Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Chateau St. Jean 2004 Reserve Merlot


Valentine's Day Dinner
It was Valentine's Day!  We celebrated at home because, to be honest with you, I hate fighting crowds and waiting forever for a table only to be rushed out to make way for another couple.
We have been celebrating at home for four years now and the highlight of every meal is picking a very special wine from the wine cellar.

The selection we chose this year was just that, VERY SPECIAL!!

Bob and I were in Sonoma several years ago on our first real wine vacation and found Chateau St. Jean to be one of our favorite stops.
The winery is beautiful and the wine is delicious.  We tasted this Merlot and knew immediately it would stand the test of time.  So we did what many do and purchased this wine for $75.  It was and still is one of the most expensive wines we have purchased.  

We brought it home and determined that we would save it for a special occasion.  The problem then becomes, when is special, special enough for such an exceptional wine?  Well, we keep track of all our wines through Cellar Tracker.  One of the features of Cellar Tracker is that it lets you know when a wine is at it's peak. This one came up as a drink now and that's what we did.

This Merlot is fantastic!  Merlot is my favorite varietal, which makes me a bit old school.  The wine has a wonderful color with a great nose and a taste that lingers reminding you that sometimes you just have to spend the extra money because, well, you are worth it.  It is smooth with hints of dark cherries, a hint of vanilla and mature tannins.   If you like reds and are looking for a special wine this is one I would definitely recommend.

-- Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD