1997 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages- USA, California, Sonoma County (1/15/2017)
Popped and poured. Garnet color with lightened edges. Nose of cassis, cedar, forest floor, blueberry, plum blossom, floral notes. Feathery attack on first sips, full of plum and earth, which deepened over the evening to include luscious layers of blueberry, black currant, graphite, and a complicating hint of austere green pepper at the end. Softened tannin and lower acidity leading to a long, gentle finish of leathery currant fruit and subtle grip. Beautiful showing for this old soldier, which showed plenty of life paired with ribeyes. (92 pts.)
2002 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Vineyard- USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (1/15/2017)
Darker garnet hue. Nose of red plum, currant, stony earth, and a bit of cedar. Quite tight on the palate for the first hour in the glass, then seemed to wake up with explosive layers of fresh red currant and mulberry fruit laced with granite structure, grip, and a bit of char. Youthfully acidic with firm tannin. Moderately long finish of young red plum fruit, stone, and a bit of tobacco. Darn if this did not show young. Gobs of life and barely out of its shell. (92 pts.)
Pretty different wines Doug. Interesting to see that the 97 CC is still hanging in there. I haven’t had it for many years but didn’t expect it to go for too long. Was that the WOTY or was it the 1996?
The Andrew Will though, is one of those that really reward aging IMO. I have quite a few of them. Good stuff.
Yes, very different wines. I was surprised at the life left in the Cinq Cepages (can’t remember the WOTY details) but the Andrew Will was like a baby. If I remember correctly John Gilman lists the drinking window for the Ceil du Cheval as beginning in 2018 and I would not disagree. Enjoyed both wines very much.
[quote2002 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (1/15/2017)
Darker garnet hue. Nose of red plum, currant, stony earth, and a bit of cedar. Quite tight on the palate for the first hour in the glass, then seemed to wake up with explosive layers of fresh red currant and mulberry fruit laced with granite structure, grip, and a bit of char. Youthfully acidic with firm tannin. Moderately long finish of young red plum fruit, stone, and a bit of tobacco. Darn if this did not show young. Gobs of life and barely out of its shell. (92 pts.)][/quote]
Had this wine in 2011 and loved it. We tasted it twice that night and the first go around a bit tight but 2 more hours in the decanter this wine was singing.
I had a 99 recently and it was drinking beautifully. Those 90’s cinqs had great stuffing, haven’t had any from the 2000’s so don’t know if the style has shifted at all.
It certainly has been illuminating to try these wines at age 20 and 15, respectively. Good to hear that the Cinq Cepages bottling did well multiple times in the 1990’s. Since I live in Washington state I am building a bit more experience with Andrew Will, and I am thinking that aging them well or decanting for a long time is thankfully quite appropriate.