Monsieur Touton Selection, Ltd.
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Chateau Montelena - Cabernet Sauvignon Estate2009

RED WINE

PUBLIC
November 2025
Prices and availability subject to confirmation
Chateau Montelena - Cabernet Sauvignon Estate label
  • Producer Chateau Montelena
  • Blend 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Country USA
  • Region California
  • Appellation Napa Valley
  • UPC 0 15643 79972 3

Reviews

Wine Advocate 93+

Montelena's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate wraps around the palate with serious depth. Even with all of its intensity, the 2009 has a silkiness that makes it incredibly delicious at this early stage. Red berries, flowers, tobacco and sweet herbs all flesh out on the generous, radiant finish. While many 2009s are a bit tight today, Montelena's 2009 Estate is showing very nicely, although it is keeping some cards close to the vest. I imagine the 2009 will start to enter its prime drinking window around age 8-10 and drink well for at least another decade beyond that. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.

by AG, Wine Advocate , 2012

Technical Details

Estate

Chateau Montelena's rich history began on a chilly fall morning when Alfred L. Tubbs spaded over and inspected the soil where he thought of planting estate vineyards. He'd heard the Napa Valley was the best place to grow grapes in California. A deal was struck and in January of 1882 the San Francisco entrepreneur owned 254 acres of rugged land just two miles north of Calistoga at the base of Mount Saint Helena. The soils are well drained, stony and loose – perfect for the vine cuttings he would plant

Tasting notes

The nose is loaded with rich aromas of black fruits and spices. Notes of blackberry solicit memories of hot summer afternoons while clove, allspice, vanilla, and hints of cocoa tease with thoughts of baked goodies. Emerging from these layers is a core of brandied cherries, light oak, and a hint of anise. This wines shows a smooth entry that steadily builds to a full, fleshy mid-palate, then evolves seamlessly into a rich, spicy finish that invites you back for more.

Vinification

Chateau Montelena's Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is made up of 98.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc and .5% Petit Verdot. The wine is aged in 100% French oak barrels (30% new) for 24 months.

Vintage

2012 was one of those vintages that allowed the winery to express what makes the Montelena Estate a rarity, even in the Napa Valley. The porous alluvial soils and craggy volcanics soaked up the late spring rains, which, coupled with copious sunshine and moderate temperatures, set the stage for an ideal growing season. By August, as most of the Valley dealt with triple digit highs, reliable northerly breezes materialized by mid-afternoon as the substantial heat inland drew in ocean air from the Pacific, which thundered down Mt. St. Helena to cool our Estate. In short, the fruit from this vintage experienced the best of what this vineyard can offer, allowing Chateau Montelena to craft a wine of elegance, structure, and finesse.

Wine

The Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
is grown in one of the world’s most
remarkable winegrowing properties. The
site’s diversity of soils and slopes translates
directly into the layers of complex flavors in
this flagship wine.