Chateau St. Jean Cab Sauv Cing Cepages 1996

[chittychattykathy]

I am curious if this wine is a pain to get everywhere, and has anyone out there actually tasted this vintage? I wanted to order a few cases for my store and was told that it was being distributed 10 to 1, ie., I order 10 cases of other St. Jean wines so that I can get 1 case (of this "Wine Spectator's" #1 wine). This seems a bit much for a wine that would be sitting around on my shelf for a while, if not for the hub-bub. Like the 1995 is. 11,300 cases, does it demand such Allocation? Granted the #1 slot, it must be one fantastic wine. Also, the normal price, of around $28 is long gone, my retail price would be more like $41.00. Is this wine worth the expense and space? Sorry that It sounds like I am venting, probably because, I AM! Kathy

[Jerry D Mead]

I reviewed the wine way back in the Spring and gave it 92pts at that time. I had an extra bottle and shared it with some friends at a pre-holiday dinner about a week after the W-S announcement (I might have given it 95 pts on this second tasting several months later).

It is a wonderful wine...and with the excellence throughout the St. Jean line wouldn't think you'd have too much trouble cooking up an 11 case order (though I too resent that kind of marketing).

Is it the best red wine in the world? You and I know that no such wine exists. (By the way, Cinq Cepages is St. Jean's proprietary name for "Meritage."

[winoweenie]

Cathy, I have been fortunate enough to snag a bottle of this wine pre-release. (The target date for Az. is Feb. ) I think the wine is terrific! But, like Curmster, The BEST wine? Hells Bells, WS seems to screw-up every good value wine that comes along. I`ve been an advocate of this super bottling since their 93 which was 20 bucks. I think your dist mite be doing a small gouge-job as it`s my understanding the price here will be under 30. Good Luck . Winoweenie

[chittychattykathy]

I wonder about that price thing, and who has changed it. I am told it is the winery. That is quite a price difference in your state, what is your state tax level for wine? I am in Washington, it's fairly high here. My book shows it at $29, cost. My dist for this wine is not the greatest, in fact out of the 10 or so I buy from he's the worst. So that is not helping.(Soon, but not soon enough I'll have a new person). I was also told that I could get it by the end of this month. I too really enjoy there wines, I've only enjoyed the 95 in thier Cab Cinq, but have had several of their others. I just do not have room for an extra 20-30 cases in order to get 2 or 3 of this one. Any ideas for a wine to suggest to my customers that are asking for this wine that would have the same "over-all quailities" but without all the hype and trouble?

[Jason]

The whole celebrity wine thing causes many problems for everyone.The dist will make more enemies than friends because of it. Often times it is the winery itself that makes a demand like the 10 to 1 rule you are seeing. This is where a good relationship with the local Ch. St Jean rep comes in.If you have a track record of being a good CSJ customer, than let him know you can't handle 30 cases of other wine right now. By some cases and give him a CSJ tasting night or another special.
Just be aware that the distrib could be stuck in the middle on this one.If he throws you a bone on the Meritage and you don't deserve it, the brand could be yanked and taken to another distrib, depending on your states laws.
The other factor working against you here is that you are a retailer. Its a safe bet that CSJ wants these cases on wine lists rather than buried in someone's cellar.
Relationships are everything here.

[chittychattykathy]

I believe that my store deserves a bone. I am told by the past buyer/steward that they brought in a lot of CSJ product last year. Trouble is I've only been here six weeks now, so I do not know the district manager for this rep that's giving me the whole little story. I plan on calling and chatting with the DM on Monday, and maybe get to the bottom of this. Still, I would like to know from those who've tried this wine, what a good comparable label might be. Although I am sure that many people will want only CSJ, as it is the #1, (so they can say that they too have tried it). I am thinking that a positive way to handle this situation would be to at least use it as a way of introducing other Meritage blends to customers that might not considered much about trying them otherwise. What are your thoughts on the St. Supery 95? I thought it was a really big red, and I have easy access to it. Thanks as always, K

[chittychattykathy]

ie... Really big red for the money. K

[Jerry D Mead]

Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre; BV Tapestry; Jekel Meritage...are three with modest prices that come instantly to mind.

[chittychattykathy]

Will keep all three in mind! Thanks, K

[Jason]

I like Dry Creek Meritage. It does not get a lot of press, and is always around & reasonable.

[Herls]

Chitty, did you find any of this wine???????????????? Tom.
Herls@compuserve.com

[chittychattykathy]

Oh yeah, I have the Dry Creek 1995, and the BV, need to check on the Jekel. Another one that I've enjoyed is Estancia, very nice.

[winoweenie]

Two others Cathy are the Raymond Generations and the Fransiscan Magnifique. Both delightful wines. For a 38-40 buck step-up I perdonally think Bob Craigs Affinity is one of the best values going.

[chittychattykathy]

I can get the Magnificat in a 95. Is the Jekel going by the name "Sanctuary Red"?

[chittychattykathy]

So, I decided that I am going to open a bottle of St. Jean and six other Meritage wines, invite a group of about 8 friends over, and do some blind tasteing. We shall see... :rolleyes
( The other six, by the way- BV, Dry Creek, Estancia, St. Suprey, Magnificat, and the Jekel.)
Also, I am curious what the price ends up being there in AZ next week! Let me know. Thanks, K

[chittychattykathy]

Ended up changing the other six wines a bit. In the end, the St. Jean did not impress anyone in my group! Oh well, on to the next wine...

[winoweenie]

Kathy, just got back in town and received my Cinq. Retail here is 38bucks and change. My supplier who is the largest volume wine operation in the state was cut from 60 cases of the 95 to 10 of the 96. Looks like Beringer is doing their version of Tom Jordon. There has to be over half the production rat-holed at the winery for later( I.E.HIGHER-PRICED) release. What was your ending retail? WW

[chittychattykathy]

$41.35