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Lake
Chelan Valley Wine Country
The
Lake Chelan appellation is among the newest and most scenic of Washington
state's wine-growing regions. Its foray into
wine-grape growing began relatively recently, while its
reputation as an intoxicating travel destination is
historic. Lake Chelan has appealed to tourists,
water-sport enthusiasts, skiing and backcountry hikers for
many years, while its status as an American Viticultural
Area (AVA) was gain in April of 2009.
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This beautiful region
is located in north central Washington
and now offers seventeen wineries,
with others making plans to join them soon..
The
breathtaking beauty of the area is second to none in
Washington State, and wineries take advantage
of lake
views when locating their tasting rooms. The narrow,
fjord-like lake acts in a similar fashion as a river in
moderating temperatures for the growing area.
A surprisingly
high number of
heat units have been recorded for the Lake 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 the city of Chelan records approximately
2,900, similar to Walla Walla, Sunnyside, and Prosser,
Washington. The last two hard freezes in
the Northwest did not damage to the area. The
region receives an average annual rainfall of 11
inches, with 39 inches of average annual snowfall.
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Lake Chelan AVA
The Lake Chelan
Winegrowers Association filed an American
Viticultural Area (AVA) application in 2006;
in April 2009, official authorization of the
Lake Chelan AVA was published in the
Federal Register. This newest of Washington
State's
authorized AVAs
establishes the 24,040-acre area surrounding Lake Chelan
as the 11th appellation in the state.
Located in north central
Washington, the Lake Chelan Valley
lies entirely within the Columbia Valley AVA
and is about 112 miles east-northeast of
Seattle. Distinguishing features of
the Lake Chelan viticultural area
include its geology, geography, soils, and
climate as directly influenced by past
alpine glacial activity of the Cascade
region. Lake Chelan Valley is the only
valley in the Cascade Range in Oregon or
Washington that holds a natural lake of its
size. The climate of the agricultural and
viticultural lands surrounding the lower
(eastern) end of the lake is strongly
moderated by the thermal effect of the lake
on the air temperatures. The glacier that
formed during the last ice age and traveled
from the Cascade crest to the eastern end of
the modern lake left a defining imprint on
the landforms of the Lake Chelan Valley.
Also, pumice
and ash from eruptions of volcanoes in the
Cascade Range (principally Glacier Peak to
the west of the new viticultural area) formed soils that are ashier and more pumiceous than those in any other
established viticultural area in Washington
State. |
Geology and Access
The geographic
boundaries of the Lake Chelan AVA generally
follow the line of site on both sides of the Lake, excluding
higher elevations, and include the City of Chelan
itself. Several features distinguish it from its
neighboring AVAs, including its elevation, soil derived from
the crystalline granite of the Cascade Mountains, location
in the rain shadow of the Northern Cascade Mountains,
distinctive U-shaped topography and vineyards located around
Lake Chelan that capitalize on the “lake effect” of moderate
air temperatures.
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
north side of 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
and the town of Stehekin 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 has been known most
commonly as a prime apple-growing region.
The same apple-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 260 acres in the region have been
planted, plans are 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 Lake Chelan grapes, but
equally
exciting is the caliber of winemaking skills
represented at these newly established wineries;
wine awards are already being accumulated.
The Wineries of the Lake Chelan
area
The wineries in the Lake Chelan appellation (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.
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.
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NORTH SHORE
Benson Vineyards
(Noon to 5 p.m. - Daily)
754 Winesap Avenue
Manson, WA
509-687-0313
Chelangr’La
(Noon to 6pm - Daily)
67 Wapato Way
Manson, WA 98831
509-687-9746
Chelan Ridge Winery
900 Swartout Road
Manson, WA 98831
509-668-0593
Four Lakes Winery
Tasting Room
4491 Wapato Road
Manson, WA
509-682-9028
509-682-1823
Hard Row to Hoe Winery
Formerly Balsamroot Vineyard & Winery
(Daily from
Noon to 6 p.m.)
300 Ivan Morse Rd
Manson, WA 98831
509-687-3000
Lake Chelan
Winery
(Daily
11am - 7pm)
3519 State Road 150
Chelan, WA 98816
509-687-9463
Summit Hills Wine
280 Summit Blvd
Manson, WA 98831
509-687-9745Tildio Winery
(Weekends 12 -5,
Mon - Fri, by appointment)
70 East Wapato Lake Road
Manson, Washington 98831
509-687-8463
Wapato Point Cellars
(Daily 12 - 5pm)
200 Quetilquasoon Road
Manson, WA 98831
509-687-4000
800-946-3480
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Click on map for larger version.
SOUTH SHORE
Chelan
Estate
Vineyards
and Winery
(Open Weekends 11 - 5; or by appointment)
755 S Lakeshore Road
Chelan, WA 98816
509-682-5454
KarMa Vineyards
1681 S Lakeshore Road
Chelan, WA 98816
509-669-5753
Nefarious Cellars
(Hours, 11 - 6 pm:
Daily,
May - Oct ;
Thurs - Mon, Winter-Spring)
495 S. Lakeshore Road
Chelan, WA 98816
509-682-9505
Tsillan
Cellars
Vineyards
and Winery
(Summer:
5/1-5/23: Weekdays 11-6;
Weekends 11-7; 5/23-10/1: Daily 11-7;
Winter: 12-5 Daily)
3875 Hwy. 97A
(Chelan Falls Hwy)
Chelan, WA 98816
509-682-9463
877-682-8463
Sorrento's Ristorante
at Tsillan Cellars
(Open summer season with
Tsillan Cellars
Serving lunch 12 – 5 pm & dinner 5 – 9 pm;
Winter: Thur - Sun, 5 pm - close;
Sat & Sun, Lunch 12 - 2 pm)
509-699-9181
Tunnel Hill
(By appointment)
38 Highway 97A
Chelan, WA 98816
509-682-5695
CHELAN AREA
Four Lakes
Winery
(By appointment only)
205 Howard Flats Road
Chelan, WA 98816
509-682-9028
Tasting Room in Manson Area
Rio
Vista Wines
24415 Highway 97
Chelan, WA 988016
509-682-9713
Vin du lac / Chelan Wine Co.
(Tasting Room & Bistro open:
Friday & Saturday, 11am - 7pm;
Sunday - Thursday, 11am - 6pm)
105 Hwy 150
Chelan, WA 98816
509-682-2882
866-455-WINE (9463)
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Use our Winery &
Merchant
Finder to locate addresses and
telephone numbers of specific Lake Chelan wineries.
Local
Tour Guides
Chelan Valley Tours
Chelan, WA
509-682-2386
Lakeside Limo Tours
North Central
Washington
Wine Shops & Wine Bars
Chelan Red Apple Market
Wine Department
310 Manson
Hwy
Chelan, WA
509-682-4521
The
Grape Quincy Wine Cellar
2 "D" Street
Quincy, WA 98848
509-787-5170
Lake Chelan Wine Cellar
Inside Stop Light Espresso
& Fruit Market
229 Woodin Avenue
Chelan, WA 98816
509-682-0359
Mission Street
Bistro
& Wine Bar
202 N. Mission Street
Wenatchee, WA
509-665-2406
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Visconti's Enoteca
Open noon-7 pm, Sun-Thurs
ll:00-8:00 pm Fri-Sat
636 Front Street
Leavenworth, WA
509-548-0333The Vogue - A Liquid
Lounge
117 E Woodin
PO Box 637
Chelan, WA 98816
509-888-5282
The
Wine Bin
208 N. Mission
Wenatchee, WA 98801
509-663-3007
Wine
Experience
Tasting Room for Wines of N
Central WA
(Daily 11:00AM
- 6:00PM, closed Tuesdays)
600 Apple Annie Avenue
Cashmere, WA
509-782-0708
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Copyright © 2004 - 2010 Susan R. O'Hara. All rights reserved.
Last revised:
January 03, 2010
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