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DOES
CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY AGE? CHATEAU ST. JEAN 15 YEAR VERTICAL GIVES CLUE
THE
WINERY
Located in Kenwood, California, Chateau St. Jean was founded in 1973 by
Robert and Edward Merzoian and Kenneth Sheffield, and named after Jean Sheffield
Merzoian. Its first employee and winemaker was Richard Arrowood
who would go on
to bring critical acclaim to the winery through the production of late harvest
Johannisberg Riesling. In 1984, Suntory International purchased the winery and
sold it in 1996 to Beringer Wine Estates. In 1990 Don Van Staaveren was
named
winemaker. In 1997, Steve Reeder
became the winemaker. Recently, Foster’s Brewing Group of Australia acquired
Beringer including Chateau St. Jean. THE
WINE
The Robert Young Vineyard designated Chardonnay was first
produced in 1975 from grapes grown on a 100-acre parcel in Sonoma County. Each
of the thirteen blocks of chardonnay is picked and barrel fermented separately
in 50% new French oak and 50% one-to-two year old oak. The wine does NOT
undergo malolactic fermentation (MLF). After separate aging in oak
casks, the wine is blended in November and bottled in January. The Robert Young
Reserve Chardonnay is a selection of the very best lots. Some of the Robert
Young Chardonnay, up to 40%, is used in the regular Sonoma County Chardonnay
blend. Reeder says “although not strong on aromatics, texture is where Robert
Young has it over other Chardonnays.” Reeder and associate winemaker
Margo Van
Staaveren are trying to make a wine with low acidity and lots of creaminess.
Reeder added that he “wants big, bold fruit” and eschews any process that
diminishes that goal. The non-malolactic process is an “appropriate style for
this vineyard,” Reeder says. In a moment of unabashed honesty Reeder added,
“I don’t like old Chardonnay…past 1994.” THE
QUESTION OF AGEABILITY
DOES CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY AGE? Not to keep you in suspense, the short
answer is YES and NO. I had the good fortune to be invited to a 15 year vertical
tasting of Chateau St. Jean’s Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay spanning 1982
to 1997, with the exception of 1989 when Robert Young was not produced. Before
the tasting, I was skeptical that any of the older vintages were alive. My
general rule of thumb for California Chardonnay is drink within 4 years of
vintage or risk the disappointment of an over-the-hill (OTH) experience—off-flavored, oxidized wine that is unpalatable. Now, not to pick on American
Chardonnay, White Burgundy suffers a similar fate. My rule of thumb for White
Burgundy comes from experience and asking people in the know. When I travel in
Burgundy, I ask everyone I can, from winemaker to wine seller, “how long does
White Burgundy last?” And consistently, the answer is “drink within 5 years
of vintage.” My experience has taught me that the very best
White Burgundy ages gracefully for 10, in some cases, 15 years. However,
although possessing no off flavors after 10 years, many are just water, alcohol,
acid and tannin, having lost all their fruit. They are hollow shells of what
there were in their prime. Please forgive me if I insist that my Chardonnay have
some resemblance to the grape from which it was derived! Some “experts” seem
more affected by the pedigree of the wine than the taste. And, then again, some
like OTH wines!
Comparing California Chardonnay with White Burgundy is a difficult
proposition. In general, the best White Burgundy does age better than the best
California Chardonnay. Although no one knows for sure, the reason may be due to
the difference in acid composition. Chardonnay grapes grown in Burgundy contain
a higher ratio of tartaric to malic acid compared to their California
counterparts. (See article on the Acidity of Wine.)
Therefore, when they undergo malolactic fermentation (MLF) they lose less acid
because only malic acid is converted to lactic acid during MLF, leaving behind a
substantial quantity of unchanged tartaric acid. White Burgundy, thus, retains
more natural acidity and has a better acid backbone than California Chardonnay.
Ergo, it ages longer.
THE TASTING
Given that Chateau St. Jean, Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay does not
undergo malolactic fermentation, and, therefore, loses no natural acidity, it was interesting to see how early vintages of
this wine aged.
SUMMARY OF TASTING RESULTS: The 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986,
1987, 1988 and 1990 vintages possessed off colors, off noses and off flavors.
These wines exhibited substantial oxidation and were over-the-hill. The 10 year old
1991
vintage was still alive, but beginning to show signs of oxidation. The
1992
through 1997 were all very much alive, although I’d recommend drinking the
older vintages soon. These represent California Chardonnay that is
4 to 10 years old. So, going back to the original question of aging, one can
conclude that Chateau St. Jean, Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay ages
considerably better than most California Chardonnay. The only reason to age a
wine is to make it better. Once a wine reaches a certain point of maturation, decay,
primarily extensive oxidation, produce foul, off aromas and flavors, and the
beverage ceases to be wine. There are some who claim to "enjoy" these
beverages, but they're no longer drinking wine. TASTING
NOTES:
CHATEAU ST. JEAN, ROBERT YOUNG VINEYARD CHARDONNAY from the
cellars of Chateau St. Jean. NOTE: OTH = over-the- hill. Sweetness is from
alcohol not residual sugar; the wines are dry.
1982: Dark yellow color with off, oxidized nose; sweet off
flavors; OTH.
1983: Rusty yellow; off nose and flavors; OTH.
1984: Dark rusty yellow; off, lacquer-like nose; OTH.
1985: Rusty yellow; cardboard nose (from wine glasses?); OTH.
1986: Rusty yellow, (dark urine); terrible off nose; oxidized; OTH.
1987: Dark yellow; sour milk nose; OTH.
1988: Yellow with hint of rust; sour milk nose; OTH.
1989: Not produced.
1990: Rusty yellow with oxidized nose; OTH but getting better.
1991: Medium dark yellow; still alive, but on downward spiral;
some
oxidation; sweet in mouth. `
1992: Yellow with slight rust; sweet, rich fruit but lacks complexity.
1993: Yellow with hint of rust; good mouth-feel; sweet fruit.
1994: Dark yellow; good concentration; viscous mouth-feel; nice juice!
1995: Medium-dark yellow; fruity nose; good mouth-feel and flavors;
my
favorite; 15.2% alcohol!
1996: Medium yellow; clean, juicy fruit nose; thinner than 95 and
more
austere; good structure; elegant style.
1997: Moderate yellow color; dumb at first; took time to open to
juicy
fruit nose and excellent mouth-feel; good flavors; nice wine. FINAL THOUGHTS ON CHARDONNAY
1) Drink
California Chardonnay within three to four years of vintage. 2)
On rare
occasion, California Chardonnay can last 10 years, but don’t chance it. 3)
Drink
White Burgundy within four to five years of vintage. 4)
The very
best White Burgundy can last 15 years or longer, but generally loses its fruit. 5)
If a
Chardonnay tastes great now, drink it now. 6)
If a
Chardonnay tastes bad now, aging will not improve it. 7)
STORE
YOUR CHARDONNAY AT 55o F. Storage at room temperature will lead to rapid loss of
quality. (See Temperature
and Aging.)
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