Lake Chelan welcomes fall with wine harvest celebration

CHELAN – The Lake Chelan Wine Harvest is a roughly two-month-long celebration of the wine harvest in Lake Chelan Valley.

It offers a chance to discover limited-edition and newly released wines, learn from winemakers about the winemaking process, and experience grape stomps, vineyard tours, live music, and gourmet cuisine.

"So the Lake Chelan Wine Harvest is actually the first day of fall through Thanksgiving, and it's really just about experiencing, you know, the beauty of harvest in the Lake Chelan Valley, and specifically the beauty of the wine harvest," Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike Steele said.

"And all season long, they do, you know, different food pairings, harvest dinners, grape stomps, live music throughout the valley," Steele said. "And of course, you're taking in the stunning transition of the season, but also views of the lake. And it's just magical." 

The season culminates with fall barrel tastings in November.

Since the Lake Chelan Valley received its American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation, wineries have celebrated the harvest with various events, consistently focusing on the region's agricultural heritage. The celebration aligns with the valley's long-standing tradition of tree fruit farming, which has continued for over 100 years, Steele said.

The harvest season in Lake Chelan is a busy time, with both grape and other fruit harvests taking place. 

"The buzz in the air is really fun," Stelle said. "Everybody's energy is really ramped up, because, you know, you're finally at the point where you're harvesting all the fruits of your labor, and it's just a great time to be here." 

"The pace is different than the summer; crowds are different," he said. The demographic is different. So folks are just here because they're really looking for a quiet and quaint, relaxing time of the year, and again, to experience the natural beauty of the fall in Lake Chelan is pretty amazing." 

For more information and a schedule of events during the Wine Harvest, visit lakechelanwinevalley.com/events/wine-harvest/.

Quinn Propst: 509-731-3590 or quinn@ward.media.