Open Year Round
About Us
Chatter Creek winery was founded in 1996 by Gordon Rawson whose vision was to make world-class wines that showcase the unique and varied terrior of Washington State.
Gordon started making wine as a hobbyist over twenty years ago while he was working for a fine wine distributor in the Seattle area. In 1987, he parlayed his enthusiasm for winemaking into a job at Columbia Winery where he had the opportunity to work with Master of Wine, David Lake. David's style of management was to have his staff involved in all aspects of the winemaking process that allowed Gordon to both observe and participate in the artistic side of winemaking.
After working for Columbia Winery as Cellarmaster for nearly a decade, Gordon opened Chatter Creek to produce top-quality sparkling wines. In 1998, he broadened the focus of Chatter Creek to include still wines. Early in 2000, he departed Columbia Winery to focus solely on Chatter Creek.
Chatter Creek specializes in handcrafted varietal wines that emphasize the diverse terroir of Washington State. Production is styled after class European wines, focused on the Rhone and Bordeaux varietals.
Along with being a winemaker, Gordon also is extremely aware and involved in vineyard terrior. Washington has many unique viticultural areas, including well-known appellations such as Yakima Valley, Walla Walla, and Columbia Valley, as well as many emerging areas. Rawson carefully selects fruit from different areas in order to take advantage of the terroir differences that are reflected in the grapes and the finished product.
Chatter Creek red wines are small lot products from vineyards where Gordon works hand-in-hand with the growers to obtain the best possible fruit. The fruit is gently handled, and fermented in small one-ton fermenters. Chatter Creek wines are aged in seasoned barrels so as to not overwhelm the subtle nuances of the terroir. Gentle technique in the cellar produces elegant wines that are balanced, with classic old world style, and containing new world fruit and finesse.
