Showing posts with label Chateau St Jean. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chateau St Jean. Show all posts

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Chateau St Jean Malbec Reserve with Murray's Blue Cheese

Chateau St Jean Malbec Reserve with Murray's Blue Cheese

While at the local Mariano's Grocery, we picked up some artisan Murray's Blue Cheese at the cheese shop and were eager to try it with some fresh baked bread and wine. 

This Treasure Cave® brand Blue Cheese has a long and rich history as the first commercially produced blue cheese brand in the United States. In 1935, caves in Faribault, Minnesota, were renovated and turned into a cheese-making facility. The caves provided the right temperature and environment to produce authentic, cave-aged cheeses. Produced in caves, Treasure Cave cheeses today are made in a state-of-the-art facility in Almena, Wisconsin, with curing cells to finalize the production while ensuring consistent quality of the brand's blue and gorgonzola cheeses.

I've written in these pages about the irony that Murray's Cheese shop and wine and cheese bar/restaurant on Bleeker Street in New York City, Greenwich Village, one of our favorite eateries there, sold out to national retail grocer Kroger, who also took over local Chicago grocer Mariano's. Hence, the iconic New York cheese purveyor now has an in-store cheese shop in our neighborhood grocery here in Naperville. 

Previous posts featuring Murray's Cheese in these pages:

Murray's Cheese Restaurant and wine bar on Bleeker Street in the Greenwich Village - Ultimate Wine Cheese Experience

Coronavirus Virtual Family Dinner and Birthday Celebration
features Murrays Cheese Pairing

Murray's Cheese - and wine too

Murray's Cheese Wine Dinner

Looking at guidance from several cheese and wine sites, several suggested Malbec as an ideal wine for pairing with Blue Cheese, so I pulled from our cellar this premium Reserve Malbec for a cheese and wine pairing. 

Chateau St Jean Sonoma County Malbec Reserve 2013

We tasted and obtained this label as part of a Reserve wine flight pairing at the Chateau St Jean estate during our Sonoma Napa Wine Experience back in 2017.  I featured that tasting in a blogpost in these pages at the time - July 30, 2017 - Chateau St Jean Sonoma Reserve Private Tasting

Our Pour Boys 2017 Sonoma Napa Wine Experience started on the Sonoma Coast and worked east along the Russian River Valley ending up in Sonoma Valley at one of its crown jewel estates, Chateau St Jean. Bill C., a wine club member arranged for a special Reserve private tasting. 
 
The Chateau St Jean estate is one of the most picturesque and authentic in the Sonoma Valley and is more civil and hospitable than some of the garish ostentatious properties in the more highly commercialized Napa Valley. This was a perfect buffer and transition from the more relaxed Sonoma County to the Valley as we transitioned to spend the coming week in Napa (Valley).

Private tastings are held in the cottage (shown right) across the courtyard from the hospitality center. 

We've visited the estate and done tastings there numerous times over the years. Sonoma Harvest '09 - Chateau St Jean and again Sonoma Valley Wine Experience 2009 - Chateau St Jean.

This label was one of the highlights of that tasting. 

Chateau St Jean Sonoma County Reserve Malbec 2013

Malbec grapes tend to have a dark inky color and robust tannins. It is one of the six designated grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. It is added to the blend to add deep color, intensity, tannin, structure, and complexity to the wine. 

The Malbec grape is thin-skinned tends to need more sun and heat than either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to mature. The grape became less popular in Bordeaux after a devastating frost in 1956 killed off 75% of the crop forcing replanting of the varietal. 

The grape is included in the blend to add dark color, body and structure to the wine. As the trend to robust forward wines became more popular, many producers crafted wines that were a majority, even100% Malbec. The varietal gained notoriety and become popular as one of the main varietals planted in Argentina.

This St Jean label is produced and released in very limited quantities and hence is only available to wine club members at the winery.

Winemaker's notes: The Reserve Malbec was blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) to round out the final vintage. Individual lots of each variety were aged separately for 28 months exclusively in small French oak barrels with only 5% being new barrels. Barrel by barrel, each lot was tasted and the most outstanding Malbec barrels were selected and then blended with specific lots of Cabernet Sauvignon to complete the final wine.

This 2013 Reserve Malbec offers bright aromas of boysenberry and blackberry fruit, subtle clove spice and a high-tone violet floral note. The inviting nose leads to a full, plush palate with powerful yet well-integrated and smooth tannins. Flavors of boysenberry jam, black cherry and spice are distinct on the palate. The wine is round with balanced acidity leading to a lengthy and flavorful finish.

Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren has championed Malbec and believes the variety flourishes in Sonoma at selected sites. It has become one of her favorite wines to bottle as a varietal. The Malbec for this wine comes from the Asti Vineyard in Alexander Valley at the northern end of Sonoma County as well as the St. Jean Estate vineyard in the heart of Sonoma Valley. The beautiful 2013 growing season resulted in wines with great depth of flavor, intense color and excellent balance. The Malbec consistently ripened with a concentrated core of fruit balanced by bright acidity.
 
This was a nice pairing with it's robust full flavors standing up to the hearty cheese.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2455397

https://www.chateaustjean.com/

https://twitter.com/chateaustjean1

https://twitter.com/MurraysCheese 

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Chateau St Jean Estate Cabernet Franc 2014

Chateau St Jean Estate Cabernet Franc 2014

Midweek casual sipping with a plate of cheeses and honey'd bread we pulled this bold expressive red for enjoyment. 

We tasted and acquired this wine at the Chateau St Jean hospitality center at the beautiful estate and grounds in Sonoma Valley during our Sonoma Chateau St Jean Reserve Private Tasting
Wine Experience

This was a highlight of our Pour Boys 2017 Sonoma Napa Wine Experience. We started on the Sonoma Coast and worked east along the Russian River Valley ending up in Sonoma Valley at one of its crown jewel estates, Chateau St Jean.

We've visited the estate and done tastings there numerous times over the years. Sonoma Harvest '09 - Chateau St Jean and again Sonoma Valley Wine Experience 2009 - Chateau St Jean.

Founded in 1973 in the Sonoma Valley, Chateau St. Jean is the quintessential Sonoma winery. Chateau St. Jean produces an extensive portfolio of Sonoma County wines sourced from their estate in Sonoma Valley and other estate vineyards up in Alexander Valley, including several vineyard designated wines, and limited production Reserve wines. 

We hold more than a dozen vintages of their flagship Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon - a Bordeaux Blend as well as numerous other labels from this producer.

Chateau St. Jean was the first Sonoma winery to be awarded the prestigious “Wine of the Year” award from Wine Spectator Magazine for its 1996 Cinq Cépages, a Bordeaux style blend of “five varieties”,  the crowning achievement cementing their longstanding recognition as a leader in vineyard designated wines. 

Margo Van Staaveren has been Winemaker for more than 30 years and uses her vineyard and winemaking expertise with Chateau St. Jean to continue the tradition of highlighting the best of each vineyard site to produce exceptional wines.

Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Valley St. Jean Estate Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2014

As mentioned above, we discovered, tasted and acquired this wine during at estate visit to the Chateau St Jean estate in Sonoma during our Pour Boys Sonoma County Wine Experience in 2017.   This was a bonus pour beyond scope of the planned Reserve tasting at the Chateau and it was a real treat. 

This is a single varietal expression of one of the Bordeaux varietals where Cabernet Franc is typically added to the blend to introduce structure, color, aromatics and sprites of spice to the flavor, and polished tannins. As a standalone bottling its a bright bold expressive wine for enjoyable tasting such as tonight.  

This is sourced from St Jean Sonoma Valley estate vineyards and was aged for 21 months in American Oak.  

The 2014 growing season in Sonoma County was long with mild temperatures resulting in very high quality fruit coming into the winery.  

At nine years this is hitting its stride and probably at the apex of its tasting window and profile, not likely to improve further with aging, but certainly with another a decade of enjoyment ahead. Regretably, this was our last bottle. 

As shown, the label, foil and cork were pristine. The cork was perfect with the bottom stained dark blackish garnet from the rich concentrated wine.

Tonight's tasting was consistent with my tasting notes from that visit to the Chateau when I wrote, "I like this wine: Dark inky purplish garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated forward black raspberry and black currant fruits accented by sweet floral tones, spicy acidity and an undercurrent of mocha and hint of clove spice. Loved it! Limited release, available only at the winery."

My rating tonight is the same as that initial tasting experience, 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2612332

http://www.chateaustjean.com/

https://twitter.com/chateaustjean1

@chateaustjean1

 


8/10/2022 - I like this wine: 92 Points

Consistent with my earlier tasting and notes on this label.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/08/st-jean-cabernet-franc-2014.html

7/30/2017 - I like this wine: 92 Points

This was a bonus pour beyond scope of our planned Reserve tasting at the Chateau and it was a real treat. Dark inky purplish garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated forward black raspberry and black currant fruits accented by sweet floral tones, spicy acidity and an undercurrent of mocha and hint of clove spice. Loved it! Limited release, available only at the winery.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2612332

 

Sunday, August 7, 2022

St Jean Cabernet Franc 2014

Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Franc St. Jean Estate Vineyard 2014 

I opened this bottle to go with Smoked BBQ Beef Brisket and it was a perfect pairing, amplifying the enjoyment of both the food and the wine. With the brisket we also had chopped wedge salad and baked potato. 

I selected this producer following the Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon and Belle Terre Late Harvest Riesling that I took to our wine dinner the other night.

Founded in 1973 in the Sonoma Valley, Chateau St. Jean is the quintessential Sonoma winery. Chateau St. Jean produces an extensive portfolio of Sonoma County wines as well as vineyard designated wines, limited production Reserve wines, as well as the flagship Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Margo Van Staaveren has been Winemaker for more than 30 years, managing the vineyards as well as the winemaking, applying her expertise to continue the Chateau St. Jean tradition of showcasing the best of each vineyard site to produce exceptional wines. 

Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Valley St. Jean Estate Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2014

We discovered, tasted and acquired this wine during at estate visit to the Chateau St Jean estate in Sonoma during our Pour Boys Sonoma County Wine Experience in 2017.  

This is sourced from St Jean Sonoma Valley estate vineyards and was aged for 21 months in American Oak. 

Tonight's tasting was consistent with my tasting notes from that visit to the Chateau when I wrote, "I like this wine: This was a bonus pour beyond scope of our planned Reserve tasting at the Chateau and it was a real treat. Dark inky purplish garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated forward black raspberry and black currant fruits accented by sweet floral tones, spicy acidity and an undercurrent of mocha and hint of clove spice. Loved it! Limited release, available only at the winery."

My rating tonight is the same as that initial tasting experience, 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2612332

http://www.chateaustjean.com/

https://twitter.com/chateaustjean1

@chateaustjean1

 


Saturday, August 6, 2022

Pour Boys Wine Dinner

Pour Boys Wine Dinner

With my Linda out of town for the weekend, Dr Dan invited me over for Friday night dinner. I pulled from the cellar a vintage Bordeaux Blend for the occasion. 

Dan prepared delicious pork loins with seasoned with hot pepper peach bourbon sauce, roasted potatoes and a medley of grilled vegetables.

Prior to dinner, Dan and Linda served a broad assortment of artisan cheeses, shrimp, olives, charcuterie, nuts and chocolates. 

Pour Boys visiting Chateau St. Jean, Sonoma
I selected a producer that the Pour Boys visited, including Dan and Linda, on our most recent Sonoma County Wine Experience, the last of numerous visits to the estate and Chateau over the years - Chateau St Jean in Sonoma Valley. 

In addition to the legendary flagship label Cinq Cépages - which means five flavors or varieties, I also brought another Chateau St Jean label, Belle Terre, their Late Harvest Riesling dessert wine. 

Chateau St Jean is one of the premier producers in Sonoma County and their winery chateau estate is a showcase highlight of the Sonoma Valley - certainly the most elegant and fashionable tasting experience setting that we've experienced there. We enjoyed visiting there numerous times over the years for a comprehensive tasting experience that offers some of their Reserve and Library selections not available in the marketplace.ch as our Napa Sonoma Wine Experience in 2009.

Our private tastings at the 1920's chateau with views of the Grand Lawn and Estate Vineyards and in the Reserve Room have been the highlights of our trips to the region.

Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages 1997

We've enjoyed the Cinq Cépages label since its release in the late eighties. Chateau St. Jean "Cinq Cépages" was one of the first classic Bordeaux Blend labels from the region and has always represented good value, high QPR relative, to the top Bordeaux labels. 

This was one of the last releases before the 1996 release was annointed Wine Spectator #1 wine in the annual Top 100 list in 1999.  Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages was the first Sonoma winery to be awarded the prestigious “Wine of the Year” award from Wine Spectator Magazine. At that time the release price was $28, a remarkable value at the time. From then on, the label exploited its #1 legacy and notoriety and boosted the price point, but it still represents reasonable comparable value at near $100.    

We have a vertical of this up to the recent vintages - this was the oldest release in our cellar so we pulled as part of cellar management, but also to compare to two other 1997 vintage Napa Cabs we opened last weekend.

This release was awarded 96 points by Wine Spectator, 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 90 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

The fill level, foil, label and most importantly, the cork were all in prime condition.  At twenty five years this was at the apex, in its prime drinking window, showing no signs of diminution from aging whatsoever. This exceeded my loftiest expectations and showed even better than the two 1997's we opened last weekend. This was definitely the WOTN - Wine of The Night.

The 1997 Cinq Cepages is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit-Verdot, aged in 50% new and 50% one-year old French barrels. Robert Parker writes, "this is California's answer to a big, rich St-Emilion".

Stephen Tanzer writes: "At once sweet and structured. Finishes with big, dusty tannins and very good length. The most promising vintage to date for this bottling. (ST)"

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, smooth polished, complex but balanced and nicely integrated black berry plum, currant and black cherry fruits with notes of mocha, toffee, spice, cedar, aise and herbs with a smooth finish. 

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2205

Linda served strawberry shortcakes with fresh fruits and I opened the Late Harvest dessert wine. 

Chateau St. Jean Alexander Valley Belle Terre Vineyard Special Select Late Harvest Riesling 2006  

Château St. Jean has been producing several white wine labels from the Belle Terre Vineyard since the 1975 Chardonnay Belle Terre and 1976 dessert Riesling. The Belle Terre Vineyard is owned by the Dick Family, which over the past three decades, has built a reputation as one of the premier grape-growing families in the region

The vineyard is in the Alexander Valley AVA (American Viticultural) Area just north of Healdsburg, in Sonoma County. The Russian River flows through the valley. The region was named for Cyrus Alexander, a 19th century landowner and grape grower. The AVA includes 15,000 vineyard acres, much of it rich, alluvial soil layered on a bed of gravel, similar to many vineyards in Bordeaux. 

Today Alexander Valley is home to some of California’s most admired wineries, including Simi, Stonestreet, the Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Silver Oak Cellars, and of course Chateau St Jean based in Sonoma. 

This Special Select Late Harvest Riesling is produced only in top rated vintages from botrytis-affected fruit that is carefully hand-selected from the Belle Terre Vineyard.

Upon release, this wine is straw colored, and with its high residual sweetness, can be a long lived wine, capable of aging for decades. As it ages, it becomes darker, turning from straw colored to golden, taking on more brown hues resembling weak tea, then stronger darker tea, and eventually dark blackish cola or coffee colored. At fifteen years, this was already blackish colored, like cola, akin more to one that is several decades old. 

Normally this would be predominant ripe ripe apricot, peach and lemon fruits with sweet notes of fruits and honey. This release the sweet fruits were more subdued interlaced with notes of tea, expresso and bitter dark chocolate with bright acidity on the lingering finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=796124

http://www.chateaustjean.com/

https://twitter.com/chateaustjean1

@chateaustjean1

Over the course of the evening, Dan opened a selection of red wines from his cellar. 

  • Long Shadows Saggi Red Blend - Sanviovese, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
  • Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
  • Il Valentiano Brunello Di Montalcino Reserva 2015 
  • Entrepreneur Diamond Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Long Shadows Saggi Columbia Valley Red Blend - Sanviovese, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

We're members of the Long Shadows wine club and hence get regular Vault Key Club release allocation shipments of their top labels of which we share our case lot with Dr Dan. We've written in these pages about the Vintners Collection wherein Long Shadows collaborates with world class winemakers to craft varietal compositions from Washington State fruit

This label is inspired by the great wines of Tuscany and father-son winemaking team Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari, winemaker Gilles Nicault crafts Saggi in the style of its original winemakers.

The 2018 Saggi is a Columbia Valley Blend: 58% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Syrah. The Sangiovese is sourced from two distinct Washington State Sangiovese vineyards, both planted in 1998. Both sites with have terrior of well-draining soils, important to managing Sangiovese’s vine vigor and controlling berry size. Candy Mountain Vineyard Sangiovese is a warm vineyard that delivers grapes with ripe, black currant aromas and flavors. Boushey Vineyard Sangiovese, grown in the Yakima Valley, is a cooler site that brings brightness and balanced acidity to the blend. 

The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope, included to add a silky texture to the wine. The Syrah adds a darker hue and another layer of complexity.

Winemakers' tasting notes: "Easily one of our favorite Saggi bottlings to date, this wine showcases the quality of our vineyard sites and the warmth of the growing season. A brilliant garnet-red, the 2018 Saggi is elaborately fragrant, brimming with red cherries, ripe strawberries and notes of nutmeg. Vibrant and
well-integrated with balanced natural acidity, this is a textured wine with great richness and flavors that linger across a generous finish. Drinking beautifully now, the wine’s concentration and structure also make it an excellent candidate for the cellar."

This is becoming a go-to wine for us for Sangiovese complemented Italian cuisine, but bigger and bolder than your typical Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino. Son Alec, who also shares in our club allocation cites this as one of his favorite wines.

Tonight, this stood out from the others with its big bold style, bright garnet-red colored, full bodied, nicely balanced and well integrated vibrant forward fruits of raspberry, red cherries and ripe strawberries with fragrant floral and notes of nutmeg and clove spices. 

RM 93 points. 
 
 

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Chateau St. Jean 45th Edition Cabernet

Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 45th Anniversary Special Edition

Being somewhat of a sentimentalist, I couldn't resist opting for this 45th Anniversary Special Edition Reserve Chateau St Jean Cabernet Sauvignon, being our 45th anniversary year as well. Another anniversary year wine, the rebrand of Caymus Estate Napa Cab also happens to coincide with our anniversary year.

We've written often in these pages about Chateau St. Jean being one of the crown jewels of Sonoma. It is one of our regular chateau estate tastings in our visits to the Sonoma region.

This special 45th Anniversary Special Edition release celebrates their "legacy of producing terroir driven wines from across the renowned region. Sourced from Alexander Valley, this Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant yet structured representation of Sonoma County’s premier Cabernet growing region."

I ordered a case of this label upon release but due to the Coronavirus shut-in, just now was able to taste it, since I have been home-bound and this was delivered to my office downtown Chicago six weeks ago.

Tonight, we opened this in a mini anniversary celebration, rejoicing our survival in coping being shut-in together during these surreal and crazy circumstances in this, our 45th year.

This release got 94 points from James Suckling and Antonio Galloni's Vinous, and 91 points from Natalie.

James Suckling said this 'needs two or three years to soften. Try after 2022. Best from 2020 through 2030.' I agree, it was a bit tight, closed and flabby on initial opening, and will hopefully come together with a few more years aging. Antonio Galloni wrote, the "floral and savory aromas open up over time", and we found it needed time to open and in fact, was better the next day, after sitting open for the evening. 

The fruit was sourced from several vineyard sites throughout the Alexander Valley where Cabernet Sauvignon grows best including some of St. Jean’s traditional sources: Asti Vineyard, Stuhlmuller Vineyard as well as Belle Terre vineyard.  

Chateau St Jean winemaker Margo Van Staaveren writes: "The 2015 growing season was one of outstanding quality marked with ideal weather for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The continuation of California’s drought brought a dry winter followed by a dry and early spring with an early bud break. Weather was warm and consistent throughout late spring and summer which allowed for full development in the grapes. We began picking the grapes in September, and while overall yields were low, the quality and depth of flavor of the fruit was excellent." 

The wine was barreled aged in 60% French and 40% American Oak barrels for 20 months of oak aging. This wine was bottled in August of 2017 and received another 6 months of bottle age prior to its release on January 1, 2018, to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the famed winery.  

Natalie writes,"Dramatic differences in day and night time temperatures gives this Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe, juicy fruit flavours of cassis, smoke, anise and dried sweet tobacco. Decant for one hour prior to pouring."

The Winemaker's Tasting Notes; "Deep ruby in color, this Cabernet Sauvignon boasts a huge amount of blueberry, plum, and violets on the nose, with oak spices shining through. On the palate, blue fruit flavors combine with cassis and plum to create a very deep berry and fruit profile. The wine finishes with strong oak spice supported by the tannic structure. Very drinkable with a strong acidity complementing the tannins and fruit flavors. Drink now, or cellar for up to 15 years."

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, black berry and black currant fruits with notes of dark mocha chocolate, cassis, smoke, anise, black tea and tobacco.

Natalie suggested pairing this Cabernet Sauvignon with "grilled portobello mushroom, lamb Bolognese, or grilled New York strip loin." We did, ordering in curb-side carry out from Angelis Italian, our neighborhood trattoria, I had the grilled portabella mushrooms along with Bolognese sauce.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2947884

Chateau St. Jean Website - http://www.chateaustjean.com/ 

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Chateau St. Jean "Cinq Cépages" Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

As the Coronavirus shut-in continues, our family and friends are having fun with our virtual wine tastings sharing texts and videos of our wines and dinners.

Friend and colleague Tom R texted me that he opened a 2003 vintage release (he's so proud that he has now mastered his 'ahso', two pronged cork puller) of this label and asked if he had waited too long? I replied, "absolutely not, we're still holding a dozen vintages of this label dating back to the mid-nineties". So, when Linda prepared grilled tenderloin steak with mashed potatoes and green beans, I pulled from the cellar this aged vintage release from 1998 for the pairing.

Chateau St Jean is one of the premier producers in Sonoma County and their winery chateau estate is a showcase highlight of the Sonoma Valley.

Our private tastings at the 1920's chateau with views of the Grand Lawn and Estate Vineyards and in the Reserve Room have been the highlights of our trips to the region including our 2017 Sonoma Wine Experience and our Sonoma Harvest tour in 2009.

Chateau St. Jean "Cinq Cépages" was one of the first classic Bordeaux Blend labels from the region and has always represented good value, high QPR relative to the top Bordeaux labels. It was the Wine Spectator #1 wine in the annual Top 100 list in 1999 with the 1996 vintage release. At that time the release price was $28, a remarkable value at the time. From then on, the label exploited its #1 legacy and notoriety and boosted the price point, but it still represents reasonable comparable value. 

Chateau St. Jean "Cinq Cépages" Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

At twenty-two years of age, this 1998 vintage release was still drinking nicely and holding its own, despite being from a lackluster vintage that was expected to have a short lifespan drinking window. The color is taking on a slight opacity and grey hue and the fruits are starting to give way to non-fruit flavors so it is starting to decline and should be consumed over the next year or so.

I have written often in these pages about the 1998 vintage release of Napa and Sonoma Valley Cabernets. Jancis Robinson of Jancis Robinson.com wrote of the 1998 vintage, "The vintage was slammed by some critics, and shame on them, for many terrific wines came from 1998, after the rush-to-judgment were made."

This was an over-achiever for the vintage exceeding expectations on release and in the years since. 

This classic Bordeaux Blend contains the five Bordeaux varietals, hence the name Cinq Cepages for the 'five flavors'. This release is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit-Verdot.

Robert Parker awarded this release 89-91 points, and Wine Enthusiast 90 points.

There was dense sediment in the bottle. This was dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, firm structure, tightly wound but nicely balanced with complex black currant and black cherry fruits with sharp acidity accented by briary herb, earth, cedar, hints soy and anise with moderate tannins on the long finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2027

https://www.chateaustjean.com/wines/cinq-cepages

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Duo

Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Duo highlight grilled beefsteak dinner

Getaway weekend in Charleston to visit dear friends and fellow 'Pour Boy' Bill and Beth on Seabrook Island, SC, I took a twenty year old Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow and Bill pulled a ten year old to share and compare with grilled beefsteak dinner.

What an interesting comparison of an iconic classic vineyard designated wine that is the epitome of terroir. Terroir refers to the elements of 'place', all the characteristics of a vineyard site that manifest in the wine - soil, elevation, drainage, sun exposure, proximity to climate impacting bodies of water ocean, bay or river valley, climate and micro-climate. 

Diamond Creek Vineyards is known for its vineyard designated select wines from the four legendary vineyards on the property that each have a distinctive terroir character and profile due to their individual geology on the opposing sides of the Creek and the valley. Each of the four vineyards are featured on their own Vineyard designated labels that describe the contributing geology to their distinctive component of terroir - Red Rock Terrace, Volcanic Hill, Lake Vineyard, and this label, Gravelly Meadow.

Legendary vineyards of Diamond Creek

Diamond Creek Vineyards - Rick, Dan, Bill in 2017

Diamond Creek Vineyards straddle the Diamond Creek near the bottom of Diamond Mountain, at the north end of the Mayacamas Range above the town of Calistoga, in the northwest corner of Napa Valley. All the Diamond Creek Vineyards wines are Cabernet Sauvignon.

We visited Diamond Creek Estate for a culinary tasting experience back in 2011, and then in 2017 for their release party for the 2015 vintage release open house in 2017.

Bill and Beth, Jan and Bill, Linda and I with Boots Brownstein,
Diamond Creek Owner, Proprietor, in 2011
Tonight's comparison tasting showcased the difference in age and its effect on the wine, in combination with the variations of two contrasting vintages, a ten year old from 2009 vs. a twenty year old from 1999. Vintage variations are mostly characterized by seasonal temperatures, the length of the growing season, and the amount and timing of rainfall.


The 2009 growing season was ideal in Napa Valley providing winemakers lush, beautiful grapes for great wine. Late spring rains delayed irrigation needs and the warm spell in June helped curtail excessive canopy development. There were nearly only four or five 100+ degree days, compared to fourteen in a typical growing season, thus helping to reduce demand for water when the resource was relatively scarce.

Rainfall was little more than two-thirds of normal but the timing of the precipitation was ideal for the vines. There was lack of frost and a mild, relatively cool growing season, resulting in the best scenario possible for the vines and optimal grape production.

In 1999 the long, cool spring gave way to a mild summer with only one heat spike recorded in the first part of July, the vintage ripened under conditions that allowed a long hang-time that resulted in fruit of concentrated varietal flavors with a strong backbone of acid. 

Diamond Creek Vineyards Gravelly Meadow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1999



My Cellartracker records indicate we hold ten vintages of this label going back to the 1983 vintage. We're holding this wine for our kids' birth years 1990, 1985, and daughter-in-law's 1983. We consider this a 'special occasion' wine. It's a special treat to compare multiple vintages.

At twenty years of age this wine is likely at the apex of its drinking window, certainly not to improve with further aging, but probably nearing the end of its prime drinkability.

Dark garnet color with purple sprites, medium bodied, complex moderate blackberry, black currant and plum fruits turning to tobacco, notes of graphite and cedar wood, frontal bright acidity is pronounced and a bit obtuse turning to gripping tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 91 points.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=15225


Diamond Creek Vineyards Gravelly Meadow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

A great example of the opportunity to taste two vintage releases side by side to appreciate the nuances of age and the different vintages.  The 2009 came across as more elegant and polished than the 1999 which in comparison was a bit flabby, no more or less complex, but the '09 benefiting from the more graceful and well behaved acid and tannins.

Bill's Cellartracker tasting notes on this wine:

"Deep ruby color. Nose consists of chocolate, graphite and a bit of earth. On the palate there are notes of black cherry, raspberry, chocolate, tobacco with well integrated, silky smooth, plush tannins. Full bodied with a finish that goes on and on. Drank this side by side with a 1999 Gravelly Meadow representing a 10 year old and a 20 year old mini vertical. The 99 still had plenty of fruit but had evolved to a more earthy bordeaux profile. However, there was no doubt of the parentage of the two wines. Style and profile were very similar. Delicious now. I know how long lasting Diamond Creek is having served birth year magnums from '82, '84 and '89 at my children's weddings. However, based in part on this experience, I wonder if I don't tend to wait too long. Think I will start drinking earlier."

WCC - 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1114057

Before dinner, Bill also served one of our favorites, Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc, and then a classic Chateau St Jean Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and a Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet which I write about in this separate blogpost.

Chateau St Jean Sonoma Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

We tasted and Bill acquired this bottle when we visited the Chateau back in 2009. We have visited the Chateau St Jean estate in northern Sonoma Valley and had private tastings with Bill and Beth twice - during our Napa, Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017, and, back in 2009 during our Sonoma Harvest Tour '09 - Chateau St Jean.

Bill's Cellartracker tasting notes for this evening's tasting of this wine:

"Deep indigo in color. Mixed fruit on the palate...blackberry, black raspberry and cassis along with a touch of cedar, tobacco box and mocha. Great long lasting legs. Full bodied with a medium finish. I would say this is in the peak of its drinking window. Will still last several more years but unlikely to improve"

WCC - 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=659625

Bill and Beth at magnificent Chateau St Jean estate
Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Another one of our favorite producers and 'go to' wines, Cliff Lede and his Sauvignon Blanc. Also, another producer estate that we we have visited together with Bill and Beth during our Napa Valley Wine Experiences. We have visited the Cliff Lede estate together several times including this private tasting - Cliff Lede Stag's Leap District Vineyard & Winery Visit - Autumn '2009.





Bill's notes from this tasting:


"Crisp, clean and refreshing. Pale straw color. Zesty grapefruit and lemon on the palate. Nicely balanced acidity. Always a favorite."

WCC - 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2942346

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Napa / Sonoma Wine Experience 2017

Napa / Sonoma Wine Experience 2017

We just returned from a week touring the Napa and Sonoma Wine Country. This year we broke from the tradition and routine we adopted years ago of focusing on one 'AVA' (American Viticultural Area) or appellation per trip. We adopted this approach years ago for several reasons: the immersion in one appellation provided a comparative tasting of producers' styles and terrior effects, it simplified and limited transit travel from one wine stop to the next, and, in retrospect, its much easier to recall specifics of a trip as we recount experiences from our trip that focused on 'Atlas Peak', 'Diamond Mtn',  'Howell Mtn', 'Mt Veeder', and/or 'Spring Mtn' appellations.

Notably, we started this model when we were focusing on 'mountain' appellations where travel is much more challenging in the remote mountain regions. We adopted an approach of starting at the top of the mountain and working our way down. This worked out well and allowed efficiency, enjoyment, and perspective on the whole wine and travel experience.

This trip was the first time for one of our travelers so we were showcasing certain favored producers. We were also visiting or revisiting select targeted favorite producers rather than selecting based on geography.

This was also our first trip to focus on exploring and discovering the more remote appellations of Sonoma County, as a discovery and learning trip, setting the stage for further in-depth immersive studies in the future. We stayed the first few days in the Pacific coastal town of Bodega Bay.

Sonoma County is vast, covering almost 60,000 acres of vineyards, with a broad diverse range of terrior and microclimates. Sonoma County, reaches all the way to the Pacific Coast from the west side of the Mayacamas Mountain range that forms the eastern boundary of the Sonoma Valley and separates Sonoma Valley from Napa Valley. Sonoma County consists of 16 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs, or appellations) – each with its own distinctive characteristics. There are more than 400 wineries in the region.
 
The western Sonoma County Sonoma Coast area is emerging as the source of 'cool climate' Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.
 
This week we focused on, visited and toured the Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Green Valley and Dry Creek Valley appellations, as well as Sonoma Valley. This set the stage, so watch for more immersive studies on these areas in the future, now that we have the big picture and understanding of navigating the region.

This trip targeted and featured several of our favorite and well known producers whose wines we hold and drink regularly as featured in this blog: Diamond Creek, Lewis Cellars, Joseph Phelps, Hall Rutherford Estate, Del Dotto, Darioush and Cliff Lede, and a few others.

We also discovered some new producers or producer's sites in the remote Sonoma areas - Gary Farrell and Porter Creek Vineyards and Winery. Lastly, we also visited Krug in Sonoma County, and  Chateau St Jean and Kunde in Sonoma Valley, and Trefethen in Napa.

Watch for and follow my winery visit reports and tasting notes and purchase and tasting 'Tweets' on @unwindwine on Twitter and in this blog in the coming days and weeks as I draft and publish my experiences and findings.


Sunday, July 30, 2017

Chateau St Jean Sonoma Reserve Private Tasting

Chateau St Jean Sonoma Reserve Private Tasting

Our Pour Boys 2017 Sonoma Napa Wine Experience started on the Sonoma Coast and worked east along the Russian River Valley ending up in Sonoma Valley at one of its crown jewel estates, Chateau St Jean. Bill C., a wine club member arranged for a special Reserve private tasting. 

The estate is one of the most picturesque and authentic in the Sonoma Valley and is more civil and hospitable than some of the garish ostentatious properties in the more highly commercialized Napa Valley. This was a perfect buffer and transition from the more relaxed Sonoma County to the Valley as we transitioned to spend the coming week in Napa (Valley).

Private tastings are held in the cottage (shown right) across the courtyard from the hospitality center. 

We've visited the estate and done tastings there numerous times over the years. Sonoma Harvest '09 - Chateau St Jean and again Sonoma Valley Wine Experience 2009 - Chateau St Jean.

Founded in 1973 in the Sonoma Valley, Chateau St. Jean is the quintessential Sonoma winery. Chateau St. Jean produces an extensive portfolio of Sonoma County wines sourced from their estate in Sonoma Valley and other estate vineyards up in Alexander Valley, including several vineyard designated wines, and limited production Reserve wines. 

Chateau St. Jean was the first Sonoma winery to be awarded the prestigious “Wine of the Year” award from Wine Spectator Magazine for its 1996 Cinq Cépages, a Bordeaux style blend of “five varieties”,  the crowning achievement cementing their longstanding recognition as a leader in vineyard designated wines.

We hold more than a dozen vintages of their flagship Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon - a Bordeaux Blend as well as numerous other labels from this producer. 

Margo Van Staaveren has been Winemaker for more than 30 years and uses her vineyard and winemaking expertise with Chateau St. Jean to continue the tradition of highlighting the best of each vineyard site to produce exceptional wines.

While we have collected St Jean wines for decades, this was an adventurous tasting exploring and discovering new white and red labels from the outer reaches of Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County. This was especially interesting as we spend the first couple of days getting better acquainted with appellations setting the stage for more immersive focused visits in coming trips.

The wines:

Le Seul Sonoma Coast Reserve Chardonnay 2014

Winemakers notes:

Chateau St. Jean’s second vintage of Le Seul Chardonnay hails exclusively from the incredible Gap’s Crown vineyard in the Petaluma Gap area of Sonoma County. The stunningly beautiful Gap’s Crown vineyard is located on the western edge of Sonoma Mountain and ranges in elevation from 300’ to 840’. The vineyard is heavily influenced by cool ocean breezes and a natural fog pocket that stalls over the area allowing the fruit to ripen slowly over the course of the growing season. This results in perfect balance between sugar development and phenolic ripeness.

The 2014 vintage of Le Seul Chardonnay hails from the incredible Gap’s Crown and Sun Chase vineyards, both located in the Petaluma Gap area of Sonoma County. These stunning vineyards on the western edge of Sonoma Mountain ranges in elevation from 300 to 840 feet. The vineyards are influenced by cool ocean breezes and a natural fog pocket that stalls overhead, allowing the fruit to ripen slowly over the growing season. This results in perfect balance between sugar development and phenolic ripeness. 
Highly regarded Dijon clones were selected for this wine. Chardonnay ENTAV clone 548 (55%), a low-yielding clone with small clusters, brings concentrated aromatics of tropical fruits and depth to the wine. Dijon clone 124 (45%) ripens later, lingering on the vine to bring mineral notes and a tight structure. While the grapes from clone 124 were whole-cluster pressed upon arrival at the winery, the clone 548 grapes were destemmed and held on the skins for 12 hours to impart richness and structure to the final wine. This wine was barrel fermented and aged sur lie exclusively in small French oak barrels for 16 months; 64% of the barrels were first-fill.


Chateau St Jean Sonoma County Reserve Chardonnay 2014

Winemakers notes: The 2014 Chateau St. Jean Reserve Chardonnay offers complex aromas of both sweet and savory notes including lemon crème pie, nectarine and toasted almond and spiced tea. The nose rings true on the palate with layered flavors of cantaloupe melon and mango, lemon curd and baking spice. The well structured wine is balanced with a warm, rich texture and expressive acidity. The finish is pure and lingers with a classic lemon oil flavor that is a hallmark for the Sonoma County Reserve Chardonnay.

Chateau St Jean Sonoma County Reserve Pinot Noir 2014

Chateau St Jean Sonoma County Cinq Cepages Red Blend 2013

As the name indicates, Cinq Cepage for 'five flavors' or 'five varieties' is a blend of the Bordeuax varietals in the Bordeaux style. Cinq Cepages Blend has been a favorite since the early nineties, before it was awarded Wine Spectator's Wine of the year, mid-decade. We still hold a dozen vintages of this wine dating back to that era. This is a remarkably consistent quality blend especially considering the large production each year. It typically offers a high QPR for such quality sophisticated wine. Here are the winemakers' notes for this vintage.

The 2013 growing season in Sonoma County was long with mild temperatures resulting in very high quality fruit coming into the winery. The 2013 Cinq Cépages captures the highlights of this vintage. The opening bouquet offers layers of aromas including black raspberry, sweet currant, lifted perfumed violet and notes of baking chocolate. Secondary aromas of roasted coffee and nuanced notes of Earl Gray tea and spice add complexity.

The aromas lead to a plush palate with depth of flavors including raspberry compote and dark chocolate. The full-bodied wine is rich and refined with well-integrated, ripe tannins giving good structure. In signature Cinq Cépages form, this wine combines the strength of the diverse Sonoma County region to create an approachable, well-balanced and elegant wine.

The 2013 Cinq Cépages (“Five Varieties”) is a blend of the classic Bordeaux grapes consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%), Merlot (13%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Malbec (3%), and Petit Verdot (3%). All five varietal components are used each vintage to create the stylized blend that is Cinq Cépages. Before blending, each component is aged separately for twenty-three months exclusively in French oak, with just over half of all the barrels being new (51%). Once the components are assembled, the blend spends almost an entire additional year in the bottle before release.

RM notes:

This was dark inky purple colored, medium full bodied, complex, rich and concentrated black berry fruits with layers of anise and graphite with tones of oak and spices on a smooth lingering tannin finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2512832

Chateau St Jean Sonoma County Reserve Malbec 2013

This too was delicious and is limited availability only from the winery.

Winemaker's notes:


The Reserve Malbec was blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) to round out the final vintage. Individual lots of each variety were aged separately for 28 months exclusively in small French oak barrels with only 5% being new barrels. Barrel by barrel, each lot was tasted and the most outstanding Malbec barrels were selected and then blended with specific lots of Cabernet Sauvignon to complete the final wine.

This 2013 Reserve Malbec offers bright aromas of boysenberry and blackberry fruit, subtle clove spice and a high-tone violet floral note. The inviting nose leads to a full, plush palate with powerful yet well-integrated and smooth tannins. Flavors of boysenberry jam, black cherry and spice are distinct on the palate. The wine is round with balanced acidity leading to a lengthy and flavorful finish. 
Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren has championed Malbec and believes the variety flourishes in Sonoma at selected sites. It has become one of her favorite wines to bottle as a varietal. The Malbec for this wine comes from the Asti Vineyard in Alexander Valley at the northern end of Sonoma County as well as the St. Jean Estate vineyard in the heart of Sonoma Valley. The beautiful 2013 growing season resulted in wines with great depth of flavor, intense color and excellent balance. The Malbec consistently ripened with a concentrated core of fruit balanced by bright acidity.

Chateau St Jean St Jean Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2014

This was a bonus pour beyond scope of our planned tasting and it was a real treat. Dark inky purplish garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated forward black raspberry and black currant fruits accented by sweet floral tones, spicy acidity and an undercurrent of mocha. Loved it! Limited release, available only at the winery.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2612332

Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Valley St. Jean Estate Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2014

This was a bonus pour beyond scope of our planned Reserve tasting at the Chateau and it was a real treat.

This is sourced from St Jean Sonoma Valley estate vineyards and was aged for 21 months in American Oak. 

From a follow on post, Tonight's tasting was consistent with my tasting notes from that visit to the Chateau when I wrote, "I like this wine: Dark inky purplish garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated forward black raspberry and black currant fruits accented by sweet floral tones, spicy acidity and an undercurrent of mocha and hint of clove spice. Loved it! Limited release, available only at the winery."

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2612332