Lake Chelan: Go for the Wines, Stay for a Spectacular Getaway

The Lake Chelan area has long been popular for abundant sunshine, beautiful natural resources, and countless outdoor recreational activities. Visiting the wineries located within the surrounding Lake Chelan American Viticulture Association (AVA), was essentially a nice diversion for those vacationing in the area who were looking for something to do when not spending time at the lake.

But 2024 is a different story for many out-of-town visitors. It marks the 15th anniversary of the AVA, and the Lake Chelan Wine Valley Alliance has worked hard to “flip the script,” so to speak, by promoting the area’s 35+ wineries as the main attraction, with the lake and all that it has to offer taking second stage.

This wouldn’t be possible without offering a number of top-tier, award-winning wines. And Lake Chelan wineries and winemakers are doing just that. Add to this a scenic backdrop that is second-to-none, and you have the perfect formula for wine enthusiasts in search of a memorable, wine-focused getaway.

Here are some highlights and tasting notes from five of those wineries that were included in a recent visit:

Silver Bell Winery – Alan and Diane Holtzheimer opened their winery in 2021, after migrating to the Lake Chelan area from their LaConner, Washington tasting room, originally established in 2012. Their son, Zach, serves as both Silver Bell Tasting Room Manager and Assistant winemaker.

While you’ll often find Sauvignon Blanc or Rosé on the tasting menu, the Holtzheimer’s focus is on Bordeaux red blends, and Zach says that his mom’s discerning palate plays a big part in the final varietal combination.

Current releases include two gold medal blends, the 2021 Moxie, featuring four red varietals with a core of 70% Cabernet Franc, and the Malbec-dominant 2021 Moxie.

In addition, a stunning, Cabernet Sauvignon-based 2020 Aubaine is also available, with the much-anticipated 2021 vintage, crafted by Alan and Zach, scheduled for release in the spring of 2025.

Visitors to Silver Bell will be treated to a practically peerless view of the lake, while sipping wines from the patio and enjoying a menu of small bites.

Vin du Lac Winery – Owner/Winemaker Larry Lehmbecker and Winemaker Chad Honsinger are doing an amazing job at Vin du Lac, located near the far eastern tip of Lake Chelan.

The pleasant surprise at this Chelan wine institution is the wines being produced from nearby Summit Vineyard. In a word: wow!

Three standouts from Summit on the current tasting menu include the 2023 Roussanne, 2022 Chardonnay, and 2022 Tempranillo. What’s particularly notable about these wines is how beautifully balanced they come across on the palate.

Honsinger, a Walla Walla Community College Enology & Viticulture grad who worked for several wineries in the Walla Walla area before joining Vin du Lac in February of 2023, notes that they strive for expressive, yet understated fruit, brisk acidity, and deft touches of oak.

The winery also offers guests both lunch and dinner at its extremely popular bistro, featuring fresh, farm-to-table ingredients and menu items that include recommended pairings from the current wine list.

Tipsy Canyon Winery – Like many smaller, family-owned wineries, Mark and Tami Garvin started their venture into winemaking as a hobby.

That hobby soon developed into a “retirement plan,” and the Garvins settled onto a beautiful piece of property, located just a couple of miles from Lake Chelan’s northern shore and overlooking nearby Roses Lake.

Since then, they’ve been making plans to turn over the reins to their daughter, Lexi, who earned a degree in hospitality and business management at Washington State University, along with a certificate from the college’s enology program.

“That was never the original plan,” said Mark, “but it worked out fantastic. Lexi now takes the lead during harvest and in the cellar.”

The Garvins have been racking up awards and 90+ point scores on many of their red and white wines and a couple of new releases are particularly notable.

The 2022 Estate Reserve Chardonnay is absolutely dreamy, with notes of butterscotch and stone fruits, crafted in a fresh, Chablis style with a touch of creaminess; and the 2023 Riesling displays intoxicating aromatics of orange blossom and ambrosia, with flavors of Meyer lemon and an off-dry finish with bracing acidity.

Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards – Double entendre wine labels reference the naughty and notorious backstory of the property on which Hard Row now stands. But make no mistake, there’s been serious (yet fun) winemaking going on here for almost two decades.

Founding Winemaker Judy Phelps, and her husband, Don Phelps, who serves as vineyard manager, head up Hard Row to Hoe. Judy’s son, Julian Shaver, who came on board as Managing Partner in 2024, has also taken on Head Winemaker responsibilities.

Shaver says he prefers lighter-bodied wines, and his current releases are indeed somewhat delicate in nature while still displaying gorgeous fruit and plenty of character.

Most notable is a 2023 Gamay Noir, which went through a carbonic maceration process and features delightfully complex aromatics and flavors of cracked pepper, orange citrus, and bright, pie cherry fruit.

And the 2021 Syrah is an organically grown, lightly textured wine that Shaver says, “isn’t a heavy-hitter, but it shows off the terrior.” With its slightly smoky accents, it makes for an excellent food-pairing wine.

Many of the grapes for Hard Row wines are sourced from the winery’s estate vineyards, and the Phelps’ pride themselves on being the first vineyard in North Central Washington to be certified both Sustainable and Salmon Safe.

Benson Vineyards Estate Winery – Owner Scott Benson heads up the team at Benson Vineyards, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary as one of the area’s oldest wineries.

Benson Vineyards is 100-percent estate grown winery…and what a spectacular estate it is, with a tasting room tucked away on a hillside overlooking Lake Chelan’s north shore.

The winery produces a wide variety of reds, whites, and rosés, and the whites, such as Viognier and Pinot Gris, carry a small residual sugar content that give them a bit of a round, full-bodied quality.

A couple of standouts from the red wine list include the 2021 Cabernet Franc, with savory, peppery accents and beautifully integrated tannins; and an amazing 2020 Sangiovese, with bright, juicy red cherry and currant fruit and a silky finish.

The winery has recently launched a second tier of wines under the “Benny” label, which Benson Sales Associate Amber Boyd says are “fun, everyday wines” that are nicely priced as an alternative to Benson’s flagship wines.

For more information about the Lake Chelan area, its wineries, and ideas on planning a visit, go to lakechelanvalleywine.com