If you haven't been to Chelan for a while, you might want to check out this beautiful valley's new wineries.

Story by Vickie S. Higgins

IT'S STILL KNOWN as the Apple Capital of the World, but the times they are a changin’ in Chelan Valley, nestled in the North Cascades of central Washington.

More than 200 acres are now planted in wine grapes, and 12 wineries make their home in the valley. Chelan has also been discovered by Seattle residents in search of the ideal setting for a second home, and many of the rolling hills once covered with apple orchards have become home sites. No wonder—this is a pristine valley with its crown jewel, the glacier-fed Lake Chelan, stretching 50-plus miles northwesterly through national forest lands to the settlement of Stehekin, accessible only by boat or air, or on foot. The road along the lake ends several miles north of the town of Chelan.

The town of Chelan sits on the southwest tip of 50-mile-long
Lake Chelan.

I was fortunate to experience the Lake Chelan Wine Valley during the 2006 crush in October. Upon our arrival, we were whisked away in a stretch limousine for an afternoon of tasting. Our first stop was Vin du Lac, where we enjoyed a light lunch and I found the 2004 Barrel Select Chardonnay worthy of the gold medal it won at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition.

Next, we visited Tunnel Hill Winery on the south shore of Lake Chelan, located in a charming stone cottage with the cozy atmosphere of a wine cellar.

At Nefarious Cellars,where the slogan is “wickedly good wines,” we were invited to watch as owner Dean Neff and a helper started the lengthy crushing process. Inside the tasting room, with a panoramic view of Lake Chelan, Heather Neff presented us with the daily selection of tastings. My favorite was the 2005 Consequence, a delightful blend of 90 percent Sauvignon blanc and 10 percent Riesling. “This is our patio sipper, the ultimate summer wine for lounging around,” Heather says. “We just call it fun. Grass and tropical fruit aromatics really pop out of the glass.”

Leaves on a Lake Chelan sugar maple turn bright orange and yellow as the season changes from summer to fall.

As the afternoon ends, we travel all the way to Tuscany, or so it seems. Just winding up the road to Tsillan (pronounced Chelan) Cellars, one is filled with great anticipation. Walking past stone pillars through the big wooden doors, the grand design - marble everywhere - transports one to Italy’s renowned art and wine country. Meet the winery’s wizard, Dr. Bob Jankelson, and you soon understand the inspiration.

Jankelson spent time in Tuscany after he retired from his dental practice, designed and developed a dental instrument, and then traveled to Italy to teach.

We tour the meticulously landscaped grounds, with a lovely babbling brook running through the property. And there are outdoor facilities for summer concerts. Then we visit the working winery area to take a peek at the crush operation before we gather for one of my most memorable dinners ever. I am fortunate to be seated next to Dr. Bob, who thoughtfully describes and selects the wines to perfectly marry the foods served during the several-course dinner, from appetizers through dessert.

While dining in this unsurpassable setting, we learn that Dr. Bob has only just begun. His vision for the rolling hills beyond the winery involves a Tuscan-inspired village that encompasses about 300 acres. “Four owners have bought into the original concept of stewardship and preserving aesthetics and the agricultural legacy,” says Jankelson. “There will be a Tuscan shopping village with fresh produce, herbs, and all the things you’d expect in a little Italian village. The idea is to build a totally self-contained residential village that encourages walking, with trails, parks, a spa, an environment that encourages a healthy lifestyle.”

We leave our cozy condominiums at Wapato Point Inn on Lake Chelan early Saturday to have breakfast at Blueberry Hills, a great place to enjoy "down-home country cookin" and highly entertaining décor. The Sorensen family has lived here for five generations, and family heirlooms - also known as junk, says owner Kari Sorensen - adorn the walls and ceiling. The blueberry blintz was delicious.

Then we head for downtown Chelan to shop and stroll through Riverwalk Park. I indulge myself at Mary and Dave Weldy’s Culinary Apple, the consummate kitchen-and-more store where you’ll find everything from brightly colored dishes and accessories to every imaginable type of sweets, sauces, spreads, salad dressings, and what has to be the world’s largest collection of kitchen gadgets. I thought I’d stump Dave by asking for a pear corer, a prized possession my mother kept from her youth working summers at a cannery. Well, besides the pear corer, they have a pineapple corer, a mango splitter, and avocado slicer - to mention only a few.
A big part of their business is shipping gift-boxed fresh apples all over the country.

Another charming shop is The Antique Quail, with its delightful collection of fine furniture and primitives.

Visitors also won’t want to miss the Lake Chelan Historical Museum, where the volunteers are as fun and interesting as the treasures they display.

We head back to wine country for the afternoon. At Milum and Katy Perry’s Tildio Winery, overlooking Roses Lake, I fall in love with an elegant white called Viognier (pronounced: vee-on-yay), subtly fruity with a faint orange blossom aroma. Katy, a graduate of enology and viticulture programs at University of California/Davis, describes the wine thus: "Not rare, but not typical. Lots of big wineries don’t want to go there because people won't buy it - they don’t know what it is or how to pronounce it. On the other hand, we are a small winery and most of our customers are people we meet face to face in the tasting room, where we talk about the history of the wines and how we make them." After graduating 20 years ago, Katy worked at large wineries and interned with Robert Mondavi. "Now we've branched out on our own," she says. "To do this, you definitely have to be passionate about the business. It's both exciting and scary."

Lake Chelan Winery, planted in 1998, was the first vineyard in the valley.

At Benson Vineyards overlooking Lake Chelan, a huge expansion is nearing completion. The two-story structure, with a spacious tasting room on the top floor and business offices below, is slated to open in September, although tastings are still available daily over the summer in the winery. Paul Benson and sons Scott and Jeff bought the property in 2000 and planted their vineyard in 2002. One of the wines we were invited to taste is their 2004 Estate Syrah, which won a silver medal at the Pacific Rim Wine Competition in April. "Most of the vineyard’s 25 acres is planted to Syrah. It’s pretty much what we are known for," says Scott.

We end the day at Lake Chelan Winery, also overlooking the lake. Our guide for the two days of wine tasting is Bob Christopher, who pioneered grape growing in the valley. He had been an apple grower and as that indus-try began to fade, Christopher researched grapes and thought the crop would grow well here. He planted the first vineyard in the valley in 1998 and founded Lake Chelan Winery as well as the Lake Chelan Wine Growers Association. A fellow apple-grower, Steve Kludt, took an interest when Christopher first planted grapes and soon planted some himself. Kludt later became Christopher’s business partner and bought the winery in 2004.

We enjoy a scrumptious dinner with a choice of barbecued salmon or spare ribs, prepared by Kludt. The evening’s entertainment is a grape-stomping contest, with the winner being the barefoot person who generates the greatest volume of juice.

The Innamorata was originally owned by Dean Martin.

We meet for Sunday breakfast at Campbell’s Resort on Lake Chelan. I spend the morning at the resort’s River Room Spa, enjoying a rejuvenating 90-minute Aromatic Hot River Rock Massage while my fellow travelers retreat to Bear Mountain Ranch for a round of golf.

I join them at the Ranch for lunch, after which we tour one of the model homes tucked along the fairways of this 6000-acre gated resort community with stunning views of Lake Chelan and the valley. Golfers encounter wildlife throughout the course—deer, eagles, osprey, many kinds of wild birds, even an occasional mother bear with cubs. The ranch is surrounded by 20,000 acres of public land.

Our tour of the valley comes to a close with an afternoon cruise around Lake Chelan on the Innamorata, a 56-foot Chris Craft dinner cruise and charter yacht originally owned by the late Dean Martin. Captain Scott Logan bought the yacht in 2003 and christened her after one of Martin’s most memorable songs, which means “sweetheart” in Italian. As we listen to Dino’s classic tunes, a gentle rain falls over this lush valley where apple country has become wine country and city people are seeking refuge.

When You Go

GETTING STARTED

Lake Chelan Tourism (866-579-8039; www.comeToTheLake.com)

DINING

The Vogue & Liquid Lounge is Chelan’s gathering place. Stop by the coffee or wine bar for a sip while listening to folk, rock, jazz, blues, and comedy acts, or satisfy discriminating taste buds with gourmet sandwiches and scrumptious pastries and desserts. (509-888-5282; www.thevoguelounge.com)

Chelan’s new hot spot for fine cuisine and evening fun is the Bonfire Grill. Outdoor fire pits, a barbecue, and live music add to the ambiance while diners savor the signature pepper-wine filet mignon or garlic-lemon prawns topped with almonds. (509-682-2101)

DOWNTOWN

Don’t miss Chelan’s Mural Walk, a self-directed tour of 14 murals. Maps of the Mural Walk are available at the Visitor Information Center. (800-424-3526; www.lakechelan.com)

MUSIC AT THE LAKE

The sounds of Bach aren’t the only melodies you’ll enjoy at the Lake Chelan Bach Fest, held July 14–21, 2007. Numerous venues, including Chelan’s Riverwalk Park, host classics by Mozart, Fauré, Mendelssohn, Bernstein, and Gershwin along
with others masterfully played by world-renowned musicians,
orchestras, and quartets. (509-667-0904; www.bachfest.org)

TOUR COMPANIES

Lakeside Limousine Tours offers several wine tasting tours, including wild women wine tour, and romance, relax, and golf and wine tasting packages. (509-470-0333; www.chelanlimo.com)

Take a wine tour or do a little off-roading in Chelan Valley Tours’ Pinzgauer, an all terrain Swiss Army vehicle that is sure to give a ride of a lifetime. (509-682-2386; www.chelanvalleytours.com)

ADVENTURE OUTDOORS

Tour the lake and enjoy dinner aboard the Innamorata. (509-682-9500)

The odds are good you’ll catch the next big one with Allan’s Fishing Guide Service. Licensed guide Terry Allan’s clients have held the last two Washington state lake trout records, at 33.6 and 35.7 pounds. (509-687-3084; www.fishlakechelan.com)

Northwest Travel July/August 2007