For thoughts on Chateau Ste Michelle’s uniqueness and recent evolution, consult my extensive April, 2013 text designed to introduce recent tasting notes. Ste Michelle’s 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon – of which there are a mind-boggling quarter-million cases, and which incorporates minor amounts of all five other well-known Bordelais varieties – emphasizes tobacco and herbs but overs a satisfyingly juicy, ripe core of dark berry fruit on a polished palate, finishing with lightly-invigorating piquancy of fruit pit and legume sprout as well as some genuinely saliva-inducing savor. Enjoy it over the next several years: there’s no danger of it falling-apart precipitantly. Unpretentious and low-key but satisfying, it certain qualifies as fine value in a field – under-$20 Cabernet Sauvignon – that’s dominated by confected and/or or under-ripe, and overall lackluster efforts. And incidentally, this received 16 months’ elevage and nearly one-third new oak evenly split between American and French origin, remarkable statistics for a wine of its price. (Touches of heat and bitterness diminished my appreciation of the riper but simpler 2010 Indian Wells Cabernet.) Tel. (425) 488-1133

此款葡萄酒質(zhì)地緊致，酸味稍帶尖硬感，帶有深色漿果和李子的風(fēng)味，余味中散發(fā)著雪松的氣味。此酒在 2013 至 2016 年間飲用最佳。產(chǎn)量：246,300 箱。

此款 Cabernet 葡萄酒完美地展現(xiàn)了 Chateau Ste 的特色，豐富圓潤，散發(fā)著 Malbec， Cab Franc， Petit Verdot 和 Syrah 葡萄品種的混合氣味，十分雅致，帶有黑櫻桃和黑醋栗等黑色水果的濃郁風(fēng)味。與同樣來自Ste 但價格更高的 Cabs 相比，此酒更成熟，更順滑，橡木桶的風(fēng)味也更清淡。評分：90。