Chateau Montelena
The Montelena Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
Monthly WTF group recap. Theme this month was “bring something special”. Normally we taste all of the wines blind, but we decided to do a relaxed night with amazing wines at a great restaurant. Spectacular evening!
Able to taste this next to the ‘98...this is in a better spot now. A very round, soft and plush profile. There are mulberry, soft plum, fig and cherry liqueur aromatics while the palate showed more bayleaf, faint traces of herbs and leather, underripe blackberries and cherries. This actually drank quite youthful. Enjoy now! Thanks @Will Adams .
Monthly WTF group recap. Theme this month was “bring something special”. Normally we taste all of the wines blind, but we decided to do a relaxed night with amazing wines at a great restaurant. Spectacular evening!
Able to taste this next to the ‘98...this is in a better spot now. A very round, soft and plush profile. There are mulberry, soft plum, fig and cherry liqueur aromatics while the palate showed more bayleaf, faint traces of herbs and leather, underripe blackberries and cherries. This actually drank quite youthful. Enjoy now! Thanks @Will Adams .
Got to take advantage of another Wednesday Wine Committee and boy was it worth it. Wow! Killer wines brought by Glenn for his 60th! As always, wines tasted blind. 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert wine.
This is how I prefer my Montelena's. I don't enjoy them young and honestly, I don't enjoy them at the 10yr mark as much as I do at the 20+yr mark. Great example of Napa cab aged well...most thought left bank Bordeaux. Not a lot of leather or white pepper...plenty of fruit and acidity left here. Tasted like it was MAYBE 10yrs old. 👌
Got to take advantage of another Wednesday Wine Committee and boy was it worth it. Wow! Killer wines brought by Glenn for his 60th! As always, wines tasted blind. 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert wine.
This is how I prefer my Montelena's. I don't enjoy them young and honestly, I don't enjoy them at the 10yr mark as much as I do at the 20+yr mark. Great example of Napa cab aged well...most thought left bank Bordeaux. Not a lot of leather or white pepper...plenty of fruit and acidity left here. Tasted like it was MAYBE 10yrs old. 👌
Impressive Napa Cab from the era when they could age for more than five years before losing much of their charm.
Christmas dinner, 1992.
Impressive Napa Cab from the era when they could age for more than five years before losing much of their charm.
Christmas dinner, 1992.
Beautiful tannins. A bit of the carriage pullers but well integrated
Beautiful tannins. A bit of the carriage pullers but well integrated
Feb 8th, 2015Fantastic aged CA Cabernet...gorgeous ruby red color, no bricking whatsoever...expressive nose of tobacco, cedar and mint, vibrant in the mouth, red fruits, spices, long, balanced...easily has another decade
Fantastic aged CA Cabernet...gorgeous ruby red color, no bricking whatsoever...expressive nose of tobacco, cedar and mint, vibrant in the mouth, red fruits, spices, long, balanced...easily has another decade
Jan 27th, 2015
Drinking beautifully out of magnum. Too bad 1 of the 2 mags was corked. :(
Drinking beautifully out of magnum. Too bad 1 of the 2 mags was corked. :(
Jan 12th, 2015
What a beautiful wine, earthy but with pretty red fruit remaining. From Magnum
What a beautiful wine, earthy but with pretty red fruit remaining. From Magnum
Jan 12th, 2015
Succulent. Elegant, ripe fruit with just enough structure to have kept it fresh. Still bright, but acids are disappearing and I'd suggest drinking up in the next few years.
Succulent. Elegant, ripe fruit with just enough structure to have kept it fresh. Still bright, but acids are disappearing and I'd suggest drinking up in the next few years.
Dec 19th, 2014
Eucalyptus, dark cherry, menthol and leather. Beautiful juice.
Eucalyptus, dark cherry, menthol and leather. Beautiful juice.
Dec 14th, 2014