Region: California - Napa Valley
Grapes: Cabernet
Alcohol: 14.2%
Notes on the Wine
The nose is driven by dark fruit, predominantly blackberry and cassis, the aromas are rich and intense. They are closely followed by spicy clove and vanilla before slowly yielding to pipe tobacco and a touch of caramel. The concentration and power here are evident from the first sip; but that vibrancy is driven more by density rather than rusticity. Moreover, the tannins are quite supple and dance between elevating the subtle streak of minerality that flows through the mid-palate and foiling the acid that slices through the body of the wine with zest and freshness. On the finish there is strawberry jam and cranberry sauce highlight the transition to the finish and apex as the breadth of the wine expands. Here the tannins are more sandy, but they are a fine contrast to the soft, sweet fruit, expressing now as cola, graphite and black cherry.
Notes on the Producer
Chateau Montelena’s history is one of the deepest and most storied in the Napa Valley and California. Founded just north of Calistoga by a senator and San Francisco entrepreneur in 1882 at the turn of the century, it was one of the largest wineries in the state. Prohibition put an end to Montelena’s winemaking, and the next major era began in 1968, when Jim Barrett purchased the estate. Jim fell in love with this exceptional property, blessed with a complex mix of soils, slopes and biodiversity of wildlife and fauna. He had a dream of creating wine at the level of the great First Growths of Bordeaux, and set about replanting the vineyard, outfitting the winery with modern equipment, and studying the processes necessary for farming and winemaking at the highest quality level.
In 1976 Chateau Montelena put California at the forefront of the wine world. That year a who’s-who of the French wine and food establishment gathered for a grand tasting at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Paris. Four white Burgundies were tasted against six California Chardonnays. When the scores were tallied, the French Judges were convinced that the top-ranking white wine was one of their own. In fact, it was Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay, rated above all other wines. This seminal event has been memorialized in the book “”The Judgment of Paris,”” by George Taber, as well as in the 2008 feature film Bottle Shock.
Today Chateau Montelena’s distinct 19th century stone structure stands as a quality icon in Napa Valley, consistently producing some of the finest wines in California. Master Winemaker Bo Barrett, Jim’s son, now runs the estate with the help of Winemaker Matt Crafton and Vineyard Manager Dave Vella.
