Owner and winemaker Lisa Callan was first featured in the printed pages of Washington Tasting Room Magazine in 2017—shortly after launching her warehouse winery in Woodinville’s Artisan Hill district. She made a splash early on with her racy white releases, a Picpoul and a Grenache Blanc, both lesser-known Rhône varietals in Washington. “I really love acidic, citrusy white wines that are not the usual Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio,” Lisa told Tasting Room Magazine. “The Picpoul was love at first taste.”
Lisa is making another splash these days, this time east of the Cascade Crest on the south shore of Lake Chelan, where she and her husband Mike have opened a second tasting room after acquiring the former Tunnel Hill winery and vacation cottage. The unique tasting room is built of stone with an aura of timelessness, offering views of the lake.
Callan Cellars has a devout following at both tasting room locations, attracted by a host of Bordeaux and Rhône offerings that are the specialty of the house. A skilled winemaker, part of her success lies behind the killer premium-quality fruit she uses, drawing from a select handful of premier vineyards in Eastern Washington like Boushey Vineyards, Ciel du Cheval and Elephant Mountain Vineyards.
From the reds to whites to Rosés, the wines display a timeless quality similar to the stone structures set on the Chelan property—brimming with exciting, sleek and irresistible charm without pretense.
Visit & taste in Chelan or Woodinville
Lake Chelan tasting room:
37 US Hwy 97A, Chelan; (509) 450-7040, open Thurs-Sat 12-6pm, Sun 12-5pm.
Woodinville tasting room:
18742 142nd Ave NE, Woodinville; (425) 829-5448, open Fri 4-7pm, Sat 12-5pm, Sun 1-5pm. Visit on the web at www.callancellars.com.
Below are two releases we recently reviewed:
Callan Cellars 2022 Chelan Rosé
92 pts.
Made from Lake Chelan AVA Pinot Noir grapes grown next to the Chelan tasting room. The unctuous body is fruit driven with plump watermelon, strawberry and peach with earthy shadings and distinct minerality. $28
Callan Cellars 2022 Columbia Valley Rosé
92 pts.
Sleek in structure, offering raspberry and white cherry carried along a racy streak of salinity with herb hints. Crisp and balanced. The fruit is Cinsault and Grenache from Boushey Vineyards. $28