Established in 1882 by California entrepreneur Alfred Tubbs, the modern-day Chateau Montelena Winery has been owned and operated by the Barrett family since 1972. In 1976, Chateau Montelena helped put California at the forefront of the wine world when a who’s-who of the French wine and food establishment rated the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay above all other white wines in a blind tasting, convinced that this wine was one of their own. These results proved that Chateau Montelena could produce some of the world’s finest wines, and that California’s wine industry had come of age. Decades later, Chateau Montelena remains committed to producing world class wines with the Barrett family at the helm.
93+ Points Vinous
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate shows the racier, more voluptuous side of the vintage. A burst of super-ripe red cherry fruit, spice, mint, tobacco and cedar gives the wine an extra kick of exoticism that is a signature of the year, and a bit out of character for Montelena. Even so, the wine retains its super-classic sense of structure. Today, the 2017 is clearly still recovering from its recent bottling a few months ago, but it has so much to offer.