Featured Winery: Chateau Ste. Michelle Washington State’s Founding Winery F ounded in 1934, Chateau Ste. Michelle is the oldest winery in Washington state with some of the most mature vineyards in the Columbia Valley. The winery combines Old World winemaking tradition with New World innovation. It is not only recognized for pioneering vinifera grape growing in the Columbia Valley, but also as a leader in modern day viticulture research. Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of the few premium wineries in the world with two state-of-the-art winemaking operations, one devoted to whites in Woodinville, Washington (outside of Seattle), and another devoted to reds at Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Canoe Ridge Estate Winery in eastern Washington, overlooking the Columbia River. This dedicated approach to winemaking allows our winemaker Bob Bertheau to customize each winery to the unique specifications of red and white wines. 2 2 L I V I N G M A G A Z I N E A P R I L 2 0 11 Bob Bertheau joined Chateau Ste. Michelle in June 2003 as its winemaker of white wines, after 16 years of winemaking in Sonoma County, California. He was promoted to Chateau Ste. Michelle head winemaker in August 2004. “I am amazed at the difference in grape growing in eastern Washington,” says Bob. “We have such unique growing conditions here: low rainfall, extra sunshine during the growing season, cooler days at the end of harvest for longer hang time, and a pioneer spirit of the local growers and winemakers. These conditions help us grow world-class fruit and make wines of character, complexity and quality.” H AV R E D A I LY N E W S