Located just north of Calistoga in Napa Valley, California, Chateau Montelena is an iconic estate whose name is synonymous with excellence. Founded in 1882 by Alfred L. Tubbs, this businessman steadily increased production until Prohibition, after which the property fell into disrepair. In 1958, Yort and Jeanie Frank purchased the estate and slowly transformed it into the beautiful property that it is today. When the Barrett family bought the property in 1972, James Barrett focused his attention on restoring the vineyards, winery and cellar. Chateau Montelena is a true family affair – for more than 30 years, James’s son Bo has been master winemaker and responsible for the consistently high quality of these benchmark wines. Other key members of the winemaking team include winemaker Cameron Parry, assistant winemaker Matt Cratfon and vineyard manager Dave Vella. The infamous 1976 tasting in Paris placed Chateau Montelena at the forefront of the wine world and the family continues to build upon that legacy by producing terroir-driven, authentic wines of distinction.

Tasting notes

Rich and intense aromas of lemon, lime leaf, citrusflowers, honey and slightly nutty baked pie crust. The creamy texture is nicely complemented by expressions of white stone fruits (nectarines and peaches) and Granny Smith green apple with hints of marzipan on the finish.

Technical notes

To ensure ripe phenolics and balanced flavors, the grapes were harvested in different passes over a three week period. The wine aged for 10 months in French oak barrels (8% new).