We recently gave ourselves permission to enjoy an afternoon of relaxation at Chateau Ste. Michelle for a private picnic. If you follow us on Instagram and YouTube, you will have probably seen our other posts about the fabulous cabana rentals that the Chateau is offering. We have been so impressed with the creative options available for guests to enjoy outdoor wine tastings at this famous Woodinville wine destination.
It had been months since I had really enjoyed a group social outing with friends and I was so excited. Carrie, myself and our friends Wendy and Shona planned to meet on a weekday afternoon. The weather was perfect, and our check in was a breeze. The staff at Chateau Ste Michelle has mastered their security and safe distancing processes, and has several check-in stations to direct guests through the property.
Once I had checked in with the initial security crew and found parking, I saw Shona and Wendy and we started off to find our picnic table. Our hostess was friendly and welcoming, and had our picnic items beautifully arranged in a Chateau Ste Michelle canvas picnic tote. We were walked over to our table and had a beautiful view of the grounds, with the store and the entrance to the concert facility nearby. Carrie joined us a few minutes later.
Our picnic included delicious gourmet food prepared from Chef Anne Marie, who has partnered with the Chateau. We love chef Anne Marie’s creations and knew we were in for a treat. Our picnic included a French chicken salad, with Samish Bay Vaché cheese, fig spread, bruschetta and a baguette. We also enjoyed a Greek salad and Chef’s tasting chips. Bottles of water and a bottle of Rosé were included with our picnic reservation.
Here are the ladies toasting to friendship and wine picnics, and to the glorious summer weather. You can read more about Shona’s Washington wine adventures on her blog, Wine Diva Lifestyle. Follow Wen’s wine and lifestyle adventures on Twitter, here. These ladies are two of my favorite resources if I ever have a wine question that needs answering. It was so great to catch up with them!
It’s not often that you will find a beautiful Peacock wandering around while you are enjoying a wine picnic! I promise that I kept my distance and didn’t bother him.
I masked up, walked over to the store and purchased this bottle of Syrah. It was delicious and a decent price point (under $40). Even Carrie enjoyed it and Syrah is typically not one of her favorites.
I had a fantastic afternoon at our picnic at Chateau Ste Michelle. You can see that I was relaxed and that I had devoured my portion of the food. I must have been extra hungry that day… hopefully I left some for my friends! We had zero trouble making the reservation and there were plenty of options available. Wine tasting experiences can be booked Wednesday through Sunday from 12-5 pm. Click here to book your own stress-free picnic. Reservations are approximately 90 minutes long and can include a maximum of 5 guests.
Cheers and happy wine tasting!
~Jen
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