A Yen for Julien

Prologue

The Carmel Valley's Chateau Juien is modeled upon the chateaux of the commune of St. Julien, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux.

...James Halliday, Wine Atlas of California

The Rest of the Story

If the architecture is from Bordeaux, then winemaker Bill Anderson must make a wine from Bordeaux's best grape, Cabernet Sauvignon. He does, and author Halliday says the Private Reserve Cab "shows ripe fruit with an interesting touch of cinnamon and spice." My tasters just tried the 1995 and gave it absolutely top marks. 

The Wine

1995 Cabernet Sauvignon, Monterey County
Chateau Julien, Carmel Valley, Ca.
Winemaker—Bill Anderson, Stanford & U.C. Davis, has been the St. Julien winemaker since it was founded in 1982 in a little Monterey warehouse. Today he's a bit busier, handling in the fall the juice from about seven MILLION pounds of grapes
Tasting Notes—Loads of rich, black-cherry and vanilla-oak flavors.
Rating—Against 18 competitors, it was the only one given an EXCELLENT.
Price—$26 range.

Postscript

This year Bill will have some new grapes to massage. St. Julien's first vines planted in the Carmel Valley go commercial this year. Stay tuned.
Note—For more about Chateau Julien see the Sept. 17, 1997 WineDay titled "Merlot Magic, for only $10."

About the Writer Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. He currently teaches wine courses at San Francisco State and San Francisco City College and is Northern California Editor for American Wine on the Web. In 1995, the Academy of Wine Communications honored Fred with one of only 22 Certificates of Commendation awarded to American wine writers.

WineDay Annex

More articles by
Fred McMillin

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1997 WineDays

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