Washington Pinot Gris for chilling on a lazy summer afternoon (#winePW)

In Washington wine circles, huge Chateau Ste. Michelle is more than a winery. It’s a presence.

Ste Michelle wines are everywhere – Total Wine, Whole Foods, Walgreens – along with most small grocers and pharmacies around here. Not surprising when you consider that Ste. Michelle is the largest winery in the Pacific Northwest and third-largest premium winery in the country.

Ste. Michelle contracts for the majority of wine grape acreage in Washington state and made approximately 7.3 million cases of wine annually last year, a majority of the state’s total. The company, which dates back to the repeal of Prohibition, has been owned for the past year by Sycamore Partners, a New York-based private equity firm.

Last month, this industry giant made international news when its Woodinville property, northeast of Seattle, went up for sale. This 119-acre estate includes the French-style chateau pictured on the winery’s labels. The company announced it would be moving its white wine production from Woodinville to its Canoe Ridge winemaking facility in eastern Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area). Ste Michelle’s red wine production has taken place at Canoe Ridge since 1993.

Growth-minded Ste. Michelle has played a key role in Washington state’s wine industry. Others have been able to capitalize on Ste. Michelle’s success. From less than 200 wineries in 1999, the state boasts more than 1,000 today. News of a potential sale, which the producer attributes to misjudging supply and demand forecasts and underinvesting in direct-to-consumer sales, sent shock waves throughout the state and beyond.

Sources: Wine Magazine, Wine Report

Choosing to feature a wine from a corporate conglomerate like Ste. Michelle is somewhat of a departure for me. Generally, I prefer to focus on small family wineries and hands-on farming. But this month’s Wine Pairing Weekend (#winePW) theme, “Summer Sippers and Tasty Bites,” is open-ended, and this Washington wine news was on my mind as I shopped. Plus, these wines are local, available and cheap!

What’s your summertime wine? You’re invited to join the #winePW bloggers for a Twitter chat about summer sippers on Saturday, 7/9, starting at 8 am PT/11 am ET. Simply follow the hashtag.

The region and the wine

My pick is the 2020 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley AVA. Home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area, this large AVA even spills over the border into northern Oregon.

The Columbia Valley consists of varied terroir and numerous different microclimates, but on the whole, it’s known for cold winters and hot, dry summers. The Cascade Mountains to the west create a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the year, especially in summer. Farmers and grape growers rely on irrigation from the mighty Columbia River and its tributaries.

Riesling and Chardonnay actually are grown more extensively in Washington than Pinot Gris. Ste. Michelle claims its Washington rendition of this popular variety falls between the lighter Italian Pinot Grigio style and the richer, rounder Pinot Gris from Alsace, France.

My tasting notes: Light gold in color. Aromatic nose of pear, apple and Honeydew melon. Palate has pear and Granny Smith apple notes, typical Washington (medium+) acidity level, and light to medium body. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 13.5%. Price: $10.99. I agree with the producer – this wine is between Italian Pinot Grigio and Alsatian Pinot Gris.

The pairing: Our summer afternoon tasting turned into happy hour while watching the National Hockey League draft. While sipping, I took careful note of the players’ hairstyles, ranging from buzz to “flow.” Oh, there apparently were some interesting team picks, too, though I’m not that well versed in hockey.

Talk about lazy! Using only “found” ingredients (that is, whatever we could scrounge in the fridge and pantry), the spouse prepared the following tasty bites:

• Trader Joe’s quinoa and black bean tortilla chips with salsa
• Leftover grilled eggplant with a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar, topped with goat cheese and mango, and served on pita crackers
• Mango topped with goat cheese on TJ’s tortilla chips
• Celery and rainbow carrot sticks with hummus dip

A complementary pairing, all in all. My only cautionary note is to use fruit sparingly when accompanying dry wines.

The following #winePW bloggers are sipping this summer, too. Here’s what they’re sharing:

• Camilla’s posting “A Casual Feast and Canned Wines: Bo Ssäm + Two Shepherds’ 2021 Maxzilla Piquette” at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Wendy is “Sipping Rosé and Enjoying Summertime” at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Terri’s got “Summer Time Canned Sparkling Prosecco and Pepperdew Bites” at Our Good Life
• Gwendolyn’s going with “Orange Wines for Summer Times from Austria, Mexico, Oregon, Paso Robles” at Wine Predator
• Jane offers “Summertime Nibbles with Prosecco” at Always Ravenous
• Andrea is “Sipping Pretty this Summer with Emir and Trail Mix” at The Quirky Cork
• Jeff says “Add Some Pop! to Your Summer of Rosé” at Food Wine Click! 
• Kat insists “Schiava is the Perfect Summer Red Wine for Grilling” at The Corkscrew Concierge
• Nicole has “Summer Memories of Sunshiny Sippers” at The. Somm’s Table
• Linda serves up “Washington Pinot Gris for chilling on a lazy summer afternoon” at My Full Wine Glass