Is Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling sweet?
Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling is mostly dry with just a whisper of fruitiness, much less sweet than their regular Riesling, and one of the best food wines you can buy for $10.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling · Riesling · Columbia Valley, Washington · nearly everywhere
- Alcohol
- About 12.5%
- Sweetness
- Off-dry, about 6 to 8 grams of sugar per liter
- Grapes
- 100% Riesling
- Made by
- Chateau Ste. Michelle, owned by the Wyckoff family since late 2025
- From
- Columbia Valley, Washington
- Price
- About $9 to $12
- Calories
- About 120 in a 5 oz glass (estimate)
What it tastes like
Lime, green apple and peach, and it ends crisp and mouthwatering. The fruit makes it feel friendly, but it doesn't taste sugary.
- Bodylight → big
- Sweetnessdry → sweet
- Zingsoft → zippy
Is it worth $10?
Absolutely. It's cheap, it's everywhere, and it goes with more foods than almost any other bottle on the shelf. Check for "Dry" on the label, since the regular one is noticeably sweeter.
Who it’s for
Anyone eating spicy food, and white drinkers who find Sauvignon Blanc too sharp. If you only like bone-dry wine, it might still feel a touch fruity.
How to serve it
Cold, straight from the fridge.
The backstory
Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington's oldest and biggest winery, and one of the largest Riesling producers in the world. Its owners have changed a lot: tobacco giant Altria owned it for years, sold it to a private equity firm in 2021, and in December 2025 the Wyckoffs, an Eastern Washington farming family who had grown grapes for the winery since the 1980s, bought it. The Columbia Valley's hot days and cold nights give ripe fruit with sharp acid, which is why even this drier version tastes so lively.
How it compares
- Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling vs Stella Rosa Moscato
Stella Rosa is truly sweet and fizzy; pick the Dry Riesling if you want a hint of fruit that still works with dinner.
- Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling vs Matua
Matua is drier and more tart; pick the Riesling for spicy food, Matua for salads and seafood.
- Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling vs Ecco Domani
Ecco Domani is lighter and more neutral; the Riesling has more flavor and more punch for the same money.
What to eat with it
Questions people ask
- Is Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling sweet or dry?
- Depends on the bottle. The regular Columbia Valley Riesling is medium-sweet, the Dry Riesling is just off-dry (a whisper of sweetness), and Harvest Select is properly sweet.
- How much sugar is in Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling?
- Recent tech sheets show roughly 6 to 8 grams of sugar per liter, so around a gram per glass. The bright acid makes it taste even drier than that.
- How many calories are in Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling?
- The winery doesn't publish it, but at 12.5% alcohol with a little sugar it's about 120 calories in a 5 oz glass.
- What wine is most like Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling?
- Other Washington Rieslings, like Columbia Crest or Pacific Rim, are the closest. For a similar feel from Germany, look for "trocken" (dry) or "Kabinett" (light, often a little sweet) on the label.
- Who owns Chateau Ste. Michelle?
- The Wyckoff family of Washington, since December 2025. Before that it was owned by Sycamore Partners and, for many years, by Altria.
If you like this, try
- MatuaSauvignon Blanc · about $10Good buy
- Ecco DomaniPinot Grigio · about $10Good buy
- Stella Rosa MoscatoMoscato · about $13Good buy
Where Moxie recommends it
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Last checked 2026-10-04. Moxie Vino isn’t affiliated with Chateau Ste. Michelle; this is our honest take. Bottle photo: Chateau Ste. Michelle.