Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

We were honored to help host trade guests from across the country at Chateau Ste. Michelle and our Cold Creek Vineyard during the Washington State Wine Commission's Road Trip. We are grateful guests got to experience firsthand what makes our region’s growing conditions, people and wines so special.  🍇 #WAwine 

Thank you Observer Media and Allie Lebos for recognizing our Northstar Winery as a standout producer of merlot from the Columbia Valley AVA. It’s a special AVA to us that produces some of the best reds. “Known for blending traditional winemaking with modern innovation, Northstar Winery is a master of merlot. Though Northstar crafts everything from syrah to cabernet sauvignon, the winery was born out of a desire to bring world-class merlot to Washington state. The Walla Walla tasting room caters to a variety of experiences ranging from an exclusive library tasting to a gourmet food pairing.” See what else Allie had to say: https://lnkd.in/ga9kG47F

Our Erath team in Oregon has been staying busy bringing in their first grapes of the season. 🍇 From our viticulture and lab teams to our vineyard and winery partners, everyone contributes to the success of harvest. Lucky for us, we have some of the best on our Erath team. Cheers to a fantastic harvest! 

Another harvest is underway at Ste. Michelle! 🍇 A to Z Wineworks in Oregon brought in their first grapes of the season and are moving full speed ahead into harvest. Executive Winemaker Michael Davies said the grapes are juicy, bright, and full of personality. We love to hear that! Happy harvest to our team at A to Z.  

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 🍇Harvest is underway in our Washington regions, officially kicking off on September 3 by picking Sauvignon Blanc from the Horse Heaven Hills and Chardonnay from our Canoe Ridge Estate vineyard. A few reflections from our VP of Winemaking Katie Nelson as she starts her 30th harvest: “Harvest time is a highlight for winemakers. There’s always a buzz of excitement and energy as the nights begin to cool and you catch a hint of fall in the morning air. Our cellar and winemaking teams are eager to dive into crafting new wines, conducting experiments and refining our processes. As harvest approaches and we put the previous vintage wines to bottle or barrel, we often reflect on our accomplishments, think about what we are grateful for, and look toward our future. We are grateful for the support of those that help us keep doing what we love!”

Much appreciation to Sean Sullivan at Northwest Wine Report for chatting with our CCO David Bowman about how we are investing in Chateau Ste. Michelle and looking ahead to an incredibly bright future as one of the true O.G.s in the U.S. wine industry. Give this a read: https://lnkd.in/gpaW6qjJ

Thank you to Sip Magazine for capturing our VP of Winemaking Katie Nelson's beautiful winemaking journey. From the multi-course meals in her Italian grandparents’ kitchen as a child to her first enology class and trip to Marlborough, New Zealand to immerse herself in Sauvignon Blanc production, it seems every phase of life for Katie brought her back to wine – whether intentional or not. She was meant to help shape the Washington wine landscape. We are incredibly grateful to have her leading our winemaking team. For those who want to follow in her footsteps, Katie has advice for you: never stop learning, be open to feedback, and embrace the historical ups and downs of the wine industry. Give the full article a read: https://lnkd.in/gaXVswH2

We loved Jeb Dunnuck's recent review of Washington’s 2021 vintage. Jeb shared that “… winemakers in Washington state are increasingly able to make wines that hold onto a sense of freshness, purity, and balance even in these scorching hot vintages … The region is clearly making world-class wines that will compete with anything out there, yet it unfortunately seems to be one of the wine world’s best-kept secrets.” Not for long – this secret is getting out with the passing of each vintage. We are grateful for our Ste. Michelle winemakers’ ability to craft delicious wines that earn top marks from this incredible region! Here are a few of our favorite scores from Jeb: 🍷 Spring Valley Vineyard 2021 Uriah – 94 pts 🍷 Chateau Ste. Michelle 2021 Artist Series Red Wine – 93 pts 🍷 Northstar 2021 Premier Merlot – 93 points, plus multiple other 90+ scores across our portfolio. See what else Jeb had to say about this vintage: https://lnkd.in/gp6qqvD8

Introducing our new 14 Hands Buttery Chardonnay and Sweet Red Blend. The latest additions to our 14 Hands herd are sure to please those seeking a bold and buttery Chardonnay or smooth and decadent luscious red. And for those who may not think red wines are for them, give our sweet red blend a try … it’s a perfect entry to the wonderful world of reds. 🍷 Both sourced from Washington State’s Columbia Valley vineyards, these 14 Hands wines are available at stores nationwide. Pick one up before your next barbecue or weekday wine night. 🍾

We mourn the loss of the great Harvey Chaplin, Founder and Chairman of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. A visionary leader with a larger-than-life presence in the wine and spirits industry, Harvey was a dear friend and partner to our team at Ste. Michelle. His monumental influence on the industry lives on and should inspire us all to be visionaries – always exploring what’s possible, what’s next.