WTN: 1995 Merlot, 1999 Ch. 2003 "Anthem" Reverse Bordeaux Blend

At dinner last night at first Crush Restaurant in San Francisco. -served with meals heavy on the red meat side.

2003 Anthem Meritage (St. Francis Winery, Sonoma County. A reverse Bordeaux Blend, with about 80% Malbec and Petit Verdot. Reticent nose, with some nice earthyness. This was drunk pretty young, so some very noticable tannins. Definitely a blackberry, raspberry, and current-dominated wine. Oak seems pretty well balanced-no nasty scream of vanilla. A very nice and interesting wine. Pricey though. I would driink this again for sure.

1999 Ch. Phelan Segur (St. Estephe) Seems to be pretty accessible right now. Definitely a French wine, lean and not a lot of big sweet fruit. Fine grained, furry tannins, which I liked. Leather and tobacco underneath the fruit. Not a lot of oak. Very enjoyable. I would buy this again.

1995 Farella-Park "Orchard Block" Merlot (Napa City/Coombsville). Leaner than the last bottles, but still very savory. There was more fruit here-raspberry and cherry-but the secondary flavors of earth and tobacco and leather are what this wine is about. Yum. One more bottle left.

2004 Luna Sangiovese (Napa Valley). From restaurant wine list. Disappointing. Candy-sweet, is this what you mean by "confected? However, definitely acidic. Very young and very primary=fruit is what you get here. No thanks. If I had to choose a Napa County sangiovese, I much prefer the Pepi.

[Jenise]

Currant--St. Francis wines all taste like black currants to me, whether they're merlot, cab or anything else. I believe I've understood that to be the result of their use of American oak, which I can't argue with because it gives their wines a boldness that wins them a lot of loyal fans. Interesting to see the same character pop up in a malbec by them.

Oh, and where's Coombsville? Sounds like the next town down the line from Hooterville.

Thanks Brian, we used to have Phélan Ségur here (I think '98 was the last vintage) and I really enjoyed them. They weren't perhaps terribly exciting wines, but they were always savoury, elegant and very true St.-Estephe IMO. I'm sorry to see that no more recent vintages have been available.

Currant--St. Francis wines all taste like black currants to me, whether they're merlot, cab or anything else. I believe I've understood that to be the result of their use of American oak[...]

I would have thought that the oak would give a dill/vanilla or blueberry character. But black currant? A friend of mine studying for the WSET is adamant that it is caused by some commercial yeast strain - anyone know?

[Jenise]

Otto, it could well be a combination of factors--and I hope someone more knowledgeable than you and I answers. But St. Francis wines are distinctive because of their oak, and they do always taste of black currant. I always presumed that the latter was due to the former. They also have a bit of dill flavor when they're young, which yes is typical of American oak, but it ages out somewhat (and sometimes becomes coconutty). But mostly, in the end, in my experience, black currant dominates these wines.

Interesting comments, Jenise. I didn't notice any of the "vanilla" or the "smoke" that to my limited experience indicates excessive oak. So "currant" can be an indicator, too....Hm.

I guess I need to be mor precise when I claim to be an "oakaphobe," because I like currant-and even a touch of smoke. It's the confected vanilla and caramel flavors that are an instant turn off for me. Like with the Luna-I've never had a Sangiovese, American or Italian, with such a dominant flavor of vanilla oak!

[Jenise]

Brian, black currant is something not an objectionable flavor to me either, the way vanilla is--I share your dislike--but it's weird to me that all the St. Francis wines taste of it. Which is why I presumed it comes from the American oak--which a lot of Aussies use, and which a lot of Aussie wines also taste of. I just went to the SF website to confirm that the American oak use is still prevalent, and it is. In the reserve line, it's 100% new oak, too, usually mixed American and French (they're not specific about percentages) or all American oak (on their zin).