Chateau Ste. Michelle

Learned of this via CT. IMHO quite a few interesting facts. Have had several wines within the Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest brands. Last one was a Michelle Brut. Decent weekend bubbly.

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/w ... subscriber

[David M. Bueker]

Altria has issues. Ditching CSM will provide much needed cash.

[Jenise]

The better article about the sale is on Wine-Searcher. More illuminating about Sycamore and also the direness of Ste Michelle's situation. For instance they dumped head winemaker Bob Berthau last year. That right there's pretty telling. Whatever you think of their wines he's an institution and rightly so--half the winemakers in this state trained under him and as a brand ambassador he has few equals. He came up to do a presentation for my neighborhood wine group two years ago; he's really fascinating. I'm not a fan of the CSM style, but definitely a fan of Bob.

The better article about the sale is on Wine-Searcher. More illuminating about Sycamore and also the direness of Ste Michelle's situation. For instance they dumped head winemaker Bob Berthau last year. That right there's pretty telling. Whatever you think of their wines he's an institution and rightly so--half the winemakers in this state trained under him and as a brand ambassador he has few equals. He came up to do a presentation for my neighborhood wine group two years ago; he's really fascinating. I'm not a fan of the CSM style, but definitely a fan of Bob.

Jenise, any idea on where Bob is now? Still in the industry? Did he land somewhere great?

Seems he deserves it.

[Jenise]

Yes, still in the industry. A friend of mine talked to him two days ago; he's put out his own shingle as a consultant. Doesn't have to work, but he's a Type A PLus so 'retirement' isn't even in his vocabulary.

[Jenise]

This weekend I learned that Dr. Ernst Loosen, who worked with Bob Bertheau on the Eroica riesling project was so pissed off at CSM for firing Bob he's shopped his services elsewhere around the Valley.