98 Chat. St. Jean SB, La Petite Etoile, Foul or Fabulous?

[Thomas]

From my standpoint, oak generally gets in the way of a good wine and food match. That is my reason for disliking wines beat up with a stick.

To me, it is the difference between evaluating a wine for what you can do to it, against evaluating a wine for what it can do for you at dinner. Yet, many unfruity, massively alcoholic, over-oaked wines win Gold Medals, which is likely why Americans believe in oaky wines. Take it up with the judges.