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Lake Chelan Valley Wine Country

     The Lake Chelan area is a new Washington wine-growing region in the making.  An intoxicating travel destination in its own right, Lake Chelan has appealed to tourists, water-sport enthusiasts, skiing and backcountry hikers for many years.  Its foray into wine-grape growing began only recently, in some cases in response to the impacts of a troubled apple industry.

    This beautiful region is located in north central Washington and now offers fifteen wineries, with others making plans to join them soon. The breathtaking beauty of the area is second to none in Washington State, and wineries are taking advantage of lake views to enhance their tasting rooms.

     Although the Chelan Valley's wine region has not yet been authorized as its own appellation, an application is in the works.  Industry members are working closely with federal officials to be sure their application is viable, and they are confident their winegrowing region will be authorized as an appellation sometime in 2008.

      A surprisingly high number of heat units have been recorded for the Chelan Valley over several years at nearby weather stations.  A range of 2600 - 3300 heat units make for a good growing season for many grape varieties, and Chelan records approximately 2,900, similar to Walla Walla, Sunnyside, and Prosser, Washington.  The last two hard freezes in the Northwest did no damage to the area.  The region receives an average annual rainfall of 11 inches, with 39 inches of average annual snowfall.

Geology and Access

     The geographic boundaries of the proposed Chelan Valley AVA generally follow the line of site on both sides of the Lake, excluding higher elevations, and include the City of Chelan itself.  The narrow, fjord-like lake acts in a similar fashion as a river in moderating temperatures for the growing area.  Consistently ranked as one of the most pristine waters in the United States, Lake Chelan's 50.5-mile length acts as a natural conduit between the rugged mountain peaks up lake and the lush, fertile down lake valley. At 1,486 feet, Lake Chelan is the third deepest lake in the nation, extending nearly 400 feet below sea level. It was carved by two competing glaciers -- the Chelan glacier and the continental ice sheet. Their back-and-forth movement created the broad lower lake and narrow upper lake, an 80-mile long glacial valley near the geographical center of Washington State.

     The semi-arid rolling hills surrounding the resort communities at the east end of the lake give little hint of the spectacular views offered as you travel up the lake which for most of its length lies in a gorge deeper than the Grand Canyon. Roads extend less than halfway to the headwaters of Lake Chelan. Beyond the end of the road, rugged snowcapped peaks rise over 7,000 feet from the lakeshore and dark evergreens cover the mountainsides. Deep valleys rise from the lake to massive glaciers in the heart of the North Cascades.

      At the upper end of Lake Chelan, limited, local roads do not connect the communities of Stehekin and Holden Village to the outside world. This remoteness and the spectacular setting have inspired Federal protection for much of the region. Portions of a National Park, two National Forest Wilderness Areas, and a National Recreation Area encompass much of the Lake Chelan drainage.   Access to the headwaters of Lake Chelan is by a passenger ferry or by seaplane.

The Wineries and Vineyards

    The late Dr. Walter Klore of Washington State wine industry fame created a report on this area some time during the 1980s.  He was particularly impressed by the land in the valley's lower elevations.  At that time, scattered concord plantings and a bit of chardonnay and pinot noir were the only attempts at viticulture.

   More recently, growers have planted vineyards in the area to syrah, merlot, malbec, riesling, pinot gris,  gewürztraminer, as well as more chardonnay and pinot noir.  The Valley is most commonly known as a prime apple-growing region.  The same growing conditions are key to growing premium wine grapes... warm days and cool nights, with temperatures moderated by the waters of Lake Chelan. 

     While only about 200 acres in the region have been planted, plans underway to plant hundreds more.  Many Lake Chelan wineries also purchase grapes from vineyards in other parts of the Columbia Valley. 

     There is a lot of excitement about the quality of locally grown grapes, but what is even more exciting is the caliber of winemaking skills represented at these newly established wineries;  wine awards are already being accumulated.

    The wineries in the Lake Chelan area (actually a sub-region of the Columbia Valley appellation) began leaving their doors open year-round in 2004.  And why not... Lake Chelan is a already a popular destination spot among travelers for water and winter sports, hiking and skiing, and for family vacations.  Those who love to include winery visits and tastings in their travels are certain to enjoy the scenic loop of Lake Chelan wineries, around the eastern end of the Lake... all within an easy drive of the City of Chelan. 

   Winery owners in the Lake Chelan region are serious about producing premier wines, and have recruited extraordinarily talented and known winemakers to their area.  Ray Sandidge (winemaker of C.R. Sandidge and formerly winemaker at Kestrel Cellars and others) and Katy Smith (formerly assistant white winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle) have moved to the area.  With such talent and expertise being invested in the wine production of this area, Lake Chelan is bound to build a reputation as a center of quality wine production in Washington State.

Local Wine Tours

Click here or on the map below to see a detailed version of the
Lake Chelan growing region and the location of its wineries.