Chelan wineries excel in prestigious wine competition

CHELAN - The 24th Annual Best of the Best Platinum Wine Competition, hosted by Great Northwest Wine Magazine, concluded with notable success for Lake Chelan wineries. This invitation-only event, which pits gold medal wines from various competitions against each other, featured entries from nearly 2,500 wineries across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia.

Seven wineries from the Lake Chelan area were awarded Platinum or Double Platinum honors. Leading the pack were Mellisoni Vineyards with six awards and Tsillan Cellars with five. Lake Chelan Winery, Tipsy Canyon Winery, Siren Song Winery, Chelan Ridge Winery, and Sigillo Cellars also received top accolades.

Sigillo Cellars' 2020 Carménère was distinguished as the "Best of the Best" and "Best Red Wine," earning 98 points. Tsillan Cellars' 2021 Estate Dry Riesling, the top-scoring estate-grown wine from the Lake Chelan AVA, also received Double Platinum and 98 points. Additional Double Platinum awards were given to wines scoring 95 points or above, including Siren Song Winery's 2019 Auberge (97 points), Mellisoni Vineyards' 2020 Lake Chelan AVA Syrah (95 points), and Tipsy Canyon Winery's 2020 Mélange Noir Red Wine (95 points).

Mark Garvin, owner, and winemaker of Tipsy Canyon Winery, expressed his gratitude for the recognition, stating, "With so many wonderful wines being produced in the Northwest, it is humbling to receive Platinum recognition for the wines we enjoy creating. We are proud to be part of the Lake Chelan Wine Valley community, which continues to produce remarkable wines that are getting more and more recognition."

Tsillan Cellars now ranks in the top 10 all-time Northwest Platinum winners with 36 awards, while Mellisoni Vineyards has ascended to the elite circle, tied for thirteenth with 26 Platinum awards. Rob and Donna Mellison, the driving forces behind Mellisoni Vineyards, shared their enthusiasm for the region's achievements: "We’re proud to represent our Lake Chelan wine community with these awards. The Lake Chelan Wine Valley has the potential to be one of the best-growing regions in the Northwest. The level of dedication wineries here are putting into their products, from better viticulture to winemaking, enhances the quality of the wine and the Platinum level wine tasting experience for which Lake Chelan is becoming known."