Early summer was a great time to explore Lake Chelan Wine Valley. Lake Chelan is located in the north central part of Washington State. The Lake Chelan AVA is a sub-appellation of the Columbia Valley AVA. What defines Lake Chelan AVA however, is its location at an higher elevation, unique soils and the overall effect of the lake on the growing season. I was excited to explore what some describe as amongst the most scenic of Washington State's wine growing regions. While in the area we explored a variety of wineries. In addition, foodie adventures at these wineries were part of our explorations.
Now, let me introduce you to a few of our wine finds in Lake Chelan Wine Valley.
Fielding Hills Winery
Mike and Karen Wade founded Fielding Hills Winery in 1998, by planting Riverbend Vineyard (23 acres) on the Wahluke Slope. They later added a second site, Riverview Vineyard (10 acres), on the Wahluke Slope, and as well a third property, Monument Vineyard, in Chelan. The Monument Vineyard surrounds the winery’s tasting room. In 2014, Fielding Hills opened a tasting room and production facility in Chelan. When we dropped by in June we were excited to explore their small-lot, handcrafted wines.
We love visiting Fielding Hills tasting room, which is located on the shores of Lake Chelan. Its spectacular views makes it a great backdrop to explore wines.
Lake Views, Fielding Hills © Spaswinefood
They produce the following estate wines: White wines - Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Roussane; rosé wines; and red wines - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah, and red wine blend (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah). We selected a number of these wines to taste.
Tasting Fielding Hills Wines © SpaswinefoodWhen we sat down to taste Fielding Hills wines we enjoyed the wines while taking in the views. We also ordered a cheese platter to go along with the wine tasting.
Fielding Hills Winery, Estate Riverblend Rosé,Wahluke Slope 2022
Fielding Hills Winery, Estate Riverblend Rosé,Wahluke Slope 2022 © Spaswinefood
A wine tasting, a bottle wine and a cheese platter was the perfect way to enjoy those beautiful lake views.
We left Fielding Hills with some wines to enjoy later.
Karma Vineyards
A vine filled day with sparkling wines at Karma Vineyards in Lake Chelan, Washington State is a must. It was a pleasure to return after my 2013 visit to Karma Vineyards. Yes, we were in for a very special threat. Karma uses the traditional méthode champenoise to produce their sparkling wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Karma Vineyards is one of the few Méthode Champenoise producers in Washington State's Lake Chelan AVA, a sub-appellation of the Columbia Valley AVA. Lake Chelan is amongst the most scenic of Washington State's wine growing regions. Karma Vineyards certainly fits within this profile.
We ordered flights of sparkling and still wines to taste.
We ordered food to go along with the wine tasting.
While enjoying the wines and food we could not but notice the inviting setting.
The entrance to Karma Vineyards is decorated with colorful flowers.
Their wines were on display for those wishing to know more.
Karma Vineyards Wines © Spaswinefood
Karma Vineyards is absolutely a beautiful setting for dining. The dining area looks onto the vineyards. The vineyard views from the top are also absolutely awesome.
Vin du Lac
Vin du Lac (French for - wine on the lake) is one of the first wineries in Lake Chelan. It is located in a charming farm house overlooking the lake. It includes a tasting room, bistro, farm and winery. That early summer day we were looking for somewhere to enjoy lunch, and we ended up at Vin du Lac's bistro. This was an excellent option for us to take their wines while enjoying seasonally inspired, farm to table cuisine.
Upon seating we were introduced to the wine menu.
We ended up selecting to taste the wines from the above list.
Vin du Lac © Spaswinefood
After the wine tasting we ordered a bottle to go with lunch.
We had a very relaxing lunch with wines at Vin du Lac.
I managed to capture a few more photos on the way out.
Vin du Lac © SpaswinefoodWe so enjoyed our lunch at Vin du Lac. We left with a few wines to take with us for our travels.
I was first introduced to this area as part of the Wine Bloggers Conference #WBC13 pre-conference tour to Lake Chelan Wine Valley. For me it was my first opportunity to explore Lake Chelan Wineries and learn about the area. The first grapes were planted in 1891. However, it was not until Lake Chelan became a popular tourist destination that today's modern wine industry began. Today you will find over 50 wineries in the area. During a pre-conference tour in 2013 I was introduced to the best of wine happenings in Lake Chelan.
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| View of Lake Chelan, 2013 © Spaswinefood |
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| View of Lake Chelan from Karma Vineyards, 2013 © Spaswinefood |
Exploring Lake Chelan Wine Valley, 2023 © Spaswinefood  |
| Welcoming drinks at Karma Vineyards, 2013 © Spaswinefood |
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Brunch time at Karma Winery, Lake Chelan, 2013 © Spaswinefood |
