcohol
Blending toasted nut and buttered popcorn with ripe orchard fruit and citrus, this is a nicely balanced mid-weight white. Dry, with a fresh yet creamy texture, the flavours of pear and Honey Crisp apple mingle with notes of grilled toast and hints of vanilla and spice. Round through the finish, it shows good balance, as well as good length on the clean finish. (Susan Desjardins)

Chateau Ste. Michelle 'Columbia Valley' Merlot 2013 (2016 release)
Columbia Valley $TBA 13.5% alcohol
A very approachable wine, this offers lush black fruit aromas—black plum, cherry and berry—garnished with notes of spice and pepper (Syrah accents the Merlot) and grilled peppers. Dry and medium-full bodied, rich, ripe dark fruit wraps around a core of supple tannins, toasty oaky notes expanding on the palate. With a good underlying structure, a velvety texture balanced by a nice level of freshness, this is a tasty, easy-going fruit-forward wine you'll enjoy with a range of grilled meats. (Susan Desjardins)

Chateau Ste. Michelle 'Columbia Valley' Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (2012 Vintage currently in store; 2013 release June 25, 2016; 2014 release Dec. 10 2016)
Columbia Valley $19.95 (269357) 13.5% alcohol
Opaque ruby, this sings of cassis and black raspberry, offering earthy notes, dried herbs and sweet vanilla. Dry, full bodied, the concentrated ripe fruit is underpinned with firm yet fine-grained tannins, while the earthy quality replays, notes of chocolate presenting through the lasting, dry finish. An approachable Cabernet, this offers good value and is a fine match for grilled ribeye steak. (Susan Desjardins)

(release scheduled Aug 20 2016)
Chateau Ste. Michelle 'Columbia Valley' Syrah' 2013
Columbia Valley $20.95 (949651) 13.5% alcohol
Co-fermented with a touch of Viognier, bursting with aromas of blackberry, blueberry pie and licorice, this crowd-pleaser tickles the senses with its floral nuances and lifted notes of exotic spice and cracked pepper. Dry, mid-full weight, the palate is awash with flavours of cassis jam and black raspberry coulis underlaid with supple tannins, a mineral quality and fine acidity. The finish is long and dry with a pleasing toasty quality. Serve with herbed grilled leg of lamb or duck confit. (Susan Desjardins)

Chateau Ste. Michelle 'Indian Wells' Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (2012 Vintage currently in store; 2013 release Nov 12, 2016)
Columbia Valley $25.95 (55764) 14.5% alcohol
Another winner, as was the 2012, this inky wine offers lovely spiced floral notes overlaid on dried lavender, cassis, cedar, spice and vanilla. There's terrific balance here, great depth of jammy dark fruit—blackberry and cassis to the fore—with complexity coming through the notes of pepper and spice, a touch of Syrah was blended in, dark chocolate-coated coffee bean and an earthy quality. This appealing and approachable red delivers a velvety finish that subtly expresses its supple, well-defined structure. Pick up a few bottles to enjoy with friends. (Susan Desjardins)

Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Indian Wells - Red Blend’ 2012

Columbia Valley $25.95 (421081) 14.5% alcohol

Potent, purple and positively gushing with ripe black fruit—berries and plums—this complex red blend— an even split of 43% Syrah and 43% Merlot along with a teaspoon of four other varieties—brings a whiff of dried lavender to the nose along with nuances of pepper, spice and vanilla. Dry, full bodied and concentrated, it’s supple in texture, spicy and peppery, replete with flavours of blackberry jam, hints of cocoa, black tea, replaying vanilla spiked with cloves and nutmeg. Intense and powerful, serve it with roast lamb. (Susan Desjardins)