A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling



By Kori ~ August 4th, 2011.

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling from the Columbia Valley in Washington State.

Our selection criteria include:

  • A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
  • A price tag of <=$15
  • Must be widely available

Washington is the largest Riesling producing state in the United States. And, Washington State’s own Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest Riesling producer in the world. Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State’s founding winery with its roots dating back to the repeal of Prohibition. In 1976, Ste. Michelle built a French-style chateau in Woodinville, just northeast of Seattle. While all of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s vineyards are located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, all of their white wines, including this Dry Riesling, are made in Woodinville.

“The Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling is a dry, crisp, refreshing style of Riesling with beautiful fruit flavors, crisp acidity and an elegant finish. It exudes beautiful white peach and floral aromas with a clean finish. This is an incredibly versatile food wine and my favorite with oysters.” –Bob Bertheau, Head Winemaker

2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish straw yellow in color. Nice nose with lemon, lime, white peach, and floral aromas. More lemon, lime, and white peach as well as orange peel and a hint of minerality come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with tart acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $9; Widely available elsewhere, $9 to $14


Filed under: A Wine for Tonight, American Wine, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, Riesling, Washington State Wine, White Wine, Wines Under $10, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25

Reader's Comments

  1. Mike Veseth | August 5th, 2011 at 10:07 am

    I agree, Kori. This wine is one of the great values in the world of wine, especially since we often see it on sale for less than $7 (and sometimes less than $6). Incredible!

  2. Kori | August 5th, 2011 at 4:45 pm

    Mike,
    I know, it is incredible. I’ve seen it for $5.99 a number of times, too. Hard to beat at that price. Cheers!