TN: 2004 Chateau St. Jean - "Cinq Cépages" (USA, California, Sonoma County)

2004 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages - USA, California, Sonoma County (12/31/2016)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over approx. 1 hour –

Red-fruited and oaky Nose. Medium-light to medium bodied on the palate: no tannin; smooth, but not thick; very oaky; hint of coffee; I think the oak is going to win the race over the fruit here, and – actually – the oak is already in the lead; past prime without being tired. Drink Now.

Thanks for the note. I have a 2010 that I’ll probably drink in the near future based on the fruit vs oak note you mentioned.

I think that’s the right move, Eric, assuming no massive stylistic difference between the '04 and '10.

Thanks for the note!

The 1999 Cinq Cepages is first ‘nicer’ wine I bought while in college and just starting to get into this crazy hobby (I went to ASU…so this was a huge step up from the jagermeister shots and vodka cokes we used to slam).

Storage conditions were less than optimal on my end, but when I finally popped the cork around 2009, it was just ok. Little tired and worse for the wear.

Haven’t tried one since. Sounds like they’re still not built to age for very long.

Yeah, this was one of the first “nicer” bottles I ever purchased with the intention of ageing — rookie mistake!

The last 3 days I’ve been nursing a 2001 Ch. St. Jean ‘Cinq Cepages’ [Sonoma] which has only gotten better as it aerates. It was a touch too rootbeery the first day, and the kids noted a lot of wood/vanilla, but those have rounded out now. It remains a big, obviously California effort. I know they’re trying to make this in the mold of a Bordeaux blend, but the fruit is so loud and boisterous that its very clearly New World – it would be like to trying to switch a modern no fat turkey meat loaf with an old school beef/pork/veal version. I find it to be very heavy, low acid, with a touch of tannin still, even after a few days. My bottle had a cork that had gotten soggy about half way up, so maybe not the most pristine example. Still very dark ruby, and plummy fruit, with little lightening at the edges, and I would expect that this would easily last another 10-15 years. There’s a lot to like here, and once upon a time, Cinq Cepages were priced reasonably. I’d slot it into the A- grade.

We visited the tasting room/estate a few years ago and were agog that modern Cinq Cepages seem to cost $80ish. I do like the wine, but its a huge production mass market bottling, and my perception of it is that its basically a $40 Costco offering, although I haven’t had any recent years.

Had the 04 in 13 and noted mature. I would think 01 would hold up better. I found the 04s to drink great at six to ten years.