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More wines available from Chateau Ste. Michelle
750ml
Bottle:
$18.07
$20.08
Rich with red fruit flavor, the complexity and structure of this Cabernet Sauvignon remains delectable at every...
750ml
Bottle:
$31.03
$34.48
The aromas show some reduction out of the gate. Beyond that are notes of coffee, char, berry and herb. Pleasing,...
750ml
Bottle:
$31.03
$34.48
Planted in the 1970s, Cold Creek is one of Washington's oldest and most acclaimed vineyards. Character builds season...
750ml
Bottle:
$18.79
$20.88
Since 1967, the dedicated winemakers at Chateau Ste. Michelle have crafted some of the most spectacular wines in the...
750ml
Bottle:
$37.95
$40.88
Tightly focused and rather broad-shouldered, with dense blackberry, bitter chocolate and savory spice flavors that...
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Winery
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Varietal: Chardonnay
There are few white wine grape varietals as famous or widely appreciated as the Chardonnay, and with good reason. This highly flexible and adaptable grape quickly became a favorite of wineries due to its fairly neutral character. This neutrality allows the wineries to really show off what they are capable of doing, by allowing features of their terroir or aging process to come forward in the bottle. As well as this, most high quality wineries which produce Chardonnay wines take great efforts to induce what is known as malolactic fermentation, which is the conversion of tart malic acids in the grapes to creamy, buttery lactic acids associated with fine Chardonnay. Whilst the popularity of Chardonnay wines has fluctuated quite a considerable amount over the past few decades, it seems the grape varietal allows enough experimentation and versatility for it always to make a successful comeback.
Region: Washington State
Washington is the second largest wine producing region in the United States, after California, with over forty thousand acres currently under vine, and over six hundred wineries currently operating there. Since the first wineries were established there in 1825, Washington has produced a wide range of wines, made mostly with classic Old World grape varietals. Indeed, their Merlot and Chardonnay wines were immensely popular over the past few decades, and helped establish this state as a serious producer in regards to New World fine wines. The dry and arid eastern side of the country is heavily irrigated, and holds over ninety-nine percent of the state's wineries, each producing the state's characteristic bright, fruit-forward red wines and dry, crisp acidic white wines, both of which are increasing in popularity around the world.
Country: United States
Whilst there are several strains of native grape varietals in the United States, it was the introduction of the European species which prompted the country to begin producing wines on a large scale. Over the past few centuries, experimentation and cross-breeding has produced great successes in regards to the quality and suitability of the fruit grown in states such as California, Oregon, Washington and New York, and the past few decades have seen New World wines from the United States reach much higher standards. Arguably the finest United States wines have always come out of California, where the climate and terrroir is most suitable for fine wine production. The masterful blending of classic grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, amongst others including Syrah and Chardonnay, have had world beating results in recent years, prompting many to suggest that there has never been a better time for buying and drinking United States wines.