Chateau St. Jean Cabernet 45Th Anniversary

Description

For the past 45 years, Chateau St. Jean has made its home in the heart of Sonoma, a region of dramatic diversity perfect for growing a wide variety of exceptional grapes. Our 45th Anniversary Special Edition release celebrates our legacy of producing terroir driven wines from across the renowned region. Sourced from Alexander Valley, this Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant yet structured representation of Sonoma Countys premier Cabernet growing region.Tasting Notes Deep ruby in color, this Cabernet Sauvignon boasts a huge amount of blueberry, plum, and violets on the nose, with oak spices shining through. On the palate, blue fruit flavors combine with cassis and plum to create a very deep berry and fruit profile. The wine finishes with strong oak spice supported by the tannic structure. Very drinkable with a strong acidity complementing the tannins and fruit flavors. Drink now, or cellar for up to 15 years.Vineyards and Vintage The fruit was selected from several vineyard sites throughout the Alexander Valley where Cabernet Sauvignon grows best including some of St. Jeans traditional sources Asti Vineyard, Stuhlmuller Vineyard as well as Belle Terre vineyard.The 2015 growing season was one of outstanding quality marked with ideal weather for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The continuation of Californias drought brought a dry winter followed by a dry and early spring with an early bud break. Weather was warm and consistent throughout late spring and summer which allowed for full development in the grapes. We began picking the grapes in September, and while overall yields were low, the quality and depth of flavor of the fruit was excellent.Winemaking After the grapes were harvested and destemmed, Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren used a combination of open and closed top fermentation methods. The wine was then barreled down into 60% French and 40% American Oak barrels for 20 months of oak aging. This wine was bottled in August of 2017 and received another 6 months of bottle age prior to its release on January 1, 2018, to celebrate the 45th anniversary of our famed winery. – Chateau St Jean