Our neighbors have two darling children. When their oldest was nearing his 4th birthday his super-mom planned a backyard bash for about 65 people (adults and kids). My husband and I attended and brought along some wine to share (with the adults): 2005 Opolo Mountain Zinfandel and 2005 Consilience Estelle Vineyard Syrah. The Opolo Zinfandel is a Paso Robles fruit bomb – no two ways about it. The Estelle is a BIG wine – jammy and spicy and very typical of the highly expressive style of Consilience winemaker, Brett Escalera. I noticed that while all the little ones were running around having a good time (high on sugary treats) I have to admit that my palate enjoyed the pairing of the fruity Zin with the chocolate birthday cake. How is that for decadent? After most of the guests had gone home, our neighbors opened up a bottle that they’d stashed away for a while – a 1998 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages. This is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot with chocolate, cherry and blackberry aromas with flavors of ripe plum and dark berries. What a wonderful way to end a day!