CHELAN, Wash.—(May 17, 2010)— Tsillan Cellars Winery, the iconic estate Italian destination winery on the shores of Lake Chelan, continued its reputation as one of the outstanding Riesling vineyards in the United States by winning the Grand Sweepstakes Award for Best White wine in the West Coast Wine Competition.
Competing with almost 1,500 wines from California, the western United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South America, Tsillan Cellars’ 2008 Estate Dry Riesling again validated owner Dr. Bob Jankelson’s conviction that these sites on Lake Chelan’s south shore would soon be among the most famous Riesling vineyards in the United States. For many years this site produced some of the finest Red Delicious apples in the world. According to Jankelson, the apples on this north-facing slope expressed delicate flavors of peach, apricot, pear and honey with a crisp, crunchy acidity that was unique to these south shore apple orchards. These same delicate, nuanced flavors are apparent in the aromatic white wines from this site.
In 2006, the potential greatness of the Tsillan Cellars Riesling vineyards was confirmed when Ernst Loosen, the famous German Riesling winemaker, visited Tsillan Cellars with Chateau Ste. Michelle management, in search of looking for the best Riesling vineyards in Washington State to provide grapes for their ultra-premium Eroica joint winemaking venture. After spending the day in the Tsillan Cellars vineyards and winemaking cellar, Mr. Loosen proclaimed, “This could be one of the best Riesling sites in the United States.”
True to his prediction, Tsillan Cellars is one of the major providers of Riesling grapes for the world-famous Eroica Riesling. Tsillan Cellars was awarded the 2009 Ste. Michelle Vineyard Award for its Riesling grapes. Appropriately, Tsillan Cellars 2007 Estate Riesling was selected as Best Washington Riesling, tied with the famous Eroica, in the recent Seattle Wine Awards.
In addition to the Sweepstakes Award as Best White wine, the 2008 Estate Dry Riesling won Best of Class and a Gold Medal in the West Coast Wine Competition. The 2008 Estate Riesling, made in a slightly sweeter style, also won a gold medal. These were the only two Riesling Gold Medals awarded in a competition that included world-class Rieslings from several countries.
With over 25 major Best of Show, Best of Class, Double Gold and Gold medals in the past two years in major State and National wine competitions, Tsillan Cellars Rieslings are rapidly making this an iconic wine varietal in the Chelan Valley.
Owner Bob Jankelson attributes this unprecedented success to three factors: a perfect growing site for world class Riesling; the efforts and detail Bal Flores, his vineyard manager, brings to the vineyards; and the ability of his head winemaker, Shane Collins, to preserve the delicate flavors coming from the vineyards. Bal and Shane understand that great Riesling is grown and that the winemaker’s task is to make sure nothing comes between the vineyard and the consumer.
Tsillan Cellars (pronounced “Chelan”) is located at 3875 Highway 97A, Chelan, Wash., in the Lake Chelan AVA, and is named after the native word for the lake, meaning “deep water.” Established in 2000, the 135-acre estate winery is focused on becoming Washington State’s premier estate white wine maker under the direction of Head Winemaker Shane Collins. It released its first vintage in 2004 and is the largest-producing winery and vineyard estate in the Lake Chelan AVA, producing 7,000 cases. Tasting room hours are daily from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; call the winery for off-season hours. The winery’s Sorrento’s Ristorante is open Wednesday through Sunday. For reservations or hours, call Sorrento’s at (509) 682-5409. For more information about Tsillan Cellars, call (509) 682-9463 or visit www.tsillancellars.com
Follow Tsillan Cellars Online:
Website: www.tsillancellars.com
Twitter: @Tsillan_Cellars
Facebook: Tsillan Cellars Winery
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Media Contact: Andrea Courtney
Randall PR / (206) 624-5757
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