Chateau Montelena Cabernet
Calistoga Cabernet, poured here since the Judgment of Paris.
The story behind Chateau Montelena
Chateau Montelena was founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs at the base of Mount Saint Helena, in Calistoga, the northernmost reach of Napa Valley. Prohibition shut the cellar doors. The modern chapter started in 1972, when James Barrett bought the property and set out to prove Calistoga could grow Cabernet that ages.
The 1976 Judgment of Paris made the estate famous for a 1973 Chardonnay, but the Cabernet was always the point. Vines sit in alluvial soil, volcanic rock and sedimentary loam. The Estate Cabernet leans 94 to 99 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, structured with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, then aged roughly 22 months in French oak in the cave tunnels under the winery.
Explore the Chateau Montelena range
Three bottles we have carried, spanning the estate's Chardonnay fame and two Cabernet vintages with real cellar time on them.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estate Cabernet 2009 | Estate Cabernet Sauvignon | 28.2 proof (14.1% ABV) | Mature blackcurrant, cedar, graphite; decant an hour |
| Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 | Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon | 27.6 to 28.4 proof (13.8 to 14.2% ABV) | Dried cherry, tobacco, resolved tannin; fully open |
| Chardonnay | Napa Valley Chardonnay | Roughly 27 to 28 proof (13.5 to 14% ABV) | The 1976 Paris winner's lineage; orchard fruit, mineral |
| Estate Cabernet, current release | Estate Cabernet Sauvignon | 28.2 to 28.4 proof (14.1 to 14.2% ABV) | 94%+ Cabernet Sauvignon, French oak 22 months |
| Napa Valley Cabernet, current release | Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot | 27.6 to 28.4 proof (13.8 to 14.2% ABV) | Merlot lifts the mid palate; approachable young |
Which Chateau Montelena is right for you?
Two of the bottles on our shelf carry real numbers. The Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet 2009 is $149.99, and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon sits at the same $149.99, both 750mL. Current release Estate Cabernet generally lands in the $175 to $220 tier nationally, and the Napa Valley bottling in the $90 to $110 range, so older vintages at this price are worth a look. The Chardonnay is $52.99 and currently out of stock; ask us and we will tell you when it returns.
Sixteen years in bottle, French oak backbone, still climbing. Buy two.
Tannins resolved, ready on opening. Pairs with ribeye without a decant debate.
The Judgment of Paris grape. Ask us to hold a bottle on arrival.