2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle Limited Release Syrano (Screwcap)

Chateau Ste. Michelle is in Woodinville, Washington. It is Washington state’s largest winery and its roots go back to the state’s first commercial winemaking ventures. In 1954 two Washington wineries merged to form American Wine Growers, which in 1967 began producing a premium line called Ste. Michelle Vintners. Today the estate has vineyards in the Columbia Valley in Eastern Washington and has commercial partnerships with Marchesi Piero Antinori of Tuscany and Ernest Loosen of Germany’s Mosel region. Though Chateau Ste. Michelle makes a large portfolio of wines, from Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Syrah to Chardonnay, Viognier and many blends, it is perhaps best known for its Riesling.

Yakima Valley AVA was the first AVA created in Washington State. The valley, a 600,000-acre area in south central Washington, was granted AVA status in 1983. In 1984 Columbia Valley was given AVA status, and Yakima Valley was enclosed within the Columbia Valley AVA. Nevertheless, Yakima Valley remains home to the largest concentration of vineyards and wineries in the state. There are more than 60 wineries and some 16,000 vineyard acres, and nearly 40% of Washington wines are made with Yakima Valley grapes. The most frequently planted grape is Chardonnay, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaking here dates to 1869, when a winemaker from Alsace planted grape vines. Vineyard planting and wine production plodded along slowly until the early 1980s when numerous modern pioneers started making well-reviewed Yakima Valley wines. Some of the state’s newest, most closely watched appellations, including Red Mountain AVA and Horse Heaven Hills AVA, are contained within Yakima Valley.