Ch. Montelena

Though we associate Chateau Montelena with Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Calistoga, we shouldn’t overlook their tasty Riesling from the organic McFadden Farm in Mendocino’s Potter Valley. The high-elevation vineyard’s cool summer nights allow Riesling grapes to ripen slowly, developing lovely aromas and rich flavors while maintaining excellent acidity. According to Matt Clifton, in spite of a hot late summer in 2022 that speeded up ripening, the Riesling fruit matured beautifully. The 2022 is rich wine with concentration and complexity but so versatile, you can enjoy it with lunch, dinner, or over a leisurely afternoon. The floral notes and stone fruit aromas capture attention while the wine’s subtle balance of sweetness and acidity can pair well with spicy Asian dishes as well as salads, blue or goat cheeses, sausages, or pork. As Matt Clifton describes it, the wine is “mouthcoating without being cloying, and rich without being fatiguing. It’s a sublime wine with incredible potential.”

Chateau Montelena’s top-notch Chardonnay remains as delicate and distinctive as it was when it won the infamous Paris tasting. The exceptional character of this wine starts in the small vineyard in the Oak Knoll District but then emerges in the winery. Unlike many California Chardonnay producers, Chateau Montelena uses little new French oak and no malolactic fermentation. Natural yeast fermentation and aging on the lees result in a wine that is zesty and energetic, mouth-filling and structured with minerality and fresh acidity. 2021 saw a return to “normal” winemaking after the traumatic wildfires of 2020. A continuing drought reduced yields, but the quality of the fruit was exceptional, producing wine with aromatics of green apple, peach, and floral notes and flavors of melon, lemon curd, and crème brûlée. This is a food-friendly wine that will pair with a variety of dishes, especially fresh seafood, shellfish or poultry. The creaminess of a crab salad or lobster roll will cut through the acidity and citrus notes of the wine beautifully. 

For large family gatherings or parties with special friends, Chateau Montelena Chardonnay in magnum looks great and ensures that everyone gets a glass of this delicious and special wine. Sourced from a small vineyard in the relatively cool Oak Knoll District, this is Chardonnay that enchants with a perfume of green apple, honeysuckle, and orange blossom and a supple palate of Asian pear, pineapple, and chalky minerality.  Unlike many California Chardonnay producers, Chateau Montelena prefers to avoid both new oak and malolactic fermentation. Natural yeast fermentation and aging on the lees result in a wine that is fresh, vibrant, and mouth-filling without butter notes. Like great burgundy, the wine needs time in the glass for the fruit to emerge and become truly opulent. This vintage offers plenty of pineapple and pear along with lovely spice notes. Try it with fresh cracked crab or shellfish. 

Chateau Montelena’s Estate Zinfandel is sourced entirely from the estate's holdings of mature heritage Zinfandel and recently planted Primitivo, the Zin clone with origins in Italy. While Primitivo and Zinfandel are genetically identical (and interchangeable on wine labels), the clones do produce wines with subtle yet distinct differences. As the winery puts it, “Classic, heritage Zinfandel is a match for Calistoga: slightly rustic, occasionally briary, but rich and full-bodied when ripe. Primitivo, conversely, leans toward the red side of the flavor spectrum with ample acidity and incredible freshness.” Like all Chateau Montelena wines, this Zin is made in an elegant style with moderate (14.2%) alcohol. Delicious now - but a few years in the cellar wouldn’t hurt!

Like Chateau Montelena’s Estate wines, the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from vineyards located around Calistoga, at the northern end of the Napa Valley. While this is a warmer part of the valley, the wine remains a model of restraint in every vintage, expressing balance and freshness instead of power. The secret to Chateau Montelena’s style lies in the vineyards, which all share a distinct alluvium soil profile that can produce earthy, complex and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon. Restraint guides the winemaking, too, with less new oak and less time spent in oak than most high-end Napa cabs. In 2019, the blend consists of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot. The taste is classic Montelena: aromas of dark fruit and baking spices, a dense and chewy palate layered with a plethora of flavor, and a focused finish of savory notes that linger longer than one expects. Moderate alcohol (13.8% ABV) makes this wine the perfect partner for a range of dishes - not only grilled or roast meats but lighter dishes, too.

As high-end Napa cabs soar ever higher in ripeness, power, and price, Montelena’s flagship wine continues to combine intense Napa fruit with Bordeaux-like savoriness, structure, tannin, and acidity, and potential for aging. Like a great Bordeaux, it’s a wine that rewards revisiting every few years to take in its slow, evolution in the bottle. The Montelena Estate features mature, low-yielding vines planted in stony alluvial and volcanic soils. Because the vineyard avoided the Phylloxera that wiped out many vineyards in the early 1990s, these "old vines" are entering their sixth decade. This is a complex wine, with aromas, flavors, and textures that modulate over the course of a sip as well as the minutes or hours you spend with a bottle. Black pepper and crushed rock emerge out of floral and berry fruit aromas; initial zesty raspberry and cranberry on the palate turn darker and more savory as tannins take hold. On the finish, espresso notes start to release sweet vanilla. A few years of aging are recommended, or be sure to decant and allow the wine some time to open up.