The Drinks Business
July 20, 2017
One of Washington’s foremost estates, Chateau Ste. Michelle, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, a landmark that speaks volumes about the on-going success of winemaking in the state believes its CEO.
As Ted Baseler, president and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, told the drinks business, Ste. Michelle has come a long way in winemaking terms in the past half century.
“Times have changed dramatically,” he said. “In our first vintage we made just 6,000 cases. Today we sell 3.5 million and are the second largest premium brand by volume in the US. We’ve come a long way.”
It’s not just Ste Michelle that has come a long way either but the whole winemaking industry of Washington state. In 1967, when Ste. Michelle was founded there were just 12 wineries in the state, today there are 1,000 backed up by an industry-backed research and development projects (towards which Ste. Michelle has contributed $3m through various fundraising programmes).
Ste. Michelle began with just one wine (a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Yakima Valley) and now produces over 25 single variety wines including Riesling, Merlot, Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Blanc and Barbera and seven other ranges such as an artist series, a single vineyard range and wines from Columbia Valley>>>Read entire article on The Drinks Business