Chateau Montelena

Estate Bottled Napa Valley Chardonnay

9.313 ratings
9.72 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
"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
David Devan

Always one of the BEST! Thanks Bo for bringing the 2013 magnum of this iconic wine.

Always one of the BEST! Thanks Bo for bringing the 2013 magnum of this iconic wine.

1 person found it helpfulAug 11th, 2017
Teri Reed

So smooth!

So smooth!

1 person found it helpfulMar 1st, 2016
Mike Steffel

Too early to open, but we did. Enjoyed it after some decanting.

Too early to open, but we did. Enjoyed it after some decanting.

Sep 3rd, 2016
Heather Gay

Happy birthday to me!

Happy birthday to me!

Feb 14th, 2021
Sandeep Konchady

Good strong bodied cab, goes well with steak

Good strong bodied cab, goes well with steak

Feb 13th, 2017
Kristin Martin

Xmas day wine from Glenn

Xmas day wine from Glenn

Dec 29th, 2016
Angelo Casagrande

With a dry-aged ny strip, perhaps the perfect meal. This would be even better aged s few years.

With a dry-aged ny strip, perhaps the perfect meal. This would be even better aged s few years.

Dec 13th, 2016
Monico Perez

Great taste and opens up with the bottle! Bold but not slap your face bold! Subtle slaps! Glad we tried this out in Maui! #maui #tommybahamas #cab

Great taste and opens up with the bottle! Bold but not slap your face bold! Subtle slaps! Glad we tried this out in Maui! #maui #tommybahamas #cab

Jul 30th, 2016
Jeroen de Jong

Red berries, great tannin,

Red berries, great tannin,

Apr 29th, 2016