Chateau Ste Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling

Chateau Ste Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling is a 10.5% ABV, 750mL white wine from Washington's Columbia Valley — a medium-sweet Riesling (the winery's own classification) fermented cold, at 50–55°F, to keep its ripe-fruit freshness. The current release is 97% Riesling with a small share of other white varieties, at about 5.04 g/100mL residual sugar on the winery's current analysis: sweet, yes, but balanced by the crisp acidity Washington Riesling is known for. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.

• ABV: 10.5% (consistent across official page and 2017/2022 fact sheets)
• Size: 750mL
• Appellation: Columbia Valley, Washington
• Blend: 97% Riesling, 3% other white varieties (current official page; varies slightly by vintage)
• Style: Medium-sweet (winery classification)
• Residual sugar: 5.04 g/100mL (current official page)
• Producer: Chateau Ste Michelle, Woodinville, WA

The Sweet End of Washington's Riesling Range

Chateau Ste Michelle — Washington State's founding winery, with roots to 1934 and the Ste. Michelle label since 1967 — built its reputation on Riesling, and the Harvest Select is where the range turns luscious. Columbia Valley vineyards sit in the Cascade rain shadow on 6–8 inches of annual rainfall, where warm sunny days and cool evenings build aroma and flavour; the grapes are picked at peak ripeness and fermented cold so the sweetness lands as fresh fruit rather than heaviness. Find more from the house on the Chateau Ste Michelle vendor page or browse the white wine shelf.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Ripe orchard fruit with floral lift (winery character). Palate: Rich ripe peach, medium-sweet, like a bowl of fruit in a glass in the winery's own phrase. Finish: Sweetness checked by crisp Washington acidity.

How to Enjoy

Serve chilled. The winery's fact-sheet pairings run to fresh fruit, crab, Asian dishes, mild cheeses and Thai food — sweetness plus acidity is exactly what spicy heat wants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Harvest Select a dessert wine? The winery classifies it as a medium-sweet Riesling, not a dessert wine — it is sweet and ripe-fruited but drinks as a table wine with food, especially spicy dishes.

How sweet is it? The winery's current analysis lists residual sugar at 5.04 g/100mL, balanced by crisp natural acidity; exact figures vary slightly by vintage.

What grapes is it made from? Riesling — 97% on the current official page, with a small share of other white varieties; some vintages have been 100% Riesling.

Ripe peach, gentle sweetness, Washington acidity — get Harvest Select Sweet Riesling online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.