Deep ruby color; dark cherry, black olive, blackberry, plum, oak, leather, vanilla, chocolate on the nose and palate.
Dry; firm, pleasing tannin, balancing acidity. Medium-plus body; 100% cabernet sauvignon. Wine aged 18 months in 50% new French oak, 4% new American oak, 46% neutral French oak. Winery notes each fermentation lot tasted daily to evaluate the evolution of the tannins to find the right moment to drain the wine off the skins. Basic, straightforward, tasty cab with some layers of complexity. 14.8% ABV
Smooth, easy drinker with elegant, pleasing fruit. While it lacks great complexity and depth, it does have some sophistication and certainly is a rich, velvety, pleasing experience. Oak is not overdone. At five years, this just hit its best drinking years. Wine is available online from Chateau Ste. Michelle, may still be available at quality retail wine shops.
Chateau Ste. Michelle started as a hunting retreat and rural farm (called “Hollywood Farm”) built by lumber baron Frederick Stimson. The wine operation started in 1954 as the “American Wine Company” after the merger of the the Pomerelle Wine Company and the National Wine Company. The National Wine Company was founded in 1934 and is the date Ste. Michelle claims for its founding. Today, Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington’s oldest and largest winery. People often think of Washington and rain, but the winemaking is done in the near-desert eastern part of the state. Lying beyond the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains, the vineyards only get 6-8 inches of rainfall each year.
Until recently, Chateau Ste. Michelle was owned by Altria, the company formerly known as Phillip Morris. In 2021, Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm, bought the company for $1.2 billion. In the years since, the winery has sold off California properties, cut production, closed its iconic winery, and moved production to eastern Washington where the grapes are grown. The winery is in a state of flux, shrinkage, and re-positioning. The wine world holds it breath while awaiting the impact of its strategic shifts. In any event, this wine was made under the old regime.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Canoe Ridge Estate, Horse Heaven Hills 2019 is a solid cab made by Washington State’s largest winemaker, although the company is in transition now. This was made under previous owners and delivers tasty tannins, generous fruit, appropriate use of oak. Ste. Michelle became the Washington State powerhouse by making quality wine at appropriate prices. This is an example. Pair with braised short ribs, veal, lamb shanks, gourmet burgers. Works with roasted winter vegetables. Cheese—aged cheddar, aged gouda, gruyère, comté. Avoid soft-ripened cheese such as brie or camembert. $30-36
