Chateau Ste. Michelle Celebrates 25 Vintages of Artist Series

Woodinville, WA

For more than two decades, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Artist Series wines have celebrated the inspired collaboration between Northwest artisan winemaking and fine art. The Washington winery will celebrate the 25th vintage of its Artist Series collection with the release of the 2017 Artist Series this September. Chateau Ste. Michelle debuted its Artist Series with the 1993 vintage, featuring glass art from renowned artist Dale Chihuly.

The Artist Series Red Blend is a unique, collector’s wine that represents the highest quality and pedigree from Chateau Ste. Michelle. Each vintage features the work of prominent artists on the label, from blown glass to bronze sculptures to paint on canvas. Many of the dramatic pieces of art are on display throughout the winery’s picturesque grounds. The 2017 Artist Series 25th Anniversary label features Northwest painter and sculptor Tony Angell and his scratch board paintings of owls, reflecting his passion and work rehabilitating wild bird species. The wine will be available in select markets nationally for a suggested retail price of $65.

Art in the bottle
Chateau Ste. Michelle Artist Series is a Bordeaux style blend built for aging by carefully blending the top lots of the vintage for power, elegance and structure. The 2017 vintage is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. Each grape variety contributes a special attribute to the blend, resulting in a complex wine with layers of aromas and flavors.

“The Artist Series is a very personal statement for me and what I enjoy most about Washington state red wines,” says Chateau Ste. Michelle winemaker Bob Bertheau. “It’s the first wine I blend every year from the best fruit of the vintage. My goal is to capture Old World refinement, while harnessing the power and concentration of Washington fruit. More than 77% of the blend came from our vineyard at Canoe Ridge Estate which lends elegance, ripeness and soft tannins, while fruit from Lawrence and Dead Canyon vineyards adds weight and color. This is a beautifully layered, ageable wine and my vision of art in a bottle.”

Art on the Label
According to Debra McCloskey, Ste. Michelle’s Creative Services Director, creating the Artist Series labels is a favorite project of her design team every year. “It is always so inspiring to learn about the artists and their fine art pieces that we feature on the labels,” explains McCloskey. “And what an amazing collection of art that has adorned our labels though the years, including blown glass, sculptures, fabric and paint on canvas. We often refer to the “Chateau lifestyle” and the Artist Series really speaks to this – celebrating the skills, creativity and passion for art, food, wine and music – the things that enrich our lives and that we can share with one another.”

Previous Artist Series artists include Dale Chihuly, William Morris, Lino Tagliapietra, Ginny Ruffner, Dan Dailey, Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora C. Mace, Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychotvoa, Italo Scanga, Richard Marquis, Gerard Tsutakawa, Will Robinson, Alden Mason, Bobbie Burgers, Eva Isaksen, T.L Lange, Cara Barer, Andre Petterson, Ben Darby, Bratsa Bonifacho, Cameron Anne Mason, Janna Watson, Sheri Bakes and George Rodriguez.

About Chateau Ste. Michelle
Founded in 1934, Chateau Ste. Michelle pioneered vinifera grape growing in Washington State and has been producing classic European varietal wines under the Ste. Michelle label since 1967. The winery combines an ongoing dedication to research with a commitment to classic winemaking traditions. The winery owns 3,500 acres of vineyards in the Columbia Valley of Eastern Washington, including Canoe Ridge Estate and Cold Creek, which are LIVE and Salmon Safe certified. Chateau Ste. Michelle enjoys winemaking partnerships with some of the world’s most distinguished vintners. Col Solare is an alliance with Tuscany’s Piero Antinori, Eroica Riesling is a partnership with the Mosel’s Ernst Loosen and Tenet is a collaboration with Michel Gassier and Philippe Cambie of France.