Chateau Montelena I

I visited Chateau Montelena recently. The estate tasting consisted of the 2022 Chardonnay, and then 4 vintages of their Cabernet Sauvignon + a bonus vintage. The educator was very good and I'd say one of the more knowledgeable ones I've come across in Napa.

I appreciated that she showed the Cabernet across warm and cool vintages and recent and older. We had 2016, '14, '11, '06 and a bonus '19.

The 16 and 19 were fresh and vibrant with intense black and red fruit and crunchy minerality on the finish. The 16' had better structure between the two and I considered it a very good wine.

The '14 was a warm vintage and it showed in the wine. Overly ripe and flabby. My least favorite.

The 2011 was a cool and wet vintage and the wine was a little thin with some greenness, and while this was probably the most criticized of the vintages, I found the '11 to be the most interesting and to have more complex aroma, and better acidity. Age has treated it well.

The 2006 was like the '11 cut with the '14. A little green but very ripe. Drank more like a Merlot but the age gave it interesting tertiary. Not quite enough structure.

Overall it was a very educational tasting and well done, and I appreciated hearing the history, but I walked away feeling $250 a bottle for the Cabs was a bit richly priced.

The Chardonnay ($75) I found it to be excellent reminding me of a prem cru quality white burgundy from one of the better villages. A high % new French oak but very well integrated and finessed in the wine. I'd be happy to buy this wine again.