JKT

9.1

Very nicely aged Cali Chard that balances new world fruit with old world leanness — 2 months ago

Jon Hoke

9.5

Happy Father’s Day — a month ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.6

Medium straw color. Aromas of pineapple, stone fruit, fig and lemon. Small delicate bubbles, with flavors of tropical fruits and biscut.

🏅97 Points - James Suckling
🏅95 Points - Wine Enthusiast — a month ago

Conrad Green

9.7

Spectacular. Fresh with lime, wet stone, incredible poise and delicacy. Just gorgeous — 3 months ago

with Walker and David

Conrad Green

9.7

Oy vey. This is gorgeous. Soft edges and intense but blanched fruit. Cool wet stone, delicate citrus, an oily complex note. Spectacular but quiet — 5 months ago

with Bex

"Odedi"

9.1

Purple in color with a purplish rim.

Strong nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing cherries, currants, plums, chocolates, light wood, herbs, spices and peppercorn.

Nice finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a very tasty and easy drinking Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla Valley. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Complex and entertaining.

This Single Vineyard Cabernet is still very young, and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$65. — 6 months ago

Conrad Green

9.3

Beautiful and precise. Stone and orchard fruit. A pinch of salinity. very pure and delicate. — 10 months ago

with Matt and Paul

Doug Powers

8.9

This 1998 7 Springs Pinot seems mature, supple, candied red fruits, nice balance, good length, but not quite a typically-excellent bottle of this wine. — 2 months ago

with Jim

Norman

9.5

This is a very good wine and with more air and better glasses probably moves up a point or two. Went very well with food and is not just a sit and contemplate wine. Not sure it needed a decant but clearly more air. — 2 months ago

Jeremy Autry

9.0

Buttered popcorn. — 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.2

Good Oregon Pinot. Bright fruit, earth, and herbal tea. — 4 months ago

Tegan Marriott

9.2

Lithe & supple, with agility and resonance. This is the Leonard Cohen of Gamay! Hallelujah!🙏 — 6 months ago

Joe Fischer

9.5

A superb Chardonnay! Aromas of Anise and Honeysuckle. Apple and Honey on the bud. Crisp and smooth with a long finish. Great with our Salmon tonight. Need to order more from Evening Springs as we were extremely impressed with their wines when we visited earlier this year. — 8 months ago

Doug Powers

9.1

Ripe, redfruited, earthy southern Rhône-style blend, smooth and rich, medium-long finish, needs a few years of cellaring, very nice!! — 2 years ago

with Jim

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Chateau Montelena — Chardonnay 2023
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Released as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the historic 1976 Judgment of Paris, this vintage continues the legacy that forever changed the perception of California wine. Crafted in Montelena’s unmistakable style, it favors precision, freshness, and restraint over richness, proving Napa Chardonnay can be both powerful and elegant.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon curd, baked pear, crisp apple, citrus blossom, and subtle white peach are beautifully intertwined with delicate hints of wet stone, light vanilla, and restrained oak.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and exceptional balance. Rich enough to satisfy yet remarkably focused, the palate delivers silky texture, impressive tension, and a long, refined finish that never feels heavy.

Food Pairings
Lobster, scallops, roasted chicken, creamy risotto, grilled halibut, or triple-cream Brie.

Verdict
A benchmark New World Chardonnay that continues to set the standard nearly five decades after its historic triumph. Complex, poised, and beautifully balanced, it is a wine that appeals equally to classic California Chardonnay lovers and those who typically favor more restrained Old World expressions.

Did You Know?
The 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won the white wine category at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, defeating France’s finest Burgundies in a blind tasting and forever changing the reputation of California wine on the world stage. The 2023 vintage celebrates the 50th anniversary of that landmark event.

🍷 Personal Pick
I’m generally selective with Napa Chardonnay, often preferring leaner, mineral-driven styles. Chateau Montelena remains one of my rare exceptions. It captures the generosity of Napa’s sunshine while preserving freshness, finesse, and impeccable balance. This is a permanent fixture in my cellar and one of the few New World Chardonnays I’d confidently pour for someone who believes they don’t enjoy Napa Chardonnay. — 5 days ago

Brian Hearty

9.6

2014. Enjoyed a small splash at the end of a great birthday meal at The Oven!
Such pure stone fruit and honeyed aromas and flavors with balanced sweetness and acidity. — 2 months ago

Matthew Cohen

9.3

N spice licorice. Floral. Very pretty.

P hint candy. Hint licorice.

Gardner 20 — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Founded in 1982 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer and sits on a tree covered knoll overlooking the Napa Valley, with caves that extend for over a mile. Pale lemon color with aromas of stone and tropical fruit, sweet oak, spice and floral scents. On the palate flavors of ripe peach, melon and apple, with vanilla spice, creamy texture. Medium+ finish, well balanced with acidity, ending with mineral notes. — 6 months ago

Jake Hajer

8.9

It’s feeling its age at 20yr, but still holding. Time to drink. Red licorice. Roasted meat. stewed green figs. — 7 months ago

Doug Powers

8.9

Lovely blackberry aromas and flavors up front, nice depth and balance, good acidity, medium-long finish, solid Heathcote Shiraz, lingering finish, very good!! — 8 months ago

with Jim