Chateau
Saint Michelle Winery

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Founded in 1934, Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State's oldest winery. Its history dates back to just after the repeal of prohibition when Washington's bountiful fruit and berry harvests were vinified to produce the Northwest's first wines.

By the 1950s, the company began planting classic vinifera grapes in the Columbia Valley, and buoyed by encouragement from wine writer Leon Adams and industry legend Andre Tchelistcheff, made its first varietal wines under the Ste. Michelle label in 1967.bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

The winery makes its white wines at the Woodinville, WA chateau. Situated on 87 wooded acres, the winery grounds - once the summer home of Seattle lumber baron Frederick Stimson - also serve as the company headquarters.

Chateau Ste. Michelle makes its red wines in eastern Washington at River Ridge Winery, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated exclusively to small lot production. Built in 1993 and situated on a steep slope overlooking the Columbia River, the winery is in close proximity to Chateau Ste. Michelle's best vineyards including Cold Creek, Indian Wells and, of course, Canoe Ridge Estate.

Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of the few premium wineries in the world with two state-of-the-art winemaking operations, one devoted to whites, another to reds. Erik Olsen leads the white winemaking team at Chateau Ste. Michelle's Woodinville winery, 15 miles northeast of Seattle. Ron Bunnell directs the red winemaking team at River Ridge Winery in the south-central Columbia Valley.

Erik Olsen
Erik was appointed head white winemaker in 1999. He has been making such award-winning wines as Chateau Ste. Michelle's Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay since he joined the winery in 1993. He is also the winemaker for our rare Artist Series collection. Prior to joining Chateau Ste. Michelle, Erik worked at Simi Winery in Sonoma County. He holds a degree in Enology and Viticulture from University of California, Davis, a Master's in Food Science from Cornell University, and a MBA from University of Washington.

Ron Bunnell
Ron joined Chateau Ste. Michelle as head red winemaker in the fall of 1999 after a 16 year career in California that included vineyard work throughout the state as well as winemaking at Kendall-Jackson, Beringer and Chateau
Prior to joining Chateau Ste. Michelle, Erik worked at Simi Winery in Sonoma County. He holds a degree in Enology and Viticulture from University of California, Davis, a Master's in Food Science from Cornell University, and a MBA from University of Washington.

Touring and Directions

Chateau Ste. Michelle offers complimentary cellar tours and wine tastings at our Woodinville winery 15 miles northeast of Seattle from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, with the exception of Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Tours begin on the hour and half-hour and last approximately 40 minutes. No appointment is necessary.

Text throughout these pages, exherpted with permission of the winery-

Need Wine?

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541-752-7418
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Store manager Ann Crowley-
10-6PM M-Sat

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