Today's recommended wine
Chateau St. Jean, 2006 Reserve Chardonnay Sonoma County, $45
I have reviewed single vineyard Chards from Chateau St. Jean, but never a Reserve. The bottle, with winemaker Margo Van Staaveren's name embossed on the front, tells you this is more serious than the others. Margo has pushed the fruit emphasis. Well, every winemaker does that, but you detect her hand. It's feminine, balanced -- not like a Mack truck. This Chard is mainly from the acclaimed Robert Young Vineyard, along with other notables. It's big, yet delicate, and powerful. It's fermented in half new French oak, and it's not smoky or overpowering, which means the fruit is big and has a grip. The nose is apples, pears, lemon, ginger and vanilla. You taste the spice off the French oak. Aromas are like a perfume. On the palate, you get the weight of the fruit, oak and alcohol -- 14.4 percent. There's a butteriness, but it doesn't dominate. This is a huge wine with great acidity for balance. Pair it with great seafood, caviar (if anybody can afford it), grilled shrimp, fabulous chicken or pork.
