Another classic brand destroyed, I bought these on closeout at the TR by the park in Healdsburg in the waning moments of this one-time stellar producer. I had gone up to Chateau Souverain many times and then FC bought it and gutted it but there were still glimmers of respectability down in town. So sad. I believe it started out Souverain–one of the true CLASS OF 72 producers–then became Souverain of St. Helena on Howell Mt., then up into Alexander Valley at a winner of the 1974 AIA Excellence in Architecture award as Chateau Souverain, then when FFC bought the chateau they moved into the old Asti place across the freeway, opened the TR in town and went back to just Souverain, then recently went back to Chateau Souverain as they anchor the waist-high supermarket shelf with their new hipster *cross & arrows* logo… Us old-skool watchers grasp this stuff with great chagrin. Hell, they might be like Clos Du Bois now and just make ‘California’.
Bricking and placid, tertiary going strong: the layers of leather and sharp acid in the face of fading fruit telling of its 18 years of rest. Ridiculous tannin pretty much captures the day here, a dirty, spicy, Alex cab quotient filling the palate. A wine totally in stasis, going nowhere and fading in most subtle arenas.
In the mouth, a grainy aspect of fruit and struture calls up both *is it gone* and *going forever* arguments. Absolutely stunning the second day: sweet and delicious and showing not a drop of fatigue. This guy made serious–though always inexpensive–wine and everything points to grandeur in this flagship bottle. I wish this producer still existed, and the wine proudly shows what Souverain did for many decades. Unfortunately, everything’s a memory. Wonder where Killian is today?
2005 CHATEAU SOUVERAIN ‘Home Ranch’ Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma 14.6
Stephen McConnell 