Spirits running high at Sonoma Valley winery

KENWOOD, Calif. - The first truck that rolled up dumped a load of chardonnay grapes from the Robert Young vineyard in nearby Alexander Valley. Harvest was finally under way at Chateau St. Jean, and the entire winemaking team was gathered on the crush pad at the Sonoma Valley winery, where optimism for the 2000 vintage is running high.

"Beautiful," said Tom Peterson, formerly the winemaker at Chateau Souverain and now the person responsible for the fine-wine division at all six of the Beringer Wine Estates, including Chateau St. Jean. "These grapes are gorgeous. They`re in absolutely perfect condition."

While Oregon was a month from picking and the vintners of northern France and Italy were still worrying about autumn showers, California`s vast wine industry was set to reap its best vintage since 1997. From San Diego in the south to Mendocino County in the north, conditions have been ideal throughout most of the growing season.

"It`s been a very good summer," said winemaker Marco Cappelli of Swanson Vineyards in the Napa Valley. "The grapes are healthy and the crop load is good, though not quite as big as 1997. We haven`t had any rain to speak of. The white grapes are coming in now, and they look great.

"Cabernet sauvignon hasn`t been picked yet, but we`re getting closer. If the weather holds, this is shaping up as a very nice year."

Although the first wines of the 2000 vintage won`t appear until next spring, the size and quality of this vintage should slow the acceleration of California wine prices following two consecutive vintages with low yields and variable quality. But don`t count on a market glut. Demand for seriously good wine from California is stronger than ever, ensuring that even a hefty vintage with high quality - such as 1997 - will barrel out the winery door.WINE FINDS:

The most outstanding wines are rated Exceptional. Wines that earn high marks for complexity, balance and flavor are rated Very Good. Wines that represent excellent quality for the price are rated Good Value.

Exceptional:

Arrowood 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County ($45), is just another impeccably made wine from one of Sonoma County`s perennial stars. The vintage made the work of winemaker Michel Berthoud a bit easier than usual. Perfect growing conditions yielded an enormous grape crop of exceptional quality throughout Sonoma County, and the red wines released thus far have been particularly dazzling. The Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon is a sublime blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cab franc, petit verdot and malbec from five different Sonoma County appellations. Ultra smooth, rich and bold, with pure dark-berry and black-cherry fruit aromas, enjoy this one now or cellar it for six to eight years to reach optimum drinkability.

King Estate 1997 Reserve Pinot Noir, Oregon ($35), could be the most successful effort from this property since the 1994 vintage. A rich, complex wine that exudes ripe fruit, the `97 Reserve is beautifully balanced, full-bodied and packs a tremendous finish. Wonderful raspberry and blueberry aromas are accented with nuances of cedar, sweet spices and black pepper. This one will improve over the next several years in the bottle.

Very Good:

Clos Du Val 1998 Zinfandel, California ($18), did better than the vintage as a whole. This wine is remarkably good considering the difficult growing conditions. Rich, ripe blackberry jam and spice are the most obvious flavor characteristics, but there are other charms: excellent concentration and depth, good structure and balance, and a lingering finish.

Baileyana Winery 1998 Firepeak Chardonnay, Edna Valley ($27), shows off the rich textures and abundant layers of fruit that speak to the essence of Edna Valley chardonnay at its best. This one is full-bodied and rich in the California style, yet has the elegance of a grand cru Burgundy, with wonderful length on the palate and a long, lingering, complex finish.

Good Value:

Chateau St. Jean 1999 Chardonnay, Sonoma County ($13), comes from a vintage that was very cool, with a long growing season and low yields - made to order for chardonnay. Winemaker Steve Reeder has beefed up CSJ`s Sonoma chard since arriving in 1997, going for more body and flavor than had been the norm. The price hasn`t quite caught up to the improved quality, hence it remains a tremendous value.

Beaulieu Vineyard 1999 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley ($11), manages to retain a good deal of its varietal character despite barrel (75 percent) and malolactic (18 percent) fermentation. This is a tribute to winemaker Joel Aiken. I think. Somehow the fruit doesn`t appear to have been pulverized by those winemaking techniques, and there are some lovely citrus, mineral and herbal nuances that emerge and make this a very nice wine for the money.

Georges Duboeuf 1999 Viognier, France ($12), has come up steadily in price since it was introduced a few years ago, but then quality has improved along the way. Duboeuf has performed miracles with its vineyards in the Ardeche, in the south of France, and the development of good-quality viognier has proved that this wine that smells of peaches, apricots, honey and honeysuckle doesn`t have to cost $30 a bottle to satisfy a discriminating palate.

Maddalena Vineyard 1999 Pinot Grigio, Monterey ($10), is produced in a dry, crisp style similar to the pinot grigio found in cooler parts of northern Italy. Fresh citrus, ripe melons and white flowers are the primary characteristics of what turned out to be a delicious, inexpensive example of a California pinot grigio when it is done right.

Rosemount Estate 2000 Diamond Grenache Shiraz, Australia ($7.99), may be light and fruity, but it doesn`t lack for flavor or character. It`s a juicy, spicy wine made in an easy-to-drink style that begs for a picnic or picante appetizers. Also great with smoked meats and vegetables from the barbie.

Rosemount Estate 2000 Diamond Chardonnay Semillon, Australia ($7.99), is another beautiful but inexpensive blend from one of the world`s most forward-thinking wineries. An everyday white wine for everyday people consuming everyday food on an everyday budget. It has nice complexity, good fruit concentration and an appeal that extends beyond the pocketbook. This is cheap wine for wine lovers.SPIRIT OF THE WEEK:

Jack Daniel`s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey ($40) is the preferred Jack for whiskey sippers. With two years longer in cask than Jack Daniel`s Old No. 7, the single barrel is more full-bodied and has greater flavor intensity than regular Jack. The nuances of oak aging - vanilla and caramel - parlay nicely with the sweet aroma of this bourbonlike spirit to create a smooth, rich mouth feel. The finish is very mellow.

Each batch of single-barrel Jack possesses characteristics unique to that barrel, including its location in the distillery warehouse (the Rick number on the label, which also identifies the barrel number and bottling date). Serious enthusiasts may purchase the entire barrel ($8,500) of about 220 750-millileter bottles.

Serving suggestion: From renowned chef Doug Organ of San Diego`s Wine Sellar & Brasserie, a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner, comes a wine suggestion to go with chilled melon soup before it`s too late to find ripe melons. Organ likes an almost-dry chenin blanc or a viognier. To that I add specific suggestions: Chappellet or Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin Blanc or Marc Bredif Vouvray; Orfila Lotus Cuvee Viognier, Georges Duboeuf Viognier.

Visit Robert Whitley online at www.whitleyonwine.com or send e-mail to him at whitonwine(at)aol.com.

(c) Copley News Service

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Author: Robert Whitley