Lake Chelan Wine Country

   The beautiful Lake Chelan wine region of north central Washington now features six wineries, with several others making plans to join them soon. The breathtaking beauty of the area is second to none in Washington State, and wineries are taking advantage
of lake views to enhance their tasting rooms.

   The wineries in the Lake Chelan area (actually a sub-region of the Columbia Valley appellation) plan to be open year-round beginning this year (2004).  And why not... Lake Chelan is a already a popular destination spot among travelers.  Those who love to include winery visits and tastings in their travels will be excited to learn there is a scenic loop of new wineries they can easily visit around the eastern end of the Lake, all within an easy drive of the City of Chelan. 

   One of the wineries is a true destination in its own right... Tsillan Cellars.  (The name comes from the First People's word for the area, although it is pronounced the same as Chelan.)  This Tuscan-style 150-acre estate (30 vineyard acres currently planted) includes a lovely waterfall amphitheater, natural stone bridges, slate terrazzo and walks, Tuscan stone columns, a 35-foot bell tower with a 650-pound cast bronze bell, and landscaped rockeries and gardens with views of Lake Chelan and the Cascade Mountains.

   Steve Kludt, owner of Lake Chelan Winery, predicts AVA status will arouse the interest of not only wine tourists, but growers as well.

   "We’ve always known we could grow premium wine grapes in the Chelan Valley," says Kludt.  "The late Dr. Walter Klore did a report on this area, and was very impressed by the land in the lower elevations.  That was about 25 years ago.  At that time, there were just scattered concord plantings and a little chardonnay and pinot noir."

   Recently, growers have been planting the area to syrah, merlot, malbec, riesling, pinot gris,  gewürztraminer, and, yes, chardonnay and pinot noir as well.  The Valley is most commonly known as a prime apple-growing region.  The same growing conditions are key to growing premium wine grapes... warm days and cool nights, with temperatures moderated by the waters of Lake Chelan. 

   Kludt points to the surprisingly high number of heat units recorded for the area at nearby weather stations over several years.  A range of 2600 - 3300 heat units make for a good growing season for many grape varieties.  The last two hard freezes in the Northwest did no damage to the area.  While only about 200 acres in the region have been planted, there are plans underway to plant hundreds more.

   In the meantime, many of the wines produced by Lake Chelan wineries come from grapes grown in Columbia Valley and Yakima Valley vineyards.  While only three of the six wineries currently have wines made from Lake Chelan area grapes, several more will be released this year and next.  There is a lot of excitement about the quality of locally grown grapes, but what is even more exciting is the caliber of winemaking skills represented at these newly established wineries;  wine awards are already being accumulated.

   Winery owners in the Lake Chelan region are serious about producing premier wines, and have recruited extraordinarily talented and known winemakers to their area.  Ray Sandidge (formerly winemaker at Kestrel Cellars and winemaker of C.R. Sandidge) and Katy Smith (formerly assistant white winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle) have moved to the area.  With such talent and expertise being invested in the wine production of this area, Lake Chelan is bound to build a reputation as a center of quality wine production in Washington State.

   The geographic boundaries of the proposed Lake Chelan AVA generally follow the line of site on both sides of the Lake, and include the City of Chelan itself.  The narrow lake acts in a similar fashion as a river in moderating temperatures for the growing area.