1996 | Chateau St. Jean | Reserve Merlot

Beautiful and structured wine. The color is dark red. On the palate this wine shows soft, supple tannins with flavors of blackberry, boysenberry and vanilla, complemented by hints of clove, black peppercorn and tobacco. Balanced by its acidity, polished tannins and exotic oak, the wine shows a beautiful juxtaposition with contrasting flavors that work well to deliver a long and lingering finish.

Producer Information

Chateau St Jean is a major California winery founded in 1973, in Sonoma County. It rose to prominence for a number of single-vineyard wines, beginning with the inaugural 1975 vintage, especially its flagship wine, the Bordeaux-style red blend Cinq Cépages. The eponymous chateau was built in the 1920s by Ernest and Maude Goff, with a number of white grape varieties being grown on the estate. The vines weren't around long, however, as they were replaced with less controversial crops during Prohibition (1920-1933). When Chateau St Jean was founded the original building was refurbished and listed in the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It now hosts private events and tastings. Chateau St Jean has received critical acclaim throughout its history, especially for its flagship Cinq Cépages. The 1996 Cinq Cépages was named the wine of the year in Wine Spectator's Top 100 list, and later the 1999 vintage went on to be named number two. The winemaker Margo Van Staaveren was also lauded as winemaker of the year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2008. Van Staaveren began work at Chateau St Jean in 1980, becoming winemaker in 2003. The remaining wine portfolio of Chateau St Jean includes Merlot, Malbec, Pinot Noir and Syrah as well as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay sourced from numerous dfferent estates from the Sonoma Valley, Alexander Valley and Dry Valley Creek amoungst others. It is categorized into Reserve and and estate collections. In 2021, Chateau St Jean was sold to Foley Family Wines that includes numerous wine estates throughout New Zealand, France and Aregntina within its portfolio.

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