When you’re always looking for the next big thing, the 
new hip wine, it’s easy to forget your old friends. It’s probably been several years since I’ve tasted Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Chardonnay
from the Columbia Valley of Washington state. I typically pass by it in
the stores, because it is everywhere and I’m looking for something
surprising.
Well, this 2007 release of an old standby surprised
me with its balance, depth and quality, and left me chastened with the
thought that I should never take familiar labels for granted.
The
wine shows appealing herbal aromas – rosemary? sage? – that are
somewhat unexpected for a chardonnay, especially an inexpensive one.
It’s soft texture in the mouth yields to lemon cream and apple fruit,
tinged with aromatic wood spice. This wine is a great value.
