{"title":"Chateau Montelena","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChateau Montelena\u003c\/strong\u003e is one of \u003cstrong\u003eNapa Valley's defining \"old guard\"\u003c\/strong\u003e estates, helping to launch the region into global stardom thanks to their surprise success at the \u003cstrong\u003e1976 Judgement of Paris\u003c\/strong\u003e. The Chateau is best known for their chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, crafted from the hillsides of \u003cstrong\u003eCalistoga\u003c\/strong\u003e. With over 50 years of rich history under its belt, Chateau Montelena is a Napa Valley icon and continues to shine in one of the world's top winemaking regions. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eChateau Montelena Napa Origins\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChateau Montelena's history dates back to 1882, when \u003cstrong\u003eAlfred L. Tubbs built Tubbs Winery\u003c\/strong\u003e after purchasing a 253-acre vineyard just north of Calistoga. Tubbs Winery quickly became a success, growing into California's seventh largest producer by 1896. Following the estate's financial and operational struggles during the \u003cstrong\u003eProhibition\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eera\u003c\/strong\u003e, Tubbs' grandson, Chapin, reinstated the winery and renamed the company, Chateau Montelena. However, after only 15 years in business, the Chateau shut down and remained vacant until 1958, when York and Jeanie Frank purchased and restored the property.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen, in 1972, lawyer and businessman \u003cstrong\u003eJim Barrett\u003c\/strong\u003e purchased the property and created the first modern vintage of Chateau Montelena that year. It was the 1973 vintage, though, that catapulted Montelena into worldwide fame, as the bottle beat star names from Burgundy and Bordeaux in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. The event, memorialized in the 2008 movie \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/bottle-shock-montelena\" title=\"Wines from the movie Bottle Shock\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottle Shock\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, transformed Napa Valley into a global phenomenon and challenged the widely accepted notion that France was the world's most superior winemaking region. Nearly five decades after the event, Chateau Montelena is still owned by the Barrett family who honor the estate's tradition with one of Napa's most beautiful chardonnays.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eChateau Montelena Wine\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn total, Chateau Montelena produces six labels: an \u003cstrong\u003eEstate Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and a second Cabernet Sauvignon\u003c\/strong\u003e crafted from younger vines. The Chateau Montelena Chardonnay is the most famous and celebrated label from the offering, though the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship label. Each bottle is expertly crafted by \u003cstrong\u003ehead winemaker\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eMatt Crafton\u003c\/strong\u003e, who first began as an Oenologist in 2008 before being promoted to his current position in 2014. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrafton is an intensely meticulous winemaker who oversaw the vineyard's largest replanting over the last 40 years. Drought-tolerant rootstocks were brought in, and the rows were reoriented to better protect the vines from the Napa sun. Ultimately, Crafton follows no template, intuitively working with the terroir. Each of the blends is fermented in stainless steel and barrel aged in tunnels and caves beneath the winery for 22 months. The aging can vary from label to label, as some undergo 16 months of aging in French oak, while others are placed in American oak barrels. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eChateau Montelena Chardonnay\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince its momentous showing at the 1976 Judgement of Paris, Montelena Chardonnay has laid claim to one of Napa's finest expressions of the grape. The fruit is sourced from parcels in\u003cstrong\u003e Oak Knoll\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eCoombsville\u003c\/strong\u003e, aged in 15-25% new French oak barrels, and receives no malolactic fermentation. Each bottle is described as bright and refreshing, a classic representation of Napa Valley chardonnay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eChateau Montelena Cabernet\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChateau Montelena's Cabernet Sauvignon is the \u003cstrong\u003eestate's flagship label \u003c\/strong\u003eand has been described as a true reflection of Calistoga. The final blend often contains \u003cstrong\u003e10-20% merlot,\u003c\/strong\u003e giving the wine a classic Napa Valley character. The bottles are rich, expansive, and display notes of mixed currants and cherries on the nose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay \u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bottle that started the Napa phenomenon — the 1973 Montelena Chardonnay is so historic, it has earned a place in the \u003cstrong\u003eSmithsonian National Museum of American History.\u003c\/strong\u003e First released in September 1975, the bottle was crafted by winemaker \u003cstrong\u003eMike Grgich\u003c\/strong\u003e during a cool and damp year. The growing season allowed the chardonnay vines to be free of mildew, and a very hot end to summer forced the grapes to ripen quickly. Grapes from three different vineyards were used to craft the blend, with 39% allocated from Belle Terre Vineyard in \u003cstrong\u003eRussian River Valley\u003c\/strong\u003e, 35% from Bacigalupi Vineyard in Oak Knoll, 23% from Hanna Vineyard also in Oak Knoll, and the remaining 3% from Staglin's home in Calistoga.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blend was complete in December 1974, before making its way to the 1976 Judgement of Paris. At the competition, the chardonnay placed \u003cstrong\u003efirst in the white wines category,\u003c\/strong\u003e ranking higher than esteemed French estates like \u003cstrong\u003eDrouhin and Leflaive\u003c\/strong\u003e. In 2010, a bottle of the 1973 Chateau Montelena sold for\u003cstrong\u003e $11,325 at auction,\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eand today, only 10 bottles remain in Montelena's private collection. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRelish in the History of Chateau Montelena\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs one of Napa Valley's most storied estates, a bottle of Chateau Montelena wine is more than just a prestigious bottle; it is a symbol of the origin of one of the world's most renowned winemaking regions. Whether you choose the famed Montelena Chardonnay or the celebrated flagship Montelena Cabernet, every bottle is a sure-fire stunner. Check out our full collection of Chateau Montelena wines and add a bottle to your cellar today. \u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"montelena-estate-cabernet-1997-750ml","title":"1997 Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Bottle (750ml)","description":"RP98 \"There are 10,200 cases of the remarkable 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Opaque purple-colored with a dense, chewy, full-bodied personality, it displays abundant cassis, mineral, and earth notes. This brilliantly made, super-concentrated, pure, blockbuster possesses sweet tannin as well as a terrific finish. Having added additional weight since last year, this sumptuous, multilayered, profoundly concentrated Cabernet contains 14% alcohol. It is a candidate for 25-30 years of longevity. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2030.\" RP Dec 2000\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nRobert Parker writes, \"Modern-day society seems to always be in search of new stars, but this winery has been a super hero for great California Cabernet Sauvignon for nearly 25 years!\n\u003cbr\u003e\nMontelena's Estate Cabernet Sauvignons are equivalent to buying blue chip stock. They get better and better with age and as the vertical tastings I have attended so persuasively attest, they are still relatively young wines at 20 years of age!\" Published: Dec 22, 1998","brand":"Montelena","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32963192193083,"sku":"USR:MTL:CHMO-0750-1997-F0L0C0","price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USRMTLCHMO-0750-1997-F0L0C0_d2813e5f-ac55-483b-93e7-4af711772dfd.jpg?v=1753905895"},{"product_id":"montelena-estate-cabernet-2001-750ml","title":"2001 Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Bottle (750ml)","description":"AG96 The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, tasted from magnum, is superb. It's more than that. The 2001 is exactly what a 20 year-old Napa Valley Cabernet should be. Hints of bay leaf, tobacco, incense and licorice meld into a core of brambly dark fruit. There's plenty of structure and old school classicism to admire, not to mention more than enough power to ensure another two decades of very fine drinking. The 2001 has been a controversial wine in some settings, but this magnum is pristine. This is a tremendous showing.","brand":"Montelena","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32965924519995,"sku":"USR:MTL:CHMO-0750-2001-F0L0C0","price":149.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USRMTLCHMO-0750-2001-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1716334624"},{"product_id":"1990-chateau-montelena-the-montelena-estate-cabernet-sauvignon-calistoga-magnum-1-5l","title":"1990 Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Magnum (1.5L)","description":"RP94 \"Medium to deep garnet-brick in color, the 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate sings with amazing expressiveness, sporting crème de cassis, blueberry tart and dried roses on the nose with touches of cloves, cigar box and Bovril. Medium-bodied, the palate is chock full of expressive black and blue fruit preserves with velvety tannins and a long, spicy finish.\" LPB for TWA Feb 2018\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nVM94 \"Good medium amber-tinged red, with a healthy rim owing to the small crop. Aromas of plum, earth and hazelnut; shortly after the wine's release I read its nutty quality as an herbaceous element but not today. The plushest and silkiest of these wines to this point of the tasting but quite dry and classic too, showing surprising acidity to frame its cherry, dark berry and licorice flavors. Concentrated, tactile and smooth; this is altogether suaver than preceding vintages. The tannins arrive later, gently coating the palate. Barrett noted that this was his first vintage with a gentler destemmer.\" ST for VM May 2019\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\"The iconic Gothic stone winery now known as Chateau Montelena was originally built by Alfred Tubbs in the 1880s. It was purchased by Jim and Judy Barrett in the early 1970s. The property came with around 100 acres of vines, but rather surprisingly, there was no Cabernet Sauvignon planted. At that time, it was believed that Calistoga was too warm to produce high quality Cabernet, and so the Estate vineyard was mainly planted to Zinfandel and Rhône varieties. In 1972 and 1974, Jim Barrett grubbed up a lot of the old vines and began planting Cabernet Sauvignon. Meanwhile, the Cabernets produced in 1974 and 1975 were prototypes, using purchased fruit from Sonoma, Alexander Valley and Napa Valley, until the Estate vineyard began to come online. 1973 was the first vintage that Jim’s son, Bo Barrett, helped with on the estate, and today he remains in charge as CEO and master winemaker. “We used a lot more acid back then,” Bo Barrett commented, “than we do now. I think you can still taste a bit of stems in these early wines too. It was around 1990 that we got a new destemmer.” In fact, his comment explains the slightly tart, disjointed acid on the 1974 and 1975 vintages as well and the somewhat rustic\/astringent nature of the tannins prior to 1990.\" TWA","brand":"Montelena","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49468578332909,"sku":"USR:MTL:CHMO-1500-1990-F0L0C0","price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USRMTLCHMO-1500-1990-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1773873136"},{"product_id":"1991-chateau-montelena-the-montelena-estate-cabernet-sauvignon-calistoga-magnum-1-5l","title":"1991 Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Magnum (1.5L)","description":"AG97 \"What a thrill it is to drink Montelena’s 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that takes hold of all the sense and never lets up. Imposing and intense, the 1991 is simply riveting. The flavors are dark, intense and savory, but it is the wine’s silkiness that stands out above all else. Well-stored bottles will continue to drink beautifully for another decade-plus.\" AG for VM Sep 2014\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nVM96 \"The darkest of these wines so far: deep red-ruby. Some sexy high tones lift the complex aromas of black fruits, dried cherry, potpourri spices and earth. Initially a bit clenched but quickly revealed a silky texture, with perfectly integrated acidity enlivening the mid-palate flavors of red and darker berries, tobacco and spices accented by a minty nuance. This supple yet somehow youthful wine is perhaps most impressive on its inexorable, slowly building aftertaste, where the tannins are in perfect harmony with the fruit. A splendid Napa Valley Cabernet from a long growing season featuring a late harvest. Barrett told me that although he had a new press as of 1990, he only really figured out how to use it in 1991. Beginning with this '91, Chateau Montelena has bottled its flagship Cabernet during the second August; earlier vintages were bottled seven to nine months later.\" ST for VM May 2019\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nRP95 \"Montelena's incredible 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an exceptional wine. It may be the most promising vintage among the bevy of Montelena Cabernets produced over the last two decades, rivaling even the winery's profound 1987 - The color is a dense, opaque purple. The nose offers up Chateau Montelena's tell-tale signature - abundant, pure aromas of cassis, minerals, and spicy oak. Full-bodied, spectacularly rich, and highly extracted, with moderate to high tannin, this is a youthful, exuberant, stunning example of blockbuster Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Its inner core of cassis fruit is something to savor! It should hit its peak around the turn of the century and last for 20 years thereafter. Don't miss it!\" RP Apr 1995\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nRobert Parker 97Pts writes, \"Every time I participate in a blind tasting of a specific vintage of California Cabernets, whether it be 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, etc., Chateau Montelena's wines consistently come out near or at the top. The style of their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has remained an uncompromising blend of super-ripe fruit, power, concentration, and tannin. The only refinement has been that the type of tannin achieved in vintages in the nineties is softer, giving the wines earlier accessibility. That has been obtained without sacrificing any of the splendid richness and purity that are the hallmarks of Montelena's Cabernets. Winemaker\/proprietor Bo Barrett is thrilled with what looks to be another great California Cabernet Sauvignon vintage in 1994. Wine enthusiasts looking for the best money can buy should be thrilled that this property, like many of the better California north coast wineries, has had an unprecedented five consecutive terrific vintages.\" Published: Dec 22, 1994","brand":"Montelena","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49468578365677,"sku":"USR:MTL:CHMO-1500-1991-F0L0C0","price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USRMTLCHMO-1500-1991-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1773873177"},{"product_id":"1994-chateau-montelena-the-montelena-estate-cabernet-sauvignon-calistoga-bottle-750ml-slightly-nicked-label","title":"1994 Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Bottle (750ml) [Slightly Nicked Label]","description":"WS95 \"This is a smooth, rich, dark and polished Montelena--in short a grand wine--with remarkable depth, richness and concentration. The purity of currant, mineral, black cherry and anise is deliciously focused and the tannins are ripe and supple, making this a very approachable wine, even at this stage.--California Cabernet '74\/'84\/'94 retrospective.\" JL Nov 2004 \u003cbr\u003eChateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga\u003cbr\u003e\n\"The up-coming releases of the estate Cabernet Sauvignon (10,000-12,000 cases) are all outstanding wines. Personal preference will dictate which Cabernet Sauvignon readers will prefer. They all possess the tell-tale Montelena house style - huge fruit, massive body, great color, and fabulous ripeness. The best of the three vintages may turn out to be the 1994, a wine that should rival the 1991 and 1987 for one of the most concentrated and spectacular Montelena Cabernet Sauvignons made during the last decade. It possesses an opaque black\/purple color, gorgeous purity and sweetness of fruit, unobtrusive tannin (a consistent hallmark among the top 1994 Cabernets), low acidity, and knock-out length.\" RP Dec 1995","brand":"Montelena","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50010653458669,"sku":"USR:MTL:CHMO-0750-1994-F0L1C0","price":259.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/USRMTLCHMO-0750-1994-F0L1C0.jpg?v=1780503036"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/collections\/Chateau_Montelena.jpg?v=1734726783","url":"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/chateau-montelena\/new-arrival.oembed","provider":"Grand Cru Liquid Assets","version":"1.0","type":"link"}