TN: Two Christmas wines
 

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

To accompany a standing rib roast:

Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepage 1994 - starting to brick (color reminded me of
Sangiovese); fruit-driven nose of cherry, plum and currant. Similar on the
palate, with a little vanilla in the background; tannins completely
resolved. Fruit, minerals and a touch of forest floor on a long finish. I
have to say that this was absolutely delightful - balanced and harmonious.
This would probably hold for another few years, but it seemed at the peak
right now. Another reminder that I ought to let a few good bottles sleep
occasionally - I think I drink a lot of these much too young. Downside: I
paid US$18 for this in the late '90s; now, on sale it's $45-50.

Chateau Larmonde St. Emilion 1999 - dark garnet in the glass. Nose of
cherries and plum. Red fruits and damp wood on the palate, with soft but
noticeable tannins. Fairly long finish, but not as long as the Cinq Cepage.
Since I'd assume this was mostly Merlot it was surprising to me, at least,
how similar in flavor and structure these two wines were. Both accompanied
the beef very well.

Dean

Two Christmas wines
 

"DPM" > wrote in message news:2pnsf.1702$yx.1602@trndny01...
>I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.
>
> To accompany a standing rib roast:
>
> Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepage 1994 - starting to brick (color reminded me
> of
> Sangiovese); fruit-driven nose of cherry, plum and currant. Similar on
> the
> palate, with a little vanilla in the background; tannins completely
> resolved. Fruit, minerals and a touch of forest floor on a long finish.
> I
> have to say that this was absolutely delightful - balanced and harmonious.
> This would probably hold for another few years, but it seemed at the peak
> right now. Another reminder that I ought to let a few good bottles sleep
> occasionally - I think I drink a lot of these much too young. Downside: I
> paid US$18 for this in the late '90s; now, on sale it's $45-50.

I recently ran across a few bottles of the 1991 Cinq Cepage that I'd
forgotten about. That was a pretty good vintage for them, although not as
good or as well balanced as the 1990 (and probably not as good as 1994
either, which I've never tasted). Still, the wine was nowhere near over the
hill, and maybe not even quite at plateau - possibly because of its
considerable hard tannins in its youth. It still has fruit, and the tannins
have softened and precipitated out. At ~$18US at the time it wasn't
particularly cheap, but in retrospect that seems a bargain. Thank you Wine
Spectator - NOT! :^(

Tom S
www.chateauburbank.com

TN: Two Christmas wines
 

On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 03:13:02 GMT, "DPM" > wrote:

>I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.
>
>To accompany a standing rib roast:
>
>Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepage 1994 - starting to brick (color reminded me of
>Sangiovese); fruit-driven nose of cherry, plum and currant. Similar on the
>palate, with a little vanilla in the background; tannins completely
>resolved. Fruit, minerals and a touch of forest floor on a long finish. I
>have to say that this was absolutely delightful - balanced and harmonious.
>This would probably hold for another few years, but it seemed at the peak
>right now. Another reminder that I ought to let a few good bottles sleep
>occasionally - I think I drink a lot of these much too young. Downside: I
>paid US$18 for this in the late '90s; now, on sale it's $45-50.

Was it the '94 or '95 that WS cursed as "Wine of the Year"? I recall
picking up a couple of bottles of the '95 at around $30US and then
eight months later finding a bottle on the shelf of a local store for
only $135!

Regretably I drank them in their infancy.
>


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

TN: Two Christmas wines
 

"Ed Rasimus" > wrote in message
...
>
> Was it the '94 or '95 that WS cursed as "Wine of the Year"? I recall
> picking up a couple of bottles of the '95 at around $30US and then
> eight months later finding a bottle on the shelf of a local store for
> only $135!
>
> Regretably I drank them in their infancy.
> >
Ed, that was '96, as I recall. I bought one from the winery at $28 - the WS
issue had just come out, and the tasting room was a madhouse. The '97
retailed for $50-60, thanks to WS. Grr!

Dean

TN: Two Christmas wines
 

In article >,
says...
>
>On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 03:13:02 GMT, "DPM" > wrote:
>
>>I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.
>>
>>To accompany a standing rib roast:
>>
>>Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepage 1994 - starting to brick (color reminded me of
>>Sangiovese); fruit-driven nose of cherry, plum and currant. Similar on the
>>palate, with a little vanilla in the background; tannins completely
>>resolved. Fruit, minerals and a touch of forest floor on a long finish. I
>>have to say that this was absolutely delightful - balanced and harmonious.
>>This would probably hold for another few years, but it seemed at the peak
>>right now. Another reminder that I ought to let a few good bottles sleep
>>occasionally - I think I drink a lot of these much too young. Downside: I
>>paid US$18 for this in the late '90s; now, on sale it's $45-50.
>
>Was it the '94 or '95 that WS cursed as "Wine of the Year"? I recall
>picking up a couple of bottles of the '95 at around $30US and then
>eight months later finding a bottle on the shelf of a local store for
>only $135!
>
>Regretably I drank them in their infancy.
>>
>
>
>Ed Rasimus
>Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
>"When Thunder Rolled"
> www.thunderchief.org
> www.thundertales.blogspot.com

As pointed out elsewhere, it was the '96, but close. I had a few bottles of it
around, and was then "gifted" another. The WS piece came out and wow, what a
rush. I drank all that a local steakhouse had @ $55/btl. They held the price,
even after the article and I downed the last btl that they had with some
friends - a few of whom got to taste my stash some years later. On a side-
note: Brooks Steakhouse in Denver had the '96 on their Reserve List for US$
450! When I asked about the price, the sommelier (a friend from another
restaurant) said, "because we can get it... "

Welcome back,
Hunt

TN: Two Christmas wines
 

thanks for th e info
Annie

TN: Two Christmas wines
 

Thank so much for the info
Annie

TN: Two Christmas wines
 

Hunt wrote:

> As pointed out elsewhere, it was the '96, but close. I had a few bottles of it
> around, and was then "gifted" another. The WS piece came out and wow, what a
> rush. I drank all that a local steakhouse had @ $55/btl. They held the price,
> even after the article and I downed the last btl that they had with some
> friends - a few of whom got to taste my stash some years later. On a side-
> note: Brooks Steakhouse in Denver had the '96 on their Reserve List for US$
> 450! When I asked about the price, the sommelier (a friend from another
> restaurant) said, "because we can get it... "

Regrettably, the same thing is happening right now with the '02 Phelps
Insignia. Alas, I declined to buy it (one of my favorite CalCabs) for
$98/bottle as a preoffer and am now suffering the consequences...

Mark Lipton