Chateau Montelena - Cabernet Sauvignon2019

RED WINE

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

Density and concentration sum up the palate
nicely as tight-grained tannin is interwoven
among layers of fresh raspberry, mint, and
hazelnut. These slowly transition to a subtle
richness of molasses and fig that's almost
chewy enough to sink your teeth into.

Vinification

Chateau Montelena’s Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is made up of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. The wine is aged in French and Eastern European oak barrels (35% new) for 16 months.

Vintage

The weather in 2015 was highly conducive to producing ripe, concentrated wines. Warm, dry conditions catalyzed an early start to the growing season, while a temperate spring coupled with the effects of the multiyear drought limited yields in the vineyard. Summer temperatures were mild overall and vine stress remained manageable as August heat materialized just ahead of harvest.

Wine

The wines at Chateau Montelena are often described as having classic "old-world" structure with ripe California fruit. What that means is that these wines tend to have more acid, lower pH and more moderate alcohol levels as compared to some of the flashy "modern" Cabs. This classic chemistry allows them to pair very well with a wide variety of dishes and sets them up for graceful aging.