Ch. St. Jean

The Cinq Cepages suffered immeasurably from success when the '95 (IIRC) was declared "Wine of the Year" in the top 100 by Wine Spectator. I had a half-dozen bottles, purchased at less than $30 US from the local shop. Two months later I found one on the shelf for $120!

I served the wine with Beef Wellington at a "Millenium" dinner on

1/1/2000 (I hope this doesn't start the discussion of when a millenium starts or ends---)

While enjoyable, I didn't think the wine was exceptional. Simply a nice dark wine. But, apparently by your pricing comment, the Shanken curse is still operative.

Ed Rasimus Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret) "When Thunder Rolled"

Ed, I seem to recall the WS accolades for the '96, but you could be correct with the '95. I've always put down about 1/2 case, since about '94 and really enjoyed this one. I haven't gotten my allocation for 2003, but will probably do so. As to pricing, I paid US$35/btl of the '96, and US$37 for the '97. I drank up all the '96 that a local steakhouse had in PHX for $55/btl, until they flat ran out. Later, I saw it for $125 at Brooks in Den, then $450 there about 8 months later! The sommelier there was a good acquaintance of mine from the good old days in Den and I asked, "hey, what's the deal?" With a grin, he just said, "I can get that price all night long!" Now, this was before the . Com bust, and I'd venture to say that the $4000 dinner for 6 isn't quite what it once was at Brooks - but maybe I'm wrong. Heck, I should have shipped up my eight bottles, sold them to Justin and paid for a weekend at the Broadmoor!

The last price I have listed is for the '02 and I paid $60/btl - still worth it in my book, but starting to hit the ceiling.

Hunt

PS Bill S, I hope that you were tasting at a restaurant and not from a private cellar, considering the "corked" bottle.

Ed,

It was the '96. My wife and I happened to be in Sonoma shortly after that WS issue was released. We'd enjoyed CC since '92 (I still have a bottle of the '94 tucked away), so we scurried over to the winery. They were still selling the '96 for the release price of $28 - one per customer! I've got it sleeping with it's '94 brother. Has anyone tried the '96 recently? How's it doing?

Regards, Dean