I kind of liked the Sonoma Chard....guess I am not that picky on my
whites...typically I don't know the buttery affect of malocatic but I like
this one.

Oh well...to each his own....

I think they are good on their Reds but I never can detect much in terms of
complexity...they are nice fruit and wood bombs for me.

They do have one of the most beautiful wineries in Napa-sonoma.

Enjoy

"Bill Spohn" > wrote in message
...
> Notes from a Chteau St. Jean 'survey' tasting dinner recently.
>
> 2002 Sonoma county Fume Blanc - light colour, crisp spicy fruit nose and
> decent
> acidity. Could live without the oak in this sort of wine. Nice, but didn't
> get
> in the way of the conversation. Served with arugula, chanterelle and
> chevre
> salad.
>
> 2002 Sonoma county Chardonnay - a typical medium weight oaked chard, soft
> and
> sweet with good terminal acidity. Inexpensive, but ultimately
> uninteresting -
> just not my style. With grilled ahi.
>
> 2002 Sonoma County Pinot Noir - dark wine, with a slightly heavy nose of
> cherry
> and
> wood. Some sweet and some acid, but not well melded. Uninteresting wine.
> Served
> with rabbit loin with fig and peppercorn glaze.
>
> 2000 Sonoma County Merlot - ah - signs of interest! Definite dark
> chocolate
> aromas, decent concentration and length, a passable wine, though not worth
> the
> local $46 Can. Price tag. I looked up the parker note on this later - 77
> points and chalky tannins in a lean wine - must have been tasting a
> completely
> different wine, as this one bears no resemblance to that description. With
> lamb
> sirloin with truffle sauce.
>
> 2001 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon - a bit of cocoa in the nose, and
> some
> dark cherry. Decent concentration and length, the wood not overdone, and
> the
> first really worthy wine tonight. With stilton, marinated (God only knows
> why)
> with Port syrup (barbarians trying to pass themselves off as trendy chefs,
> no
> doubt). The cheese alone (I managed to get some unsullied fromage) didn't
> do
> the wine any favours, and I'm sure the sweet syrup would torture it beyond
> reason.
>
> 2000 Cinq Cepages - first bottle corked - not off to a good start. Second
> one
> fine, showing excellent depth of fruit in the nose - cassis and blackberry
> mostly. At first juicy in the mouth, then it goes through an elegant stage
> in
> mid-palate, and picks up power toward the end with good concentration
> throughout and a nice long finish. Very good wine, though the pricing, as
> is
> usual for me with American wines, leaves me scratching my head wondering
> if it
> is worth it, and mentally surveying all the other equally good or better
> wines
> I can buy for the price ($90 Can., $70 US) from other parts of the world.
> Paired (no doubt by the same genius that poured Port syrup on decent
> cheese)
> with chocolate cake and blackberry coulis!!?
>
>