Closure includes all properties in Washington, Oregon, California
WOODINVILLE, Wash. (March 13, 2020) – Ste. Michelle Wine Estates has announced the closure of all its wineries and tasting rooms to the public.
Effective March 14, the closure includes the company’s properties in Washington, Oregon, and California.
“We have decided to take this decisive action out of an abundance of caution for our employees, our guests, their families, and the general public,” said Jim Mortensen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.
“We will continue to closely monitor the conditions in each of the communities where we operate and will continue to follow the guidance of public health authorities. This pandemic is truly an extraordinary event, and we believe it is our responsibility to act decisively in the best interests of the communities where we work and live,” added Mortensen.
The following Ste. Michelle properties are included in the closure:
- 14 Hands Winery, Prosser, Wash.
- Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Woodinville, Wash.
- Col Solare Winery, Benton City, Wash.
- Columbia Crest Winery, Paterson, Wash.
- Conn Creek Winery, St. Helena, Calif.
- Erath Winery, Dundee, Ore.
- Northstar Winery, Walla Walla, Wash.
- Patz & Hall Winery, Sonoma, Calif.
- Spring Valley Vineyard, Walla Walla, Wash.
- Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Napa, Calif.
The closure restricts public access to Ste. Michelle’s wineries and tasting rooms but will not impact the company’s other non-public business operations.
The company has not provided a timetable for reopening wineries and tasting rooms to the public.
About Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, located outside of Seattle, Washington, has a distinguished history that dates back to 1934. The company pioneered vinifera grape growing in Washington State while wines under the Ste. Michelle label were first introduced in 1967. Today, SMWE owns more than 3,900 vineyard acres across Washington, Oregon and California with key sites certified with the LIVE, Salmon Safe or Napa Green designations. SMWE’s ‘String of Pearls’ wine portfolio represents owned or imported brands, all demonstrating the producers’ unwavering commitment to creating distinctive, high quality wines from authentic estate vineyards. Chateau Ste. Michelle, its cornerstone winery, 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. SMWE’s charitable giving program, which supports some 400 non-profit organizations annually, has provided more than $3 million for scholarships for high-achieving, low-income students at Washington universities. The company also was the principal fundraiser for Washington State University’s viticulture and enology institution, the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Wine Science Center.
Ste. Michelle’s Washington portfolio includes: Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, 14 Hands, Col Solare, Northstar, Spring Valley Vineyard, MERF, INTRINSIC, Seven Falls and Michelle sparkling wines. In California, the company owns Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (with Italy’s Antinori family), Conn Creek (Napa Valley) and Patz & Hall (Sonoma). Ste. Michelle also owns Erath Winery, in Dundee, Oregon. The company became the exclusive U.S. importer in 2006 for the renowned Marchesi Antinori wines of Italy and Chile’s Haras de Pirque wines, for Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte of France in 2009, and for New Zealand’s Villa Maria Estate in 2010. For more information, please visit www.smwe.com.
