Chardonnay made in Wisconsin? Yes, and yum.

Chardonnay can be made in more styles than perhaps any other grape. Turns out it might can be made in more places, at least by someone who knows what he or she is doing.

One of those someones is Troy Chamberlin of the Chateau St, Croix (CSC) winery in St. Croix Falls, Wis., just across the river from Taylors Falls. The CSC chardonnay, made from California grapes since they flat-out refuse to grow hereabouts, has tasty tropical fruit and none of the "furniture slathered in butter" aspects that just don't work for many of us. It's clean but fairly full-bodied and lingers nicely on the ol' palate.

Unlike Minnesota wineries, which must use at least 50 percent Minnesota-grown grapes in their total output, Wisconsin wineries can do pretty much what they please. And Chamberlin does make some juice from cold-climate grapes, including a table wine and a port from the often-challenging Frontenac.

"Frontenac is ink, but with no tannins, no middle, no backbone," he said. "It needs French oak, which drops the acidity. That makes a huge difference."

Chamberlin brings the same kind of savvy to his wines made from "imported" grapes, including a tasty "3 Barrels" red blend. And the current grape glut up and down the West Coast can only help him, as this year's harvest is a major buyers' market.

He said he had been holding off on many purchases this year to find the best grapes, but he also recently found some great grapes up Washington way. "They're from the Wahluke Slope," he said. “I’ve dealt with fruit from Napa and Sonoma, and this is the best fruit I’ve ever gotten."

Count me among those who can't wait to taste the results.