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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.
Founded in the 1880s, Chateau Montelena was named for Mt. Saint Helena, the imposing peak that looks over the upper Napa Valley where the winery is located. For decades one of the valley’s top quality wine producers, the estate struggled in the years after prohibition and even ceased making wine from its grapes. That all changed in the late 1960s, when a group of partners led by Jim Barret revived the estate, restoring the iconic chateau-like winery building, the Chinese-themed gardens, and, most of all, the vineyards. In no time, Chateau Montelena was making wine that, along with other pioneers of that era, vaulted the Napa Valley into the major leagues of premium wine production. Indeed, by 1976 Chateau Montelena not only emerged as one of Napa Valley’s premier wineries, but awakened the entire world to the quality of California wine, when its 1973 Alexander Valley Chardonnay won first place in the infamous Paris Tasting, in which some of France’s greatest wine critics rated the Chateau Montelena above some of the most illustrious of white burgundies.
Since 1981, Bo Barret, son of the founder, has overseen the winemaking at Chateau Montelena, pursuing the goal of making flavorful but elegant, complex and age-worthy wines in the French style. Unlike many of its peers, Chateau Montelena’s wines do not undergo barrel fermentation, malolactic fermentation or even aging in exclusively new oak barrels in order to emphasize the nuances of the terroir and the natural flavors of the grapes.
The 98-acre Montelena Estate vineyards, spanning flatlands and hillsides north of the winery alongside the Napa River, features a rich mix of alluvial, sedimentary and volcanic soils as well as an intriguing variety of microclimates. Primarily planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the estate also includes several blocs of Zinfandel. Vines planted in these rocky soils are naturally low-yielding, and such techniques as organic pest control, dry farming, and crop thinning bring yields down even further. The results of such low yields are evidenced in the consistent quality of the “Estate” wines: full-bodied, intense and flavorful - though somewhat tannic in their youth - elegant, complex and age-worthy.
In addition to the “Estate” wines, Chateau Montelena also produces Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards elsewhere in the Napa Valley, Chardonnay from both the Napa and Alexander valleys and a small amount of Riesling from the Potter Valley in Mendicino County.
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Appellation(s) | Napa Valley |
| Winery | Ch. Montelena |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Color | Red |
| Varietal(s) | 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot |
| Closure | Cork |
| Volume | 1500ml |
| Bottle Size | 10.0 x 36.0 |
| Case Size | 31.0 x 21.0 x 36.5 |
| Alcohol | 13.8% |
| Product Code | MT19NCBg |
| UPC | 733555251336 |
95 points – Decanter; 91 points – Wine Advocate; 90 points – Wine Spectator.
The wine opens with blueberries and blackberry pie with notes of vanilla, clove, and cinnamon. The palate is dense, offering layers of bright red fruit and darker notes. With a strong grip and fine-grained tannins, the wine finishes with notes of cocoa, espresso bean, and black pepper.
Following fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine aged 16 months in (28% new) French and East European oak.