You'll find a rich color and layers of traditional Cabernet flavors such as blackberry, chocolate and cola, with touches of violet and cassis. On the nose pleasant aromas of ripe cherry and cola spice are accentuated with black currants. The wine is juicy and full in the mouth with hints of coffee, toasty oak and dark fruits like plums. It remains a Cabernet that complements food instead of overpowering it. A Blue cheese melted across a bone-in New York Steak would be a great pairing choice.


Cool climate aromas of pineapple are an unexpected treat, followed by the more traditional Mendo green apple, with a twist of lemon and a touch of vanilla from the new French Oak. In the mouth, you'll find a solid backbone with bold citrus and tropical flavors, balanced with creaminess that lingers on the finish.

The Vineyards
Crafted with the idea of an everyday drinking wine that is rich in flavorand highly accessible in mind, this inaugural release showcases California Merlot with a classic Chateau St. Jean signature - big fruit intensity.We selected fruit from two California coastal areas where Merlot grows best- the North Coast (79%) and the Central Coast (21%) to blend this wine.North Coast vineyards in Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino Countiesgive the wine a solid backbone that is nicely balanced with firm tanninsand forward fruit flavors of black fruits. Central Coast vineyards in PasoRobles and Santa Maria bring fleshy tannins and ripe fruit flavors of plumand black cherries.

Winemaking
Known for her penchant for blending, Winemaker Margo Van Staaverenused Petite Sirah (10%) and a hint of her favorite variety Malbec (1%) tobring complexity and exotic fruit notes to the wine. The components wereaged separately for 10 months in American (63%) and French (34%) oak.Once the lots were selected, the blend was assembled and then bottled.

Tasting Notes
Aromas of black fruits dominate with notable hints of plum on the nose. Rich, ripe and forward with big fruit flavors of black cherry and blackberryare backed by a slight hint of mint and subtle notes of roasted meat. Lush and fleshy tannins gently surround the fruit to a satisfying finish.


The Vineyards
The vineyards for this wine were selected from the Alexander Valley and Knights Valley appellations. The fruit from the Alexander Valley and Knights Valley gives the wine the ripe melon, fig flavors and lends lemongrass and dried herb notes to achieve a blend with a balance of fruit and herbal spice flavors.

Winemaking
This Fumé Blanc is Sauvignon Blanc blended with Semillon grapes to add complexity to the blend. The components remained separate throughout the winemaking process. The majority of wine (56%) was tank fermented to retain the forward fruit flavors. The remaining 44% of the blend was barrel fermented in a combination of French (23%) and American oak (20%) cooperage and aged sur lie.

Bearing the image of a frolicking green monkey, Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc is delightfully fresh and lively. Overflowing with ripe, sweet flavours of grapefruit and lemon, the palate is infused with delicate herbal characters. Finishing crisp and refreshing, this wine balances intense fruit qualities and zesty acidity with the fullness and complexity derived from maturation on yeast lees.

Vitification
Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc is predominantly sourced from our Marlborough vineyards, including our relatively new development at Rarangi, just south of Monkey Bay, which lies within the larger Cloudy Bay area. notable hints of plum on the nose.Rich, ripe and forward with big fruit flavors of black cherry and blackberryare backed by a slight hint of mint and subtle notes of roasted meat. Lush and fleshy tannins gently surround the fruit to a satisfying finish.


Description
To capture the true essence of the fresh New Zealand style, grapes from three premium East Coast winegrowing regions have been blended to create the Monkey Bay Chardonnay. Gisborne, lying on the east coast of the North Island, is fondly known as the 'Chardonnay Capital of New Zealand'. Hawkes Bay, situated to the south of Gisborne on the east coast of the North Island, is New Zealand's most diverse wine growing region. Grapes produced in Marlborough, on the north eastern tip of the South Island, are renowned for their refreshingly crisp, vibrant fruit characters. This combination of different sites, clonal selections and viticultural techniques provide variety and complexity in the aroma and flavour spectrum of the Monkey Bay Chardonnay.

Vintification
2004 proved to be an excellent vintage throughout New Zealand, with a warm settled autumn providing an extended ripening period. The harvested grapes showed excellent flavour profiles, with natural acidity retained at optimum sugar levels. The grapes were crushed, destemmed and pressed, with minimal skin contact. The juice was inoculated with aselection of yeasts and fermented cool in stainless steel tanks, in order to develop a wide range of fruit characters and complexity in the wine. A portion of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation and remained on yeast lees for an extended time to soften and add richness to the palate. The final blend was lightly fined and sterile filtered prior to bottling.