1991 Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Bottle (750ml)

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

VM96 "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

RP95 "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

Robert 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