Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
1995 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cpages Sonoma County 14.3%
Found a lone bottle of this in my sister's cellar, a throwback from when she and her husband lived in Washington DC ten years ago, and got her to let me open it. Says Cabernet Sauvignon prominently on the front but the back label says it's blended with Cab Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot (hence the cing cpages subtitle). Very aromatic, with leather, cigarbox and plums. Satisfying mouth weight. Lively acidity, balanced by attractive fruit. Shows the dilly notes of American oak, attractively so. Tastes like an appealing cross between an "old style" Argentine Bdx blend (like Weinert or Bodegas Lopez) and a traditional Rioja. Perhaps a touch too sweet, but that comes across as sunny friendliness. A lovely surprise, free of any point chasing excess, and drinking very well now.
Found a lone bottle of this in my sister's cellar, a throwback from when she and her husband lived in Washington DC ten years ago, and got her to let me open it. Says Cabernet Sauvignon prominently on the front but the back label says it's blended with Cab Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot (hence the cing cpages subtitle). Very aromatic, with leather, cigarbox and plums. Satisfying mouth weight. Lively acidity, balanced by attractive fruit. Shows the dilly notes of American oak, attractively so. Tastes like an appealing cross between an "old style" Argentine Bdx blend (like Weinert or Bodegas Lopez) and a traditional Rioja. Perhaps a touch too sweet, but that comes across as sunny friendliness. A lovely surprise, free of any point chasing excess, and drinking very well now.