Chateau Ste. Michelle's attractively packaged single-vineyard Chardonnays as well as their Chateau Reserve are fine, interesting, admirably different wines. However, they do not offer a very good price/quality rapport. My only complaint regarding Chateau Ste. Michelle's red wine program is that the wines are the result of excessively conservative, safe wine-making. They are well-made, but the potentially fine raw materials have been too sculptured for my tastes. Less tartness (low PH's) would result in more appealing textures. The 1992 Merlot from the Indian Wells Vineyard possesses all the right components, but they are measured. It is this excessive restraint that makes for a politically correct rather than brilliant example of Merlot. The superb packaging contains a medium-bodied, fruity, herb, coffee, mocha, and cherry-scented and flavored wine for drinking over the next 5-6 years. I hope that Chateau Ste. Michelle, which has enormous resources and potential, will recognize the fact that their restrained, understated wine-making style may win fans among Professors of Oenology and technocrats, but not among hedonists. These are fine wines, but they are not exciting. Tel. (206) 488-1133