Warmed by the sun and refreshed by the Columbia River, the south-facing slopes of our Horse Heaven Vineyard produced fruit with grapefruit and honeysuckle aromas and flavors that balance beautifully with the refreshing acidity.

For my very first Limited Release white wine I had the pleasure of sourcing from old vines in the cooler Yakima Valley AVA. By blending wine fermented in barrel with wine from concrete and stainless-steel tanks, I found a balance of complexity and vibrancy, with a rich textured finish.

Making our first organic wine at Chateau Ste Michelle was an exciting and nerve-wracking experience for the whole winemaking team. It is a commitment that requires the attention of every single person in the winery to ensure the organic wine is kept wholly separate. All equipment must be specially cleaned before use and all safety nets to ensure wine quality are removed. It is a risky business where many things can go wrong, and we are all very proud of the result of all our efforts. Our organic wine was blissfully unaware of the stress and effort surrounding its upbringing and made its way calmly into the bottle with all its raw and unadorned beauty intact.

Of course, the first requirement is organic grapes. Our grape-growing partner faced the same challenges of isolating the grapes from all other farming operations, and the removal of safety nets to protect the grapes from disease and pests. We are very grateful to have such capable partners in our efforts to create a wine that highlights our values of sustaining the land, the wildlife around it, our community, and our wine region.

USDA Certified Organic
Washington State Department of Agriculture Certified Organic

This wine highlights the broad range of wine that can be made with Syrah. These Syrah (90%) grapes were co-fermented with Viognier (10%) in the style of Côte-Rôtie in Northern Rhône region of France. The Viognier brings a delicate character to the Syrah and together they create a wine with notes of orange blossom, raspberry brambles and red currants.

The 2015 vintage was the warmest and earliest on record, however our cool Harvest evenings kept the natural acidity intact, so all of the lush, ripe fruit has a tight framework. Dark cherry fruit, ripe berry notes, and a long seamless mouthfeel define this wine.

This year’s Sémillon was a stand-out! All of the fruit was sourced from our Horse Heaven Vineyard which is a cooler site that allows for extra hang time and flavor development. This Semillon is oily and rich while still retaining fruit, freshness and acidity.

2016 marks the most complex Austral to date with 5 varieties in the blend: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsaut, and Counoise. Couple this with utilization of winemaking techniques such as stem inclusion and concrete fermentation, and it’s like baklava in a bottle, there’s so many sensory layers.

A blend inspired by the wines of Austria with a distinctive Washington flair. Pinot Blanc lends delicate citrus notes, Grüner Veltliner adds crisp granny smith apple, white Riesling rounds out the palate with juicy peach. Fermented in stainless steel to showcase fresh fruit character, depth and balance.