Chateau Montelena
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Calistoga, Napa Valley, California, USA
An exceptional bottle. Super pure. Iron, deep blue fruit, totally resolved oak, wonderfully gnarly and intense. Fresh but aged. Glorious stuff.
An exceptional bottle. Super pure. Iron, deep blue fruit, totally resolved oak, wonderfully gnarly and intense. Fresh but aged. Glorious stuff.
Jul 2nd, 2021
Concentrated and complex, showing beautiful age and tertiary notes along with cassis, cedar, hints of dark chocolate and soft tannins. Showing fantastic.
Concentrated and complex, showing beautiful age and tertiary notes along with cassis, cedar, hints of dark chocolate and soft tannins. Showing fantastic.
Mar 21st, 2019
The 86 is still in fine shape. One the nose, the fruit are slightly stewed & mashed. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, creamy black raspberries. Tarry notes, bay leaf, dark chocolate, dark spice, black turned earth, dry stones, eucalyptus and fresh & dry red flowers. The tannins are completely resolved. The body is medium and mouthfeel clean, lush & ripe. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, creamy black raspberries & strawberries-blue fruits come on late. Tarry notes, bay leaf, dark chocolate, mocha, dark spice with heat that intensifies and rises off the palate as it sets, mixed berry cola, black tea, rich, moist black turned earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, used leather, dry stems, old tobacco, mint, eucalyptus, violets, fresh & dry red flowers. There is still sound structure, great length, balance and nice complexity. The acidity is like a waterfall and the long, beautiful finish goes on and on and on. If you have the 86, it’s beautiful, but drink them now or very soon as they will start to slip going forward. The cork was in decent shape. However, I used “The Durand” corkscrew just to be safe. Always use it on 25 year plus wines just to be safe...100% removal rate getting them completely intact. Photos of, our bicycle Santa towing his wine & our color changing Christmas candles. Merry Christmas to the Delectable Community! 🎄🎁⛄️❄️🥗🎅
The 86 is still in fine shape. One the nose, the fruit are slightly stewed & mashed. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, creamy black raspberries. Tarry notes, bay leaf, dark chocolate, dark spice, black turned earth, dry stones, eucalyptus and fresh & dry red flowers. The tannins are completely resolved. The body is medium and mouthfeel clean, lush & ripe. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, creamy black raspberries & strawberries-blue fruits come on late. Tarry notes, bay leaf, dark chocolate, mocha, dark spice with heat that intensifies and rises off the palate as it sets, mixed berry cola, black tea, rich, moist black turned earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, used leather, dry stems, old tobacco, mint, eucalyptus, violets, fresh & dry red flowers. There is still sound structure, great length, balance and nice complexity. The acidity is like a waterfall and the long, beautiful finish goes on and on and on. If you have the 86, it’s beautiful, but drink them now or very soon as they will start to slip going forward. The cork was in decent shape. However, I used “The Durand” corkscrew just to be safe. Always use it on 25 year plus wines just to be safe...100% removal rate getting them completely intact. Photos of, our bicycle Santa towing his wine & our color changing Christmas candles. Merry Christmas to the Delectable Community! 🎄🎁⛄️❄️🥗🎅
Dec 25th, 2017
Right. Texture and fruit in a great place right now. Ready.
Right. Texture and fruit in a great place right now. Ready.
Feb 8th, 2015
Too bright and short. Red fruited. Tastes baked a bit
Too bright and short. Red fruited. Tastes baked a bit
Jul 1st, 2013
Would have been better 10 years ago. Tobacco and barnyard on the nose, dark fruit on the pallet
Would have been better 10 years ago. Tobacco and barnyard on the nose, dark fruit on the pallet
Dec 29th, 2019
Beautiful, old school expression with tons of energy left in the tank.
Beautiful, old school expression with tons of energy left in the tank.
Mar 9th, 2019
1986. Not to shabby for the birthday dinner.
1986. Not to shabby for the birthday dinner.
Dec 24th, 2018