09 Oct Chateau St. Jean Introduces New Winemaker Lisa Evich At Cinq Cépages Event at the Estate
Santa Rosa, Calif., October 9, 2024 – Chateau St. Jean, the iconic Sonoma County estate winery, held an intimate dinner in the chateau and gardens of the historic Kenwood property on Saturday evening, October 5th.
Chateau St. Jean’s recently appointed winemaker Lisa Evich hosted the dinner which was attended by wine club members, community leaders and media. Evich was previously Director of Winemaking at Simi and held winemaking leadership positions at Pine Ridge and Arrowood. Evich also oversees winemaking for Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery, producing Sonoma County wines for 120 years.
Family-owned Foley Family Wines & Spirits (FFWS) acquired Chateau St. Jean in 2021, celebrating the winery’s 50 th anniversary in 2023. FFWS modernized the production facility and reinstated on-site winemaking with the 2022 vintage.
“Thoughtful stewardship of this winery and brand is important to my family, and we are proud of our ongoing efforts to restore CSJ and our winemaking operations to reflect what put the site on the map, to begin with,” noted Courtney Foley, EVP and second-generation vintner for FFWS. “We hired Lisa to guide CSJ through the next phase of its story and are excited to see her impact on Chateau St. Jean’s wines – especially Cinq Cépages.”
Chateau St. Jean helped solidify Sonoma County as one of the top wine regions in the world with Cinq Cépages, the winery’s flagship wine. The red blend has consistently earned the respect of wine critics and consumers since its inaugural 1990 vintage. Cinq Cépages is French for “Five Grape Varieties” denoting the five classic Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
Visitors can experience the Cinq Cépages’ legacy with a newly launched vertical tasting at the Chateau St. Jean hospitality center for $180. Consumers can purchase Cinq Cépages at the chateau, online, and in fine wine shops and fine dining establishments for an SRP of $100 (current vintage).
Chateau St. Jean also produces single-vineyard wines that are available nationwide, including a Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $55 SRP, a Carneros Chardonnay at $45 SRP and a selection of small-production DTC wines through the wine club and website.
For images of Chateau St. Jean or Lisa Evich, please visit the media image site: Images | Foley Family Wines & Spirits (ffws.com)
About Chateau St. Jean
Chateau St. Jean was founded in 1973 to create wines that captured the nuance, character, and quality of Sonoma’s distinct vineyards and growing regions. The winery was named after Jean Sheffield, wife, sister, and sister-in-law of the three founders. The Chateau St. Jean estate includes the historic 1920s chateau, a tasting room, lush rose gardens, expansive lawns, and French architectural accents. It is open for tasting experiences, special events, and weddings. The winery produces a portfolio of single vineyard and reserve wines in addition to the flagship Cinq Cépages red blend.
8555 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, California, 95452; 707-257-5784; www.chateaustjean.com
About Foley Family Wines & Spirits
Established by Bill Foley in 1996, Foley Family Wines & Spirits (FFWS) is a portfolio of highly acclaimed wines and spirits from some of the world’s greatest estates. The company owns more than 24 wineries and a distillery, each with its distinct style, legacy, and approach to hospitality. FFWS has expanded its portfolio significantly since its founding, now including such storied brands as Chalk Hill Estate Winery, Sebastiani, Roth, Banshee, Ferrari-Carano, Chateau St. Jean, and Lancaster in Sonoma; Merus, Silverado, and Foley Johnson in Napa Valley; Lincourt, Firestone, and Foley Estates in Southern California; Chalone Vineyard in Monterey County; Four Graces and Acrobat in Oregon; and Three Rivers in Washington. FFWS’s import wines include Lucien Albrecht in France, Nieto Senetiner in Argentina, and 14 wine brands spanning three of New Zealand’s most acclaimed winegrowing regions: Marlborough, Central Otago, and Martinborough. The growing global spirits portfolio includes High Ground Vodka, Charles Goodnight Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, New Zealand’s Lighthouse Gin, El Mexicano Tequila, the Loch Lomond Group portfolio of Scotch and spirits, and Two Stacks and Killowen Irish Whiskey.
200 Concourse Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA, 95403; 707-708-7600; https://FFWS.com