Ratings & Tasting Notes:

93 points Wine & Spirits

Bright red-currant flavors give this wine a feeling of lightness and finesse. The tannins have dimension without feeling heavy or extracted, adding tree-bark scents and lasting spice. Clean and generous, this is open in its youth and balanced for current drinking, though it only gets better with air.

92 Jeb Dunnuck
Review Date: 03/2018
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley release from Montelena has a beautiful bouquet that just jumps from the glass. Lovely notes of crème de cassis, violets, tobacco, and orange blossom all give way to a ripe, medium to full-bodied, sweetly fruited Cabernet Sauvignon that shows the charm of the 2015 front and center.

92 Vinous
Review Date: 03/2018
Montelena’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. Pliant and supple, the 2015 offers notable density and raciness in an up-front style that will drink well upon release. Succulent red/purplish fruit, spice, new leather and licorice are front and center. A wine of total allure, the 2015 hits all the right spots. Best of all, at $62 a bottle it is one of the best values readers will find in Napa Valley Cabernet. Don’t miss it. (AG)

92 Wine Enthusiast
Review Date: 12/2017
Softened by the addition of 13% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, this wine leads with smoky oak and baked bread aromas, followed by cassis and mocha notes. Medium bodied, with a seamless texture, it adds baked cherry, cedar and tomato leaf components with measured richness. (VB)

Cult Wines International Notes:

Château Montelena is a historic winery in the Calistoga sub-appellation of Napa Valley, California, renowned for its pivotal role in the 1976 Judgment of Paris. This event was a blind tasting competition where a 1973 Château Montelena Chardonnay was judged as the top-ranking white wine, famously beating out highly-regarded French Burgundy Grand Cru wines. This victory, along with the triumph of a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, forever changed the global perception of California wines, proving they could compete with and even surpass the finest wines of France.

Founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs, the winery has a long and storied history, marked by both periods of success and decline, including its closure during Prohibition. It was purchased and revitalized in 1972 by James Barrett, who, along with winemaker Mike Grgich, focused on producing high-quality Chardonnay. The winery’s iconic stone castle, built from native volcanic rock, overlooks a beautiful lake and vineyards, making it one of the most picturesque estates in Napa Valley.

Today, Château Montelena continues to produce world-class Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, along with other varieties. Its wines are known for their classic, balanced style, with a focus on elegance and longevity. The winery remains a symbol of American winemaking excellence and a testament to the belief that California’s terroir could produce wines of international acclaim.

Bottle Size:

750 mL

Storage History:

Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.

Condition:

Please note: The bottle shown is the exact bottle being sold.

Outstanding condition.