Chateau Ste. Michelle Names David Rosenthal White Winemaker

Woodinville, Wash.

Washington’s founding winery Chateau Ste. Michelle announced the promotion of David Rosenthal to oversee its white wine program. Rosenthal will report to head winemaker Bob Bertheau and manage day to day operations at Chateau Ste. Michelle’s white wine cellar in Woodinville, Washington outside of Seattle. Chateau Ste. Michelle produces its red wines at its Canoe Ridge Estate red winery in eastern, Washington.

Rosenthal was previously assistant winemaker and originally started with Chateau Ste. Michelle in 2006. He has nearly 15 years of experience in the wine industry in California, Oregon, Australia and Washington state.

“David's technical knowledge, passion for our wines and experience with our cellar team make him a great choice for the job,” says head winemaker Bob Bertheau. “He loves what he does and I am confident our wines will go to even greater heights with David at the "white helm" for Chateau Ste. Michelle.”

In 2001, after graduating from the University of Puget Sound, David worked at Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, California as a harvest lab intern. In December of that same year, David returned to Washington state and joined Chateau Ste. Michelle as a lab technician through 2006.

Realizing winemaking was his true passion and wanting to gain more experience in different wine regions, David took a winemaking internship with Zilzie Wines in Victoria, Australia. Upon his return to the U.S., he interned with the winemaking team at Domaine Serene in Dayton, Oregon. In 2007, David rejoined Chateau Ste. Michelle as white wine enologist and was later promoted to assistant winemaker in 2011 and then to white winemaker in May, 2015.

“It is an incredible opportunity to lead a great team that is making world class wines,” says Rosenthal. “I hope to carry on the traditions of outstanding winemaking while continuing to have fun and allowing my passion for wine to show through.”

David’s winemaking journey through the Northwest, California and Australia has helped him appreciate Washington’s unique growing region.

“What makes Washington so great is not only our place in the world, but also our place in time,” Rosenthal explains. “We have the unique opportunity of continuing to build a new region from the ground up, and help it reach its full potential in the decades to come.”

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 two of the world’s most distinguished vintners. Col Solare is an alliance with Tuscany’s Piero Antinori and Eroica Riesling is a partnership with the Mosel’s Ernst Loosen.

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For further information:
Lynda Eller
media@ste-michelle.com