Chateau Ste. Michelle
About
What It Is
Chateau Ste. Michelle is a winery located in Woodinville, Washington, approximately 20 miles east of Seattle. [1] It is Washington State's oldest winery, with corporate roots tracing back to 1934, and is the state's largest fine-wine producer. [1][2] The winery occupies 118 acres of land that formerly belonged to lumber baron Frederick Stimson, who used it as a hunting retreat and working farm called the Hollywood Farm; the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. [1] The French-style chateau was built in 1976 and draws more than 300,000 visitors per year, making it one of the most-visited wineries in the world. [4]
Activities & Experiences
Visitors can taste wines on the grounds of the estate, which features mature trees and manicured lawns. [3] The winery hosts a popular summer outdoor concert series at an on-site amphitheater, and the estate also serves as the annual host of a charity wine auction. [1][2] Woodinville, where the chateau is located, has grown into a wine tourism hub with more than 100 additional wineries and tasting rooms in the surrounding area. [4]
Practical Access
The winery is located in Woodinville, Washington, 20 miles east of Seattle. [1] The estate receives hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, suggesting it is open to the public on a regular basis, though specific hours and admission fees are not detailed in the sources. [3][4] The summer concert series takes place on the outdoor amphitheater grounds. [1]
Restrictions
No specific restrictions noted in the sources.
What Makes It Distinctive
Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State's oldest winery and is credited with founding the state's wine tourism industry almost single-handedly; when the Woodinville chateau opened in 1976, wine tourism in Washington was essentially nonexistent. [4] The winery is the world's largest producer of Riesling, producing over one million cases of Columbia Valley Riesling alone, and holds international winemaking partnerships with Tuscany's Piero Antinori and Germany's Ernst Loosen. [1][4] Wine Enthusiast magazine named it its 2004 American Winery of the Year, and it has been described as the driving force behind Washington becoming the second-largest wine-producing state in the country. [1][3]
Sources
- Open year-round
- Typical duration: 2h
Things to do
- outdoor concerts
- wine tasting
Before you go
- redevelopment proposed
Best time to visit
- summer for concerts
Events & seasons
- charity wine auction
- summer concert series
Features
- 118-acre historic estate
- 3,500 acres of vineyards owned
- american winery of the year
- current ownership: wyckoff family
- estate vineyards in eastern washington
- formerly stimson hollywood farm
- french-style chateau
- largest wa fine-wine producer
- manicured estate lawns
- national register of historic places
- oldest winery in washington state
- riesling production
- wine enthusiast award
- winemaking partnership: col solare
- winemaking partnership: eroica riesling
- wines produced
- world's largest riesling producer
Nearby
- woodinville wine country
- woodinville wine district
Good to know
- 20 miles east of seattle
- 300,000+ visitors/year
- location: woodinville, wa
- one of world's most-visited wineries
Photos
