Chateau Ste. Michelle

The National Wine Company (NAWICO) was founded in Seattle on December 5, 1933, the same day Prohibition ended. In 1951 NAWICO planted vinifera grapes in the Columbia Valley, and in 1954 it merged with Pomerelle to form American Wine Growers (AWG), which became the largest winery in Washington State. In 1967, under the guidance of Napa Valley winemaker André Tchelistcheff, AWG launched the Ste. Michelle Vineyards brand. In 1973 American Wine Growers became Ste. Michelle Vintners Inc., and U.S. Tobacco bought the company in 1974. In 1976 the Ste. Michelle Vineyards label became Chateau Ste. Michelle and the winery opened in Woodinville. In 2015 Washington State University dedicated the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Wine Science Center, a research and teaching institution for the Washington grape and wine industries. In 2021 Altria Group, through its subsidiary UST LLC, sold the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates business to the private equity firm Sycamore Partners for approximately $1.2 billion. In 2025 the Wyckoff family of Eastern Washington acquired Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, returning the company to local ownership for the first time in 50 years. The purchase covered Ste. Michelle's Washington brands, facilities and vineyards, including Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, 14 Hands, Liquid Light, Spring Valley and Northstar; the Oregon brands A to Z, Rex Hill and Erath were not part of the sale and stayed with Sycamore, with Ste. Michelle as their U.S. sales agent. Impact Databank ranked Ste. Michelle the 10th-largest wine marketer in the U.S. by volume, at 5.3 million cases in 2024, down from 7.1 million cases in 2021.

• 1933: National Wine Company (NAWICO) founded in Seattle; 1954: merged with Pomerelle to form American Wine Growers.
• 1967: Ste. Michelle Vineyards brand launched under André Tchelistcheff's guidance; 1976: the label became Chateau Ste. Michelle and the Woodinville winery opened.
• 1974: bought by U.S. Tobacco; 2021: sold by Altria's subsidiary UST LLC to Sycamore Partners for approximately $1.2 billion; 2025: acquired by the Wyckoff family.
• Sister Washington brands in Ste. Michelle Wine Estates: Columbia Crest (founded 1983), Northstar (founded 1994), Spring Valley Vineyard (acquired 2005), 14 Hands (launched 2005), and Ethos and Estival (launched 2025).

Katie Nelson is Vice President of Winemaking, with Joel Wright as Red Winemaker and Taylor Butterfield as White Winemaker. Nelson was named head winemaker for Chateau Ste. Michelle in 2021, and Eroica brings her together with Ernst Loosen. As of December 2025, David Bowman and Anna Mosier were co-CEOs of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, and Court Wyckoff was CEO of Wyckoff Farms and Coventry Vale Winery. Wyckoff Farms was established in 1950, and the Wyckoffs have partnered with Ste. Michelle since the 1980s; the family's vineyard holdings lie in the Wahluke Slope, Yakima Valley and Horse Heaven Hills appellations.

• Winemaking: Katie Nelson, Vice President of Winemaking; Joel Wright, Red Winemaker; Taylor Butterfield, White Winemaker.
• Ste. Michelle Wine Estates co-CEOs (as of December 2025): David Bowman and Anna Mosier.
• Owners: the Wyckoff family, whose Wyckoff Farms was established in 1950 and who have partnered with Ste. Michelle since the 1980s.

Cold Creek Vineyard was planted in 1972 in a warm, remote corner of Eastern Washington, and the winery counts it among the oldest vineyards in Washington. Relatively early harvests there produce moderate yields of concentrated grapes. Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard was planted in 1991 in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. Horse Heaven Vineyard lies in the Horse Heaven Hills adjacent to the Columbia River, on quick-draining soils over a rocky, volcanic base; late harvests there go into white wines, specifically Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. The winery also bottles wines from other Washington vineyards: Evergreen Vineyard for Riesling, Carousel Vineyard for Gamay, and Heart of the Hill Vineyard, whose fruit joins Cold Creek Vineyard fruit in The Main Event Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Cold Creek Vineyard: planted 1972 in Eastern Washington; early harvests, moderate yields, concentrated grapes.
• Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard: planted 1991 in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay.
• Horse Heaven Vineyard: Horse Heaven Hills, adjacent to the Columbia River; quick-draining soils on a rocky, volcanic base; Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc.
• Other named sources: Evergreen Vineyard (Riesling), Carousel Vineyard (Gamay) and Heart of the Hill Vineyard (The Main Event Cabernet Sauvignon).

The Riesling range runs from the Columbia Valley Riesling, which the winery calls the number one selling American Riesling, to Eroica. In 1974 Ste. Michelle's 1972 Riesling topped a blind tasting held by the Los Angeles Times. Eroica was launched in 1999 with Ernst Loosen, owner of the Dr. Loosen estate in Germany's Mosel region, and is named for Beethoven's Third Symphony; the same partnership began Single Berry Select, a trockenbeerenauslese dessert wine. The Artist Series, a Bordeaux-style blend that pairs winemaking with fine art, debuted in 1996 with the 1993 vintage, which featured glass artist Dale Chihuly. The current range includes the Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay; Cold Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling; Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon; Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc; Evergreen Vineyard Riesling; the Impetus red wine; Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut; and a Limited Release line that includes sparkling wines made by the traditional Champagne method.

• Riesling: Columbia Valley Riesling; Eroica (from 1999, with Ernst Loosen of Dr. Loosen); Single Berry Select; Cold Creek Vineyard and Evergreen Vineyard bottlings.
• Reds: Cold Creek Vineyard and Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon; Artist Series red blend (debut 1996, 1993 vintage); Impetus; Indian Wells.
• Sparkling: Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut and traditional-method Limited Release sparkling wines.

In the winery's own words, its winemaking philosophy is 'to highlight the style, quality and expression of our Washington state vineyards,' respecting 'the varietal characters and individuality of each location' while crafting each wine for 'a pleasurable, food friendly experience.' Its note on the Cold Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon cites 'broad-shouldered structure, concentrated fruit characters and deep color.'

The winery stands at 14111 NE 145th Street in Woodinville. With its 1976 move from Seattle, the Chateau became the first winery in Woodinville, a town now home to over 130 wineries and tasting rooms. The grounds include the Manor House and gardens, part of the original Stimson estate; the Manor House was built in 1912 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Concerts at the winery began in 1984 and grew into the Summer Concert Series. The 2025 sale included the 118-acre Woodinville property.

• Address: 14111 NE 145th Street, Woodinville, Washington.
• Manor House (built 1912) and gardens, part of the original Stimson estate; listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Concerts since 1984, now the Summer Concert Series.

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://www.ste-michelle.com/, https://www.ste-michelle.com/about-us/history-and-heritage, https://www.ste-michelle.com/about-us/riesling-leadership, https://www.ste-michelle.com/winemaking/philosophy, https://www.ste-michelle.com/chateau-ste-michelle/cold-creek-vineyard/5637311076.c, https://www.ste-michelle.com/chateau-ste-michelle/horse-heaven-vineyard/5637311078.c, https://www.ste-michelle.com/chateau-ste-michelle/shop/all-wines/5637155140.c. Owner group site: https://www.smwe.com/about/history/. Secondary sources: Wine Spectator (https://www.winespectator.com/articles/wyckoff-family-buys-ste-michelle-wine-estates), Northwest Wine Report (https://www.northwestwinereport.com/2025/12/wyckoff-buys-ste-michelle-wine-estates.html), Great Northwest Wine (https://greatnorthwestwine.com/2013/12/12/destination-chateau-ste-michelle/), Decanter (https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/ste-michelle-wine-estates-to-be-sold-461903/) and Altria Group's July 9, 2021 press release on SEC EDGAR (https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/764180/000076418021000102/july92021pressrelease.htm). Last verified 2026-10-19. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.