From Sparrow’s white wine list, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Gruner Veltliner is a limited-release Washington white and an excellent food wine, a little off the beaten path in the best way. It is $13 by the glass or $52 by the bottle.
About Chateau Ste. Michelle Gruner Veltliner
Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State’s founding winery and one of the most recognized names in American wine, based north of Seattle in Woodinville, just a short drive from us here on the Eastside. The winery has long championed white wine from Washington, and this bottling shows it stretching beyond the usual suspects. Gruner Veltliner is the signature white grape of Austria, prized for its citrus, white pepper, and saline character, and it is still a relative rarity in Washington, which is part of what makes this one fun to pour. Chateau Ste. Michelle releases it as a limited-release varietal from the Columbia Valley, the warm, high-desert region east of the Cascades that grows most of the state’s wine. This is the 2020 vintage, a food-driven white with a bit of personality.
Tasting Notes
Bright citrus and peach aromas lead into lemon and lime flavors with a natural salinity on the palate. It is crisp, mouth-watering, and built to go with food, which is exactly what Gruner Veltliner does best. That saline, citrus-driven profile makes it feel almost made for the raw bar.
What to Pair It With
This is a standout food wine, and its acidity and salinity love anything from the sea. From the Sparrow dinner menu, the winery points to the Pacific Black Cod and the Mussels and Sausages, and it is equally good with Fresh Oysters, the Scallops & Prosciutto, or the Wild Alaskan Halibut.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chateau Ste. Michelle Gruner Veltliner?
It is a limited-release Columbia Valley white from Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington’s founding winery, made from the Austrian Gruner Veltliner grape with citrus and natural salinity.
What does Gruner Veltliner taste like?
Gruner Veltliner is known for crisp citrus, a touch of peach, white pepper, and a saline, food-friendly character, and this Columbia Valley bottling shows that bright, mouth-watering style.
How much is the Chateau Ste. Michelle Gruner Veltliner at Sparrow?
At Sparrow in Kirkland it is $13 by the glass or $52 by the bottle.
Find it on the Sparrow beverages menu near other Washington whites like the Benton Hills Pinot Gris. We are in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood on the Eastside, so reserve a table and come taste it.