Rob's "Wine of the Week" Archives
So here is my wine review for the week of July 24th, 2005...
Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay
Description: Chardonnay is the Cadillac of white wine, which is very popular in the heat. Served at 50 degrees, a great chardonnay will cool you off and refresh you.
How to Get it: I got this bottle at Trader Joe's for about $9. You can find the basic Chardonnay from Ste. Michelle in almost all grocery stores and wine shops. They have "upper-end" chardonnays, which we will discuss later, which are harder to find but worth it.
How Much: It is generally $10-15 in most stores,, $25-30 in restaurants. The nicer chardonnays go as high as $30 per bottle in stores.
My Thoughts: Chateau Ste. Michelle went through some rough times recently and produced some rather putrid wines, particularly their reds, the past few years. Prior to that, they were one of my favorite wineries in the business. With this year's chardonnay crop, they seem to be righting the ship. The basic Chardonnay from Columbia Valley, Washington is fruity and lively, very refreshing and a good bottle for $9. They also produce Chardonnay labeled from "Canoe Ridge, ($20)" which can be found at wine stores, which is more creamy. Their "Cold Creek ($22)" Chardonnay this year provides some carmel, almost like a fruity crème brulee.
Overall Score: For the price, it's a great drink. As you move up to the more expensive wines, the quality moves with it. On my 5 vine scale, I give this wine a 3 ½ .
Chateau St. Michelle = 
|
