Chateau Montelena

Estate Bottled Napa Valley Chardonnay

9.1466 ratings
9.149 pro ratings
Napa Valley, California, USA
Chardonnay
Duck, Shellfish, Goose, Mushrooms, Manchego & Parmesan, Game, Pork, Squash & Root Vegetables, Chicken, Turkey, Cheddar & Gruyere, Meaty & Oily Fish, White Fish, Shellfish, Crab & Lobster, Cream Sauces
Top Notes For
Conrad Green

Plush and plummy. Dark fruit. Rich and lucid with hints of iodine and dried herbs. Gorgeous stuff. Very pure

Plush and plummy. Dark fruit. Rich and lucid with hints of iodine and dried herbs. Gorgeous stuff. Very pure

Sep 11th, 2024
"Odedi"

#AgedWineTuesday for lunch.

This is a wonderful Chardonnay from the very famous Chateau Montelena. Exactly 40 vintages later, I could see how it won the Judgment of Paris wine competition, with it's 1973 vintage.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity.

Showing lemons, apples, pears, melons, light tropical fruits, herbs, cedar, light vanilla, spices, light earth and black pepper.

Long finish with limes and light almonds.

This 9 year old still feels very young, with lots of complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years. Has potential to become a 95+ point wine.

Good right out of the bottle, and a great sipping wine. Showing great balance, so there is no need for food here.

Elegant and rich. Fruit forward, powerful and exciting.

I paired it with a Caesar salad with blackened Mahi. Great lunch.

Aged in (10% new) French Oak barrels for 10 months.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$65.

#AgedWineTuesday for lunch.

This is a wonderful Chardonnay from the very famous Chateau Montelena. Exactly 40 vintages later, I could see how it won the Judgment of Paris wine competition, with it's 1973 vintage.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity.

Showing lemons, apples, pears, melons, light tropical fruits, herbs, cedar, light vanilla, spices, light earth and black pepper.

Long finish with limes and light almonds.

This 9 year old still feels very young, with lots of complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years. Has potential to become a 95+ point wine.

Good right out of the bottle, and a great sipping wine. Showing great balance, so there is no need for food here.

Elegant and rich. Fruit forward, powerful and exciting.

I paired it with a Caesar salad with blackened Mahi. Great lunch.

Aged in (10% new) French Oak barrels for 10 months.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$65.

Oct 4th, 2022
Sipping Fine Wine

Medium lemon color with aromas of ripe stone and citrus fruits and floral notes, no MLF. On the palate flavors of pear, apple and melon with notes of lemon citrus, honeysuckle and vanilla oak. Well balanced with acidity, long finish ending with fruit, toasty oak and slight mineral notes, consistent! A Fav!!

Medium lemon color with aromas of ripe stone and citrus fruits and floral notes, no MLF. On the palate flavors of pear, apple and melon with notes of lemon citrus, honeysuckle and vanilla oak. Well balanced with acidity, long finish ending with fruit, toasty oak and slight mineral notes, consistent! A Fav!!

Sep 20th, 2022
Cameron Parry

Lovely, crisp, delicious. Still plenty of time left on the ‘16.

Lovely, crisp, delicious. Still plenty of time left on the ‘16.

Apr 18th, 2022
Sipping Fine Wine

Medium lemon color with aromas of ripe stone and citrus fruits and floral notes, no MLF. On the palate flavors of pear, apple and melon with notes of lemon citrus, honeysuckle, cinnamon and vanilla oak. Well balanced with acidity, long finish ending with fruit, toasty oak and slight mineral and pepper notes.

Medium lemon color with aromas of ripe stone and citrus fruits and floral notes, no MLF. On the palate flavors of pear, apple and melon with notes of lemon citrus, honeysuckle, cinnamon and vanilla oak. Well balanced with acidity, long finish ending with fruit, toasty oak and slight mineral and pepper notes.

Jul 18th, 2021
Eric

Good color . Harmoniously balanced fruit, mineral, light malolactic fermentation and clean-medium finish. Solid performance from this stellar producer.

Good color . Harmoniously balanced fruit, mineral, light malolactic fermentation and clean-medium finish. Solid performance from this stellar producer.

Aug 6th, 2019
Carl Fischer

Crisp and citrusy, the slightest hint of vanilla on the finish.

Crisp and citrusy, the slightest hint of vanilla on the finish.

Mar 31st, 2018
Shengli Hu

Sweet apricot, sweet lime, and yellow apple. Slightly salty. Good balance.

Sweet apricot, sweet lime, and yellow apple. Slightly salty. Good balance.

1 person found it helpfulAug 30th, 2018
Greg Gregory

This rivals the 86 Mouton. Seriously. It’s like a hammer and I’d guess it has 40 years left easily.

This rivals the 86 Mouton. Seriously. It’s like a hammer and I’d guess it has 40 years left easily.

1 person found it helpfulOct 8th, 2017
Greg Gregory

Out of mag from Ch Montelena cellar. Stunning. I chose my two fave vintages for our dinner and the 91 did not fail to show off. If the 86 is Sean Connery as James Bond the 91 is Piece Brosnan. So much time ahead.

Out of mag from Ch Montelena cellar. Stunning. I chose my two fave vintages for our dinner and the 91 did not fail to show off. If the 86 is Sean Connery as James Bond the 91 is Piece Brosnan. So much time ahead.

1 person found it helpfulOct 8th, 2017