Ch. Montelena

Chateau Montelena’s Sauvignon Blanc is a limited edition that usually requires a trip to the tasting room to purchase. The fruit is sourced from a 40-year-old vineyard in Oak Knoll, a cooler district south of Yountville known for its aromatic white wines. The vineyard includes a few rows of Semillon, which adds roundness, density, and honeyed richness to the zesty Sauvignon Blanc. In order to emphasize the purity of the fruit, the wine is made without malolactic fermentation and just a touch of oak aging. 2023 was a cooler vintage - meaning a later harvest that yielded ripe (not overripe) fruit. The result is a wine with a lively nose of kiwi, citrus, and  lemongrass and a zesty palate that refreshes with grapefruit, orange zest, and lemon balm. Oak aging adds a touch of toast and yeast character. Enjoy this gem from the Napa Valley as an aperitif or with white fish, shellfish, sushi, or chicken braised in a white wine sauce.

Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay gained fame when a group of French luminaries awarded it top honors, beating some of the greatest French burgundies in the “Judgement of Paris” tasting in 1976. The exceptional character of this wine starts in a 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. The growing season in 2022 was generally mild until the heat spiked in early September. While most of the fruit had been harvested, a small amount of riper fruit picked later added complexity to the wine. This Chardonnay impresses with a pure but intense nose of peach, apricot, and kiwi and an opulent palate of mandarin, Meyer lemon and a hint of green apple. This is a food-friendly wine that will pair well with fresh seafood, shellfish or poultry. A creamy crab salad or lobster roll will balance well with the acidity and citrus of the wine.

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. Classic Zinfandel can express rustic, briary notes but is rich and full-bodied when ripe while Primitivo leans more toward red fruit with added acidity and freshness. About the 2021 vintage, the winery notes that it “highlights the complexity and elegance of the Montelena Estate. Brimming with bright, red fruit and savory herbs, it’s these disparate, yet harmonious characteristics that are emblematic of our Calistoga vineyard." This elegant Zin with moderate (14.2%) alcohol is delicious now - but some time in the cellar wouldn’t hurt!

While raised in Calistoga, at the warm end of the Napa Valley, Chateau Montelena Cabernets are known for their restraint, elegance, and ability to age. The secret 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 2021, the blend consists of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. There is more Merlot here than in the Estate bottling, rounding out the rough edges and making for a more approachable younger wine. But it is classic Montelena: bright red and dark berry fruit with a complex melange of pepper, baking spice, earth, and chalky tannins. Pair this wine with a juicy steak, duck, beef stew, or grilled lamb. 

The 2019 blend consists of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot. Decanter rated it 95 points, describing it as “deliciously savoury and herbaceous, … a welcome throwback. Wild anise, turned earth, and wild lavender flowers announce the aromatics, followed closely by dusty red berries. The palate is fresh and lively with savory dill and bay leaf notes and a tremendous chalky texture that envelopes a core of bright, concentrated berries. Perfectly tart blackberries, smoky clove, and white pepper provide brightness and spice. This delicious Cabernet's finish is marked by eucalyptus and mint.” In magnum, the wine is perfect for a holiday dinner.

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.