Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/859549
56 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017 Ted Baseler, President and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, WA The label design of the limited- release Chateau Ste. Michelle 50th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon is a nod to the spare script that graced Ste. Michelle Vintners' original packaging. O n the cusp of Chateau Ste. Michelle's 50th anniver- sary, there is a palpable hum of excitement in the air. One can feel it coursing throughout the winery's newly expanded visitor center. On the afternoon we visit, it is packed with garrulous patrons, look- ing relaxed and newly-tanned as they milled around sections still cordoned off by construction. From humble beginnings, Ste. Michelle has grown over the years. It's now Washington State's largest producer—a powerhouse dressed in elegant packaging, artfully shepherded by a team with a penchant for quality. Certainly, that's one part of the equation. Innovation is another. e Miracle of Chateau Ste. Michelle by Christine Havens / photos by Joann Arruda WASHINGTON STATE'S FOUNDING WINERY Turns 50