We’re going to pull one of the following with steak tonight. Which would be your choice? Looking for a wine that’s not only ready right now, but one that won’t improve over the next few years.
While CA is not my preferred wine region, we’re piling up some wines and we’re in the mood to explore.
1999 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve
2002 Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
2004 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages
2001 Arrowood Syrah Saralee’s Vineyard
Cinq Cepages.
My memory of this wine is heavy oak, no? Ah well, I guess it goes with the territory…
too young…
I would go with the 99 or 01 personally.
I’d drink the 99 Beringer, myself, of what you posted.
+1
the 99’s seem to be coming around
Go to your local store with all 4 btls, and trade em in for something good. 
Evan asked for something that won’t improve over the next few years. Of the four, this is the best candidate IMHO. The others still have plenty of life left in them and the CC doesn’t have the stuffing.
Ouch. How about making 3 liters of stew and opening up a Chinon?
See, this is what I was afraid of. [suicide.gif]
In fairness, three came as gifts. But I think I would trade all four for one Bois de Boursan Cuvee de Felix…
Don’t worry, Keith. I haven’t converted or anything. You saw where I went when we were in Napa.
Just figure we have to drain something. (We’ve already grabbed a Saint-Joseph as our backup!)
I would say the same thing about the Syrah on the list… I beg to differ on the CC (my IMO at least) . I think a few years would probably do it some good.
Evan. How are you prepping the steak? If you are doing salt/pepper or peppercorn prep I would go w the Arrowood syrah. I have been through about 4 bottles and think it is drinking well and probably won’t get better. It is a very nicely balanced Syrah. A steal at low $20 price I paid for each bottle at the winery
It’s a grass-fed steak (we’re pretty exclusively grass-fed, now) and from this farm, the steaks have so much flavor that we don’t do too much to get in the way.
Thinking about the Syrah. But really, if anyone has any 05 Chinon, I’m willing to trade… ![[dance-clap.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/835ce082e2fa9c96c4b7f96406bf6e9a0db882ff.gif "[dance-clap.gif]"){kind=small}
One frickin’ bottle??!
What happened to you man?
You used to be beautiful.
Open all four and quit being so indecisive.
See, this is just the advice I needed.
You’re too late to go with the Cinq Cepages. I went through a case and still have 6 left, love it, but the wine is really good on day 2, it’s a few notches up from day 1.
+1 (both to CC will improve, and to drink the syrah)
Like I said…go over to Century…
If you go with the Cinq, it needs lots of air time.
The Beringer is ready now and quite good, but I still think there is some upside to it. I think it will lay down longer than the others, as well.
I have had both of these recently.