A proprietary red wine, Cinq Cepages, has been made at Chateau St. Jean since 1990. I tasted two vintages of this wine, which is aged in 50% new oak casks for nearly two years. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%-82%), Cabernet Franc (10%-14%), Merlot (6%-8%), Malbec (2%-3%), and Petite Verdot (2%-3%). I saw a jammy, dark ruby-colored 1994 Cinq Cepages, and a chocolatey, smoky, slightly herbal, spicy, tannic 1993 Cinq Cepages. Both wines appear less impressive than the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Reserve Merlot. Nevertheless, they offer elegance, some hard tannin (particularly the 1993), and a mid-weight, medium-bodied style. Both wines have less aging potential than the Reserve Cabernet; I would opt for drinking these wines over the next 3-12+ years.

Supple, even fleshy, with ripe cherry and currant flavors, picking up hints of anise, cedar and herb. Well-balanced, even though the flavors taper off a bit on the finish.--1993 California Cabernet retrospective. Drink now. 9,000 cases made. -JL