• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Contact us
  • Wine of the Week newsletter
  • Wine submission guidelines
Great Northwest Wine

Great Northwest Wine

News, reviews and info about the wines of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho

  • Home
  • Subscribe to GNWW The Magazine
  • Explore
    • Wine news
    • Grapes and viticulture
    • Washington wine
    • Oregon wine
    • Idaho wine
    • British Columbia wine
    • Product reviews
    • Recipes
    • Wine Adventures
    • Podcast
  • Reviews
    • Latest wine reviews
    • Wine of the Week
    • Best Buys
    • Washington wines
    • Oregon wines
    • Idaho wines
    • British Columbia wines
  • Events calendar
    • Submit an event
  • Competitions
    • Cascadia International Wine Competition
    • Idaho Wine & Cider Competition
    • “The Invite” – Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
    • Platinum Awards
    • Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition
    • Washington State Wine Competition
  • About us
    • Awards and honors
    • Advertising on Great Northwest Wine
    • Wine submission guidelines
  • e-edition

Great Northwest Destination Winery: Ste. Chapelle

December 15, 2014 by Andy Perdue 1 Comment

Ste. Chapelle Winery is in Caldwell, Idaho.
Ste. Chapelle is Idaho’s largest and oldest winery, having started in the mid-1970s. Today, it is the Gem State’s top destination winery. (Photo courtesy of Ste. Chapelle)

Editor’s note: This is the 14th in an occasional series on destination wineries of the Pacific Northwest.

CALDWELL, Idaho – Though the Idaho wine industry is still in its youth, one winery has long carried the torch for the Gem State and has developed into the Snake River Valley’s first bonafide destination winery.

Ste. Chapelle overlooks the Snake River in the Sunnyslope Wine District of southern Idaho and is the state’s oldest and largest producer. Begun in 1975 by the Symms family, Ste. Chapelle produces about 130,000 cases of wine annually – meaning it makes more than half of the entire state’s production.

Ste. Chapelle is perched atop what is known as “Winery Hill” and overlooks thousands of acres of agriculture land that is put to use in orchards, row crops (including potatoes) and, of course, wine grapes.

Ste. Chapelle’s early days

Ste. Chapelle winery is Idaho's largest wine producer.
Ste. Chapelle is in the Sunnyslope Wine District of Idaho’s Snake River Valley near Caldwell, Idaho. (Photo courtesy of Ste. Chapelle)

When the Symms family launched Ste. Chapelle, it did so in the town of Emmett, 25 miles to the northeast of Caldwell. The winery quickly outgrew its original space, so the new winery was built west of Caldwell.

The winery is named after La Sainte Chapelle in Paris, which was built by King Louis IX in the 13th century, and while the winery in no way resembles the famous gothic cathedral, it does share an airy, high-ceiling feel with its French ancestor.

Stained glass and vaulted ceilings with wooden beams give this a special feel. Ste. Chapelle’s tasting room is well proportioned and large enough to handle sizable crowds. Upstairs is a recently renovated banquet facility.

In the 1990s, Corus Brands in the Seattle area purchased Ste. Chapelle, as well as Sawtooth Winery in nearby Nampa. In 2001, Corus sold nearly all of its wineries to Constellation Brands in New York, including Ste. Chapelle, Columbia Winery, Covey Run Winery and Paul Thomas Wines. The only property it kept was Sawtooth.

In 2003, Dan Baty – who owned Corus – launched Precept Wine and began to build an wine empire that today account for nearly 1.5 million cases of wine production. Ultimately, it merged Corus and Precept. The Batys also own Winemakers LLC, which has large vineyard holdings in Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Amid its holdings is Skyline, Idaho’s largest vineyard at more than 400 acres.

In 2006, a new Sonoma County-based company called Ascentia Wine Estates purchased Ste. Chapelle from Constellation (along with many other wineries, including Columbia Winery in Washington).

By 2012, Ascentia was failing, and it sold Ste. Chapelle to Precept – for all intents and purposes putting it back in the hands of Dan Baty.

Ste. Chapelle today

Ste. Chapelle's head winemaker is Maurine Johnson.
Maurine Johnson is the head winemaker for Ste. Chapelle in Idaho’s Snake River Valley. (Photo courtesy of Ste. Chapelle)

These days, Ste. Chapelle is the most-visited winery in Idaho – as it has been since its birth in 1975.

In addition to the production of many high-quality, award-winning wines under the direction of head winemaker Maurine Johnson, Ste. Chapelle also is a popular destination because of its nicely manicured grounds, its surrounding vineyard and its picnic tables.

During the summer, Ste. Chapelle puts on a concert series that is popular with locals and visitors alike. The family-friendly concerts are typically scheduled for Sundays and feature local and regional musicians. Area restaurants cater the concerts.

For those looking for a great place to hold a wedding, the grounds at Ste. Chapelle are a romantic location.

And if you’re looking for something to nibble on, the tasting room sells regional artisan cheeses.

Amenities at Ste. Chapelle

Ste. Chapelle holds concerts at its winery in Caldwell, Idaho.
Patrons enjoy a concert at Ste. Chapelle near Caldwell, Idaho. (Photo courtesy of Ste. Chapelle)
  • Gift shop
  • Picnic area
  • Concert venue
  • Weddings
  • Hiking
  • Gardens
  • Live music
  • Conference facilities
  • Food for sale (such as cheeses)
  • Kid-friendly
  • Pet-friendly
  • Handicap-accessible

Nearby restaurants recommended by Ste. Chapelle

  • The Orchard House
  • Brick 29

Nearby overnight accommodations recommended by Ste. Chapelle

  • Bitner Vineyards B&B (Caldwell)
  • Holiday Inn Express (Nampa)
  • Fairfield Inn (Nampa)
  • Hampton Inn (Nampa)

Nearby coffee places recommended by Ste. Chapelle

  • Coy’s Coffee in Marsing

Non-wine activities recommended by Ste. Chapelle

  • Warhawk Air Museum
  • Natural History Museum
  • Hiking, biking, fishing, camping, river rafting
  • Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
  • Eagle Island
  • Zoo Boise
  • Roaring Springs Waterpark

Ste. Chapelle hours, directions and contact information

Hours:

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Directions:

From downtown Boise, take Interstate 84 west toward Caldwell. Take Exit 33A. Go west on Idaho 55. Turn left on Chicken Dinner Road, which becomes Lowell Road. Turn right into the winery driveway.

Address, phone and website:

19348 Lowell Road
Caldwell, ID 83607

208-453-7840 ext. 3

www.stechapelle.com

Filed Under: Destination wineries, Idaho wine, News Tagged With: featured, ticker

About Andy Perdue

Andy, a former wine columnist for The Seattle Times, is a mostly retired stroke survivor. He lives in the heart of Washington wine country with his wife, Melissa, and their daughter, Niranjana.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jean Ann Sullivan says

    December 22, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    I LOVE Soft White or Soft Chenin Blanc but it is very difficult to find here in southern Nevada—Henderson and Las Vegas. My son looked for it today in Boise and no one had a bottle!!!! What’s going on??? Thanks

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Wine of the Week

Indian Creek Winery 2022 Dry Rosé of Syrah, Snake River Valley $20

August 25, 2023

Latest Wine Reviews

Wilridge Vineyard, Winery & Distillery 2019 Estate Biodynamic Red Dessert Wine, Naches Heights $25

Iris Vineyards 2021 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $24.99

Arenness Cellars 2019 Les Collines Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley $44

Ashlyn Wines 2021 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, $20

Revelation by Goose Ridge 2022 Rosé, Goose Gap, $18

Liberty Lake Wine Cellars 2020 Touriga Naçional Reserve Red Wine, Red Mountain $55

Montinore Estate 2021 Reserve Müller-Thurgau, Tualatin Hills, $35

Wine Cruises & Safaris

National Geographic partners with Food & Wine magazine for 2024 wine cruise series on Columbia, Snake rivers

Cruising the Rhine and Moselle with Wit Cellars

Footer

Grapes

VineLines Dispatch gallery: ‘I go where they grow’ as 2023 harvest begins

My long, strange trip with Viognier

British Columbia wine industry prepares for widespread replanting

May’s heat pushes much of Northwest wine country ahead of hot 2015 vintage

Unique approach to ice wine leads to win for Nederend, Koenig Vineyards

Food

Match Maker: King Estate Winery rising stars combine for elevated restaurant experience

Match Maker recipe: Corn Agnolotti with Chanterelle Mushroom, Roasted Corn, Black Truffle and Citrus Brown Butter

Match Maker recipe: Beef Ribeye with Uni Butter, Pacific Dulse and Lobster Glace

Match Maker: Thiessen puts his brand on WW with Walla Walla Steak Co.

Match Maker recipe: Chocolate Crémeux Tart with Cocoa Nibs and Hazelnuts

History

Washington wine leaders back HistoryLunch in Seattle

Love at first sip, thanks to Wente Vineyards

Merit, heritage surround helpful Meritage concept

L’Ecole N° 41 Winery develops lesson plan in history for Walla Walla

A historical tasting of L’Ecole N° 41 Winery’s first 40 years at the Schoolhouse library

© 2023 Great NW Wine. All Rights Reserved.