Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga

Once again this bottle just delivers. Perfect out of the gate and only got better with some air. Drank over 3 hours. Perfect ruby red color. Great nose of red fruits, some saddle and smoke. On the palate this was resolved yet no hints of age. The harmony of the fruit/acid/tannin is amazing. Great complexity to the wine. I could drink this every night.

1978 vintage

Double decant. Not much precipitate at all. Nose of dark fruit, cassis predominant, beautiful minirality and graphite notes. Palate is full bodied, great acidity and minirality with awesome mid palate depth with some nuance and long finish. I think this is drinking near its peak maybe minus 2 years. But should drink well at least for 5-10 years.

2016 vintage

Opened by a good friend to accompany venison casserole. The bottle has been cellar stored for many years. We agreed to open, decant and pour, so that we could see how the wine evolved in the glass. Unsurprisingly, the cork broke so we filtered the wine as it entered the decanter. A good decision to drink immediately, as the wine immediately showed good blackcurrant fruit, figs, cinnamon. Clearly fully mature, but drinking well. Over 30 minutes the wine held well, …

1993 vintage

Gave it 10 minutes of air and it shows beautiful tertiary aromas. Earthy, mushrooms, light truffles, tar, black cherry, great palate, still very fresh. Long long long finish. After 30 minutes in the glass, a total top Bordeaux vibe. Napa is long gone.

1991 vintage

Had with prime rib. all tannin gone, smooth, great nose, but lacking a bit of body. Likely at the end of its time. still a very good wine.

1999 vintage

Nice rich fruit still there, some structure, and balance. A little note of green emerged over the evening, but not off putting. Stored well, these will drink for a while yet.

1994 vintage

WCC 80s, 90s, Bordeaux & Cali Cab (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY) : [Double-decanted at 4:30pm.] Smoky black fruit nose. Sweet tannins and rich black fruit. Long complex finish. Could have used a longer decant.

1991 vintage

SF Wine Meet-Up: Birthyear Wines (San Francisco) : I thoroughly enjoyed this. Picked up notes of leather, clove, dried plum, and cherry. I'm a big Montelena fan and really encouraged to see the aging potential on these wines! 91 points.

1992 vintage

Sour. Never came round after 4 hours. Maybe a bad bottle based on other notes.

1999 vintage

Reddit Group Take 3 (The Lumina) : I’ve been a semi-regular drinker of this bottling for several decades; this was the furthest out from vintage date. Cassis, black currants and a faint red fruit note, cigar box, leather, mocha and anise. Fruit holding up nicely and still good acidity giving this lift, although the tannins have mostly disappeared making this more delicious than complex or particularly structured. I think that the ‘80s and ‘90s were a glory period for this …

1992 vintage

Tasted blind. I found it a bit ripe, notes of blackcurrant but also plum jam. Toasty fine tannins, but somewhat one dimensional.

1985 vintage

Bought on release and stored in temperature-controlled cellar. Was part of ten Napa valley cabs for a dinner party featuring beef tenderloin. The Montelena was one of the best, the highest rated by two, tho no votes were taken, just informal discussions. Montelena had no bricking, lots of sediment and was not decanted, nose was arresting, and palate was fab. i see fine drinking for at least five years.

1994 vintage

Decanted for 90 minutes and drank over the next 90. Didn't look like a 20 year old wine as not much bricking. Don't see it improving but still drinking nicely.

2005 vintage

Elegant - had aged beautifully. Earthy and well balanced with silky smooth tannins. Still have 7-10 years. Loved it!

1997 vintage

Beautiful still. Enjoyed 1 night with fried talapia and one night with pizza with Laurie Moorehead

1999 vintage

First Growth plus Ausone and LMHB dinner (1789 Restaurant, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.) : Served blind. My first impression is a domestic Cabernet. There is a lot of concentrated black fruit, but it is not finely layered, more mint than eucalyptus, slightly lacking acidity, with French oak and noticeable but sweet tannins. Some thought it was Unico, but I do not find any American oak. There is no obvious eucalyptus, so it is not Heitz Martha’s. Although it does not show …

1997 vintage

First Growth plus Ausone and LMHB dinner (1789 Restaurant, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.) : Served blind. My first impression is a domestic Cabernet. There is a lot of concentrated black fruit, but it is not finely layered, more mint than eucalyptus, slightly lacking acidity, with French oak and noticeable but sweet tannins. Some thought it was Unico, but I do not find any American oak. There is no obvious eucalyptus, so it is not Heitz Martha�s. Although it does not show …

1997 vintage

End of life. Still an aging beauty

2002 vintage

[Decanted at 4:30pm. Drunk around 6:30pm.] Black plums and currants with a hint of spice in the nose. Big and rich in the mouth. Still youthful, but beautiful, especially with steak. Long and delicious.

1996 vintage

My last bottle '97. Enjoyed on NYE with before dinner and with Prime Rib. The wine was great, so I'll just echo the recent notes from others in the 94 point range. We did PnP and it did not need long to be delightful. This is a bottle to enjoy with a few close friends over a few hours. Also, I'd find that time sooner than later as there is no reason to wait. Side note: I've got an 01, …

1997 vintage

slow boxed all the wines I contributed for about 6 hours. It made a huge difference. This blossomed with blackberry flavor that was very perfumed. This was my WOTN.

1995 vintage

Still in great shape. Amazing how long this has hung in there…especially many of my other Napa 97s (different producers) are fading fast. Really good, tough competition tonight. Was part of a Christmas dinner “tasting” that included the ‘01 Monte Bello, ‘02 Les Pavots, and the ‘97 Monetlena. I’d probably have ranked them in about that order but all were fantastic, and drinking well.

1997 vintage

Medium purple. Nose of cassis, red currant, cedar, lavender. Layers of ripe luxuriant currant, plum, and earth on the delicious palate. Medium acidity and softened tannin. Long finish of rich red fruit, stony earth, and hints of tobacco. Very lovely wine. Half bottle.

1999 vintage

Still in great shape. Amazing how long this has hung in there�especially many of my other Napa 97s (different producers) are fading fast. Really good, tough competition tonight. Was part of a Christmas dinner �tasting� that included the �01 Monte Bello, �02 Les Pavots, and the �97 Monetlena. I�d probably have ranked them in about that order but all were fantastic, and drinking well.

1997 vintage

Decanted for 2 hours. Not too bricky in appearance with a quite youthful hue. Medium sediment for its age. See previous notes for descriptors. Still drinking beautifully at 20 years of age with a lot of life left in it. Pretty figgy on the palate with earthy notes on the finish. Very yummy for sure. Drink up as I dont see this getting any better.

2005 vintage

Took it to a restaurant where it was decanted about 1 hour before drinking. Deep, almost opaque garnet red color. The nose was intense and complex, the kind of nose where I felt I could keep my nose in the glass for minutes trying to tease out all the aromas there. Interestingly, the nose evolved little over the time we drank the wine, perhaps because there was no more evolution that could occur. The wine was pure silk on the …

1997 vintage

Short decant and poured into glasses. No real notes, but was a really wonderful fully mature CA cab. Many subtle tertiary flavors and still some tasty fruit.

1992 vintage

Cork was in good shape. Compared to other early 90’s Napa Cabernets I have had recently this wine had lost a lot of color to a somewhat faded light red. While drinkable the wine had lost almost all its fruit so it was pretty ordinary tasting experience.

1993 vintage

Browning on the edges, but otherwise lots of life. It was drinking better at the end of the meal. Cassis and dark berries. Served without decanting to accompany double grilled cut Gunthrop Farm pork chop, roasted delicata squash and braised collards.

1997 vintage

Short decant to enjoy with our smoked Wagyu steaks this was an amazing wine. Very aromatic in the glass with a touch of musty age, dark with only a bit of breakdown at the edges. Fruit and tannins in great balance, with dark cherry, blackberries. Incredible for a 34 year old wine.

1991 vintage

Notes of herbs, juniper and cypress

2009 vintage

Last bottle of this venerable favorite did not disappoint. While probably past its very best days, it still provided plenty of drinking enjoyment. It seemed to lack the sheer power that it showed 10 or 15 years ago, but had gobs of rich fruit, and zesty acidity

1992 vintage

40 year old cab. Very rough when opened. Slowly improved, but not great. 5 hours of air and it smoothed out. Very little fruit, but good mature flavors - leather, barnyard I have four more - should go in the drink it now pile.

1986 vintage

Birthday & Nameday Celebrations : Beautiful magnum had both with and without decanting. Definitely decanting is needed and better a couple of hours. The nose sings and ever so beautiful, rich fruit, last kisses of an oaky dynamic, good earthy and herby touches too. The palate is a bit tight still and we wonder if this is the price the wine is paying for a very ripe and extracted elevage as this is from the high Parker era. Still very …

2002 vintage

I found this to be overripe. Concentrated fruit compote, notes of grass and sous bois along with dried thyme. Maybe it needs more time, maybe it’s the bottle. My limited experience with Montelena from older vintages was of much more elegant wines.

1997 vintage

I found this to be overripe. Concentrated fruit compote, notes of grass and sous bois along with dried thyme. Maybe it needs more time, maybe it�s the bottle. My limited experience with Montelena from older vintages was of much more elegant wines.

1997 vintage

11 years since we had this before ( Papies 93) and all these years later still felt so young and had a cold feel to it almost not willing to open up and age. Definitely the extraction and ripeness put into this is a block to its expression complexity but tha been said is very well mannered and polished. But where is the excitement. 92

1995 vintage

Dense dark and aromatic, though still too young. It seems to be in a kind of adolescent stage. Opened up with time and paired well with roast chicken and mushrooms. Really excellent wine that needs more time to develop.

2016 vintage

Consumed on night 1 and night 3. Final verdict: great bottle, certainly into the secondary/tertiary stage, but this bottle can last on that plateau for quite a few more years. Nose has dark fruit, sweet tobacco, worn leather. It's a pretty nose reminiscent of left bank Bordeaux. Palate has more of that leather, fruit is more mashed or stewed, plummy but it has energy. Fruit shows more with some air, getting better and better. After opening was about to say, …

2005 vintage

PNP. Super deep magenta color. Black cherry, raspberry thumbprint cookie, and bay leaf. Smooth, dry, slightly herbal palate, with good acidity. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish. This is more red fruited than I like, but it has aged very well. Enjoyed this at a birthday party I attended with jsmorris707 in Fort Lauderdale.

2009 vintage

This one seemed as though it needed much more time to open up and shine. Decanted and tasted over 2 hours and never really felt like it was truly open and ready. Maybe an off bottle as it wasn't over the hill by any means.

1998 vintage

Showing good purple color with secondary and tertiary flavors. Some berry and cassis but mostly dried leaves, forest floor, dried herbs. Still showing some fruit notes of plums, cedar and leather notes. Medium bodied with some tannins.

1980 vintage

Quite good with chunky dark black fruit flavors and weighty texture that does speak breed. This is a heavier, denser style dominated by fruit flavors. This remains in a very nice drinking window and likely has years ahead, but at plateau.

2002 vintage

Very little ullage. Dark in color -- incredibly youthful color with minimal bricking. Fantastic nose of perfectly mature Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with cedar, a hint of mint, and blackcurrant. Long, penetrating finish. Excellent wine!

1991 vintage

Over-the-Hill Tasting & Dinner, Part II (D&L's) : Popped and poured. A touch of age-appropriate bricking with a dark core. Notes of plum, currant, leather, cedar and mint. Full-bodied and integrated with mixed red and black fruit, cedar, dried herb and plum flavors. Balanced, with a lingering finish. This is in a lovely spot right now. Gorgeous. (J&J)

1994 vintage

Thin and tired.

1982 vintage

Seemed decades younger than its 4-year older brother on this night. While mature, this drank young. A really fine and enjoyable wine.

1986 vintage

Last of the birthday month celebrations : My contribution. As usual with these old Napas, very youthful for its age with a nice cigar box nose but they don't seem to develop the same complexity as Bordeaux. Slightly plummy which made some guess as modern right-bank at first but most managed to guess this as Napa eventually.

1992 vintage

Chateau Montelena Vertical Tasting (Our Farm in NJ) : This was the one bottle from someone else’s cellar at my Chateau Montelena tasting and among 14 vintages of the Estate Cab tasted. Double decanted around 3pm and tasted from about 6-10pm as well as the next day. This was a medium dark translucent garnet color with little to no bricking. Very fragrant, earthy and slightly jammy but with just a hint of VA. Palate was rich and chewy with still …

1987 vintage

Chateau Montelena Vertical Tasting (Our Farm in NJ) : In my cellar since 2012 when I purchased additional bottles ($160 from Sokolin in Long Island NY) after drinking my last bottle previously acquired on release. Double decanted at noon for my Ch. Montelena Vertical tasting of 14 vintages of the Estate Cab, with less sediment than expected and tasted from about 5pm through 10pm and beyond. 14% ABV. Translucent, bright medium garnet color with no sign of bricking. Nose was …

1997 vintage

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Chateau Montelena, The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga

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