2004 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Chardonnay

This Washington State Chardonnay tastes like it wants to be an old fashioned Puligny Montrachet. You can almost make out the Cold Creek fruit buried in the toasty oak. Truly, this wine tastes more like a French White Burgundy than most California Chards, even Kistler. No vanilla and tropical fruit here. This is a real contrast with Mike Januik's Cold Creek Chardannay which had the fresh stony minerality of a great Meursault. Mike was the winemaker at Ste Michelle for many years and after he left he was able to make the Cold Creek Chardonnay under his own label for a short while. This is an interesting example of a winemaker's style or signature overriding "terroir" or the microclimate of Cold Creek vineyard. At least neither one tastes like a factory wine and each has it's own character, even though Ste Michelle has the biggest production in Washington State. If you want an idea of what Puligny Montrachet tastes like at less than half the price check this out this month on sale at around $22.