For thoughts on Chateau Ste Michelle’s uniqueness and recent evolution, consult my extensive April, 2013 text designed to introduce recent tasting notes. Bitter-edged herbs, licorice, and smoky black tea are the predominant accompaniments to sappy dark berry fruit in Ste Michelle’s 2007 Meritage Artist Series, on whose substantial, finely-tannic palate deep notes of dark chocolate and potting soil emerge. Petit Verdot can be pretty darned efficacious, so I suspect that its 5% share may go some way toward explaining the wine’s strongly pungent herbal cast. It finishes with intensity and persistence, promising at least 2-3 more years of satisfaction. Tel. (425) 488-1133

The 2007 Artist Series Meritage is composed of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and the balance Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec aged for 20 months in 88% new French and American oak. According to veteran winemaker Bob Bertheau, they are “?looking for more elegance and more layers.” Opaque purple-colored, it puts out a nose of pain grille, pencil lead, Asian spices, incense, and assorted black fruits. Savory and structured but lacking the volume and breadth of the Ethos Cabernet Sauvignon, it is nevertheless an outstanding effort that will evolve for several years and drink well through its 20th birthday. Chateau Ste. Michelle continues to produce large quantities of quality wine at exceptionally fair prices.www.ste-michelle.com

Essentially a reserve blend from the Cold Creek, Canoe Ridge, and Indian Wells vineyards, this offers pleasing, nuanced aromas of smoke and cherry, but seems to quickly thin out in the mouth. The finish is sharp and tight, but does not seem to be leading into further complexity. ——P.G.(12/31/2010)—— 88