Chateau Ste. Michelle Artist Series Red 2015

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the third largest premium wine company in the U.S. The company, located outside of Seattle, Washington, has a distinguished history that dates back 80 years to 1934. Wines under the Ste. Michelle label were first introduced in 1967, and since that time the company has expanded its vineyard holdings to more than 3,700 acres in Washington and California. Today its ‘String of Pearls’ wine portfolio represents owned or imported brands that demonstrate the producers’ unwavering commitment to creating distinctive, high quality wines from authentic estate vineyards. Ste. Michelle’s Washington portfolio includes Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, 14 Hands, Northstar, Spring Valley Vineyard, Col Solare, Michelle sparkling wines, Red Diamond, and Snoqualmie. In California, the company owns Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (with Italy’s Antinori family), Conn Creek and Villa Mt. Eden (Napa Valley) and Patz & Hall (Sonoma). Ste. Michelle also owns Erath, in Dundee, Oregon. Today, all the wineries are under the umbrella of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, based at the Chateau in Woodinville. The company uses two out of every three grapes grown in Washington. Many great winemakers have come and gone at Chateau Ste. Michelle but the ethics remain the same of integrity and a consistent five decades of tradition and innovation.

Deep purple color with a garnet hue. Powerful Cold Creek Vineyard fruit is the core of this intense and very structured blend. The boquet shows aromas that are squarely in the ripe red and dark-berry zone. There’s a sappy side to the bouquet, too. The palate has a very assertive, mouthwatering quality that has ample length and depth on a complex finish.