Chateau Ste Michelle

When it comes to Washington State wineries there are two large ones, Columbia-Crest and their slightly better known rival Chateau Ste Michelle. Both are known for high quality wines and value pricing.

One thing that sets the Chateau apart is their two facilities for making wine. One winery is dedicated to making red wines in Eastern Washington and one for white wines in the historic Seattle suburb of Woodinville, WA. Each location also has a tasting room featuring both red and white wines.

The Woodinville winery grounds are worth a visit even for people that do not drink wine. In addition to the large tasting room and gift shop, they have picnic areas, special events at an amphitheater, classic car shows and winemaker dinners. All of it in a beautiful park like setting.

The chateau itself is a beautiful structure built in 1976. It was specially designed for the purpose of making wine and serving as a worthy gathering place for customers. The drawing on the wine?s label is a representation of the building, which is surrounded by shade trees and walkways.

Woodinville has become the place to visit when it comes to wine tasting in the Seattle area. Many small tasting rooms open their doors for visitors to come in and see for themselves the types and quality wines available from the Yakima and Columbia Valleys of eastern Washington. But none of the other wineries in the area are a match for the grandness of the Chateau Ste Michelle winery. It is a destination worth the time and effort to see. The area has also become home to several noteworthy restaurants making wine food pairing a natural for menus.

All of this has not gone unnoticed from the wine journalists. Wine Enthusiast magazine in 2004 named it "American Winery of the Year." Then, in 2005 Restaurant Wine Magazine named it "Winery of the Year."

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