Tsillan Cellars

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
LOCATION : Woodin Creek District (Wine Alley)
HOURS (as of Feb 2023): Wed 2-7pm, Thurs 2-8pm, Fri/Sat 12-7pm, Sun 12-5pm, closed Mon-Tues
TASTING FEE (as of Feb 2023): $20 (mixed flight)

Wine Alley part 3: Return of the Reds! (And some great whites too). Recently relocated from the strip next to the Woodinville Hampton Inn, the new Tsillan (pronounced “shill-ann”) Cellars tasting room in Wine Alley is expansive, well-lit and elegantly decorated, with white stone and chandeliers providing a visual reference to the brand’s Italianate origins.

Frequent blog visitors might recognize a similarity in the story of Tsillan Cellars to the tale of Hollywood District denizen Chandler Reach: after a successful career in an unrelated field (dentistry, in the case of Tsillan), founder Dr. Bob Jankelson experienced a viniferous epiphany in the Italian countryside, and set out to replicate the experience for others in the arid climate of eastern Washington. Landing in Lake Chelan (the brand takes its name from the traditional Wenatchi spelling of the word, which means “deep water”), Jankelson created a Tuscan-style villa said to be indistinguishable from a true Lago de Como estate, down to the Rosa Verona marble and custom detailing from Italian artisans.

The Woodinville tasting room maintains some of this Italianate majesty, albeit in the more modest setting of Wine Alley. The $20 tasting includes five pours — at my last visit the lineup commenced with a dry Gewurztraminer and an off-dry white blend of Muscat and Riesling, followed by an off-dry rosé of Syrah (major watermelon and peach) and two red blends (right-bank Bordeaux blend “Sinistra” and a rare Mourvèdre-heavy GSM). Astute observers will note a relative lack of traditionally Italian varietals given the history of the brand; Tsillan seems to have (rightly) leaned in to the climate of their region, favoring the varietals that take to the high elevation and cool evenings in the Lake Chelan AVA. Big fans of Italian wine fear not; you’ll find representation in Tsillan’s Pinot Grigio and Muscat-based offerings, plus the staple reds you’d find putting the “super” in Super Tuscan (most notably Cab, Merlot and Syrah).

Bottles range in price from $26-56 (personally I expected much higher pricing based on the quality of the tasting; I was pleasantly surprised). The Wine Alley tasting room offers a robust food menu Thursday through Sunday, with snacks, charcuterie and flatbread on offer. Those burned out on wine might enjoy a locally brewed IPA or Blonde Ale, and those who don’t fancy alcohol have the options of still and sparkling water, or various sparkling juices.

Reservations are recommended for groups up to 8, which is the maximum size without event rental. The tasting room not only allows minors — they offer a “kids pack” on the menu that includes a juice box and some cheese crackers. Animals are not allowed inside (though they may be welcome on the patio area which is open during the summer). If you’d like to visit this elegant and friendly winery, let us know in your pre-tour survey and we will make sure not to miss it.

Salut, and enjoy Woodinville!