2006 Cinq Cepages Proprietary Red

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cepages (in this vintage, truly a Cabernet Sauvignon rather than a proprietary red as it is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot) possesses soft, seductive notes of cedarwood, roasted herbs, licorice, red and black currants, and dusty, loamy soil undertones. Medium to full-bodied and silky-textured, it can be enjoyed in its youth or cellared for a decade. This winery produces some exceptional bargain-priced wines and consistently does an enviable job with Sauvignon Blanc, or as they call it, Fume Blanc. There has been a long legacy of top-notch Fume Blancs produced ever since veteran winemaker Richard Arrowood was fashioning the wines at Chateau St.-Jean in the 1970s. Chateau St. Jean produces four distinctive styles of Chardonnay. My favorites tend to vary with the vintage, and in 2007, the Belle Terre Vineyard came out on top. Tel. (707) 833-4134; Fax (707) 833-4200