Sonoma Valley- Part 2

Chateau St. Jean and B.R. Cohn

Last week we talked about Kenwood Vineyards and this week we’ll talk about Chateau St. Jean and B.R. Cohn Winery,  which are just down the road.

Chateau St. Jean and B.R. Cohn are two very different wineries but both produce some really nice wines.  Chateau St. Jean has been around since 1973 while B.R. Cohn came along ten years later.  As I mentioned last week, we have been visitors/customers at St. Jean for a very long time.  It was one of the original wineries up at this end of the Sonoma Valley and has always had a great reputation.  B.R. Cohn came along and initially was known for excellent Cabernet but the operation has grown and they now produce a full range of wines.

Chateau St. Jean sits just above the town of Kenwood about one-half mile north of Kenwood Vineyards.  The winery sits on a 270 acre property set back from the highway against the Mayacamas Mountains. The property consists of the original tasting room which was an old large house, the newer visitor center and the winery operations set against the mountains.   They describe the property as gracious and elegant and it really is; there are great lawn and garden areas surrounding the buildings.  The visitor center includes a lot of retail and even includes a small deli.  The facility receives a lot of traffic and the room is well staffed. 

 

Reserve Tasting Room at Chateau St. Jean

Chateau St. Jean is all about vineyard designated wines and sources from properties all over Sonoma County including the Sonoma Valley, Russian River, Alexander Valley and Sonoma Coast Appellations.   I think Chardonnay is a big stand out here but they are also well known for their Cabernet Bordeaux-style blend, Cinq Cepages which received the ‘Wine of the Year’ award from Wine Spectator in 1996 and the #2 ranking again in 1999. 

 

They offer two tasting options-- the regular tasting runs $15.00 for five tastes and the reserve tasting runs $25.00 for five premium tastes.  The premium tasting takes place in the original tasting room and includes limited release wines.  We opted for the $15.00 tasting and used our Winery Finder app for a 2 for 1.  At $25.00 the reserve tasting may be the priciest in Sonoma and the Winery Finder app does not work for a 2 for 1 at that level.

We started with the Robert Young Vineyard Pinot Blanc.  This was good way to start the day.  Next we had a Chardonnay.  They offer at least four Chardonnay’s for tasting ranging from a non-malolactic to full malolactic versions.  I assume we had something in the middle.  It had the classic California Chardonnay taste although my palette prefers the un-oaked crisp flavors.  The red wines were all excellent.  We had a Pinot Noir, a Syrah, and the 8555 Cuvee.  We loved the 8555 which is their Merlot based alternative to the Cinq Cepages.  The reds tend to run a bit pricier than the whites although Cinq Cepages, which we did not taste, at $75.00 really is a pretty darn good price if it is as good as advertised. 

Next we headed over to B.R. Cohn which is a few miles south.  B.R. Cohn has great grounds as well, with picnic tables and a separate olive oil and vinegar tasting room and some other things on the property that are interesting.  There was an old Woody automobile on display and there is a whole set of kiddie tractors as you drive in.  B.R Cohn may not be as elegant as St. Jean but it definitely has as much of a ‘cool factor’.  The tasting room is a long angled bar and is set up to accommodate a good sized group.  Tastings were $15 but we were able to use our 2 for 1 Winery Finder app.  Phil, a long time B.R. Cohn employee, was our guy and he was great.

 

 

 

B.R. Cohn Tasting Room

Cohn has quite a few wines available for tasting including a lower priced (mostly) car themed label (Muscle Car Red, Roadster Red, Woody’s White, etc.).  The wines are made mostly from Sonoma grapes, although both Napa and Mendocino were represented.   There were some “tasting room only” deals that were great bargains.  This day the Sauvignon Blanc was half price at $12.00.  I tried the Sauv Blanc but mostly stuck to the reds, which is really their focus.  The B.R. Cohn that you see most often in the grocery store is called the Silver Label Cabernet but we tasted some of the smaller production wines.  The standouts were the Mendocino Barbera as well as the Olive Hill Cabernet’s.  Olive Hill is the 90 acre property that the winery sits on and B.R. Cohn made their name with this Cabernet.  The standard Olive Hill Estate Cab runs $55.00 and really is very good.  Phil, our host, figures it is the best Cab in the valley.  We also got to try the Special Selection (the best of the Olive Hill Cab).  This was also good but in my mind not worth the jump up to $100.00.

Both of these wineries are good stops, easy to get to, no reservations required, have reasonably priced tastings and both have places to picnic.  They should both be on your list of wineries if this is the first time tasting in Sonoma Valley.

What we liked- Easy no-pressure tasting experiences

What we bought- We bought the Olive Hill Cabernet from B.R. Cohn

Vitals-

Chateau St. Jean

8555 Sonoma Highway

Kenwood, CA  95452

(707) 833-5234

www.chateaustjeancom

 

B.R. Cohn Winery

15000 Sonoma Highway

Glen Ellen, CA  95442

(800) 330-4064

www.brcohn.com