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All tasting notes
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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.7 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 110 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Katscheker on 6/23/2020: grassy (maybe tobacco), high alc, light and tannic (1511 views) | | | Tasted by sdwineguru on 2/15/2020 & rated 91 points: California Zinfandel can age. 2007 Chateau Montelena Zinfandel The Montelena Estate (purchased in a bundle of older wines at a charity auction, about $35). Light-mid brick, amber edges; wood, bramble, cedar and berry nose; mid-body; balanced; softening; nice style; long semi-chewy berry finish. w/beef. 16.5 UC Davis scale, 91 other scales (the 2010 scored 16/90). (1586 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 2/21/2017 & rated 90 points: Raspberry, mint, pepper, red berry and vanilla notes. On the palate there is brambly black raspberry and pepper qualities. Has an elegance to it. (3969 views) | | | Tasted by The Drunken Cyclist on 12/22/2015 & rated 90 points: Retail $40. Big and rich on the nose with depth and intrigue. On the palate? A bit (but only based on the nose) of a disappointment as it was more austere than indicated by the nose. I am a little torn by this wine: had the nose been more reserved, I would be all in, but the nose promises a bigger wine than the palate delivers. Still. Very Good to Outstanding. thedrunkencyclist.com (5142 views) | | | Tasted by rhanke on 12/21/2015 & rated 87 points: light (4979 views) | | | Tasted by mlukanuski on 11/29/2015 & rated 90 points: needed time to breathe. once opened it was ripe cherries -- lovely round mouth (4197 views) | | | Tasted by ssspore on 7/4/2015 & rated 90 points: Color was clear dark red. Blackberry, pepper on the nose. A little thin on the palate. No finish (4578 views) | | | Tasted by Canoehead on 4/22/2015 & rated 87 points: Found it a bit flabby. Sweet fruit swamping any tannin or acid. Not my type of zin. I want tension and power. Back to Ridge for me. (2804 views) | | | Tasted by FLI on 12/30/2014 & rated 86 points: After 5 mins in the glass, this softened a bit. Still feels hot and the fruit doesn't quite measure up to the alcohol, but better than the last bottle. (1815 views) | | | Tasted by ichiballs on 11/7/2014 & rated 87 points: no balance, a little odor of corked. Too much acid. (2111 views) | | | Tasted by Coswinetaster on 5/26/2014 & rated 90 points: The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle.
It smells like blackberry, blueberry and raspberry. It tastes like raisin and plum. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity. (2390 views) | | | Tasted by BordeauxBuff on 5/20/2014 & rated 94 points: Tasted blind against several top California Zin's, including Turley and Carlisle, and Bedrock.
This wine certainly excelled and outperformed most Turley bottlings of the same vintage.
Dark currants, mocha, cocoa, tobacco....very concentrated and full bodied wine, but ends with a refined finish.
I've had the pleasure of consuming this wine on several occasions over the past several years, and it has been consistent every time. I'm shocked that the price remains so low. Outstanding value from Chateau Montelena. (2101 views) | | | Tasted by rhanke on 5/12/2014 & rated 88 points: Mellow, fruit fading (1855 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 1/2/2014 & rated 75 points: Aromas of red and dark fruit and spices, turning vegetal and weedy/funky, and not in a pleasant way. Weedy and vegetal with red fruit on the palate. Perhaps a touch of brett; perhaps just an off bottle. (2209 views) | | | Tasted by alden.vansolkema on 11/30/2013 & rated 89 points: I've had Zins that are far more interesting for far less $. That said, it was a decent drink, nice big fruit at the beginning, but somewhat flat to finish. (2077 views) | | | Tasted by Pluecht on 11/29/2013 & rated 86 points: A really uninspiring bottle of wine. Flat, boring, really a let down. (1616 views) | | | Tasted by Bob in NC on 11/22/2013 & rated 86 points: Compared ’07 vs ’08 – ’07 shows a degree of bricken compared to the brightness of the ’08. Nose on the ’07 is more subdued giving off more heat than anything while the ’08 exhibits brambly fruit, savory spice and smoked meat. ’07 palate is as subdued as the nose with minimal fruit and spice with more fruit showing on a lingering finish. Nothing unpleasant on the ’07 it’s smooth, drinks well simply no depth. The ’08, on the other hand, tastes of pleasantly tart red currant berries and baking spice leading to a grippy food complementary finish. The ’08 is not as smooth but more interesting and fun to drink with greater depth in nose and palate. ’07 drink up! ’08 drink over the next 2 or 3 years. (1668 views) | | | Tasted by Sailingsimon on 11/18/2013 & rated 91 points: Not a big Zin fan but this is a Fantastic Zinfandel. It aged very well. Drink it this year. (1663 views) | | | Tasted by mattlennert on 9/18/2013 & rated 88 points: Big ole Cali fruit bomb. Meh. (1872 views) | | | Tasted by SkeBum on 5/28/2013 & rated 89 points: As good as ever, nice light Zin. (2209 views) | | | Tasted by patsox on 4/10/2013 & rated 91 points: Drank in honor of Jim Barrett. Very refined, smooth, yet packed with pure, clean, energetic zin flavor. Six years old but aging most gracefully. (2251 views) | | | Tasted by Bob in NC on 3/16/2013: Drank to honor Jim Barrett. Very smooth and balanced with lively black pepper spice - an elegent Zinfandel that went perfectly with our burgers. (2266 views) | | | Tasted by crushzone on 3/15/2013 & rated 88 points: - Violet color. It's somewhat balanced with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish. (2289 views) | | | Tasted by bibendumrrb on 12/28/2012: Ups store (2253 views) | | | Tasted by bjecjohnson on 11/13/2012 & rated 90 points: APPEARANCE: Beautiful purple-reddish color. Clean, crisp, and full-bodied
AROMA: Oregano and spices with a hint of cherries
TASTE: Nice long finish of spices and overripe cherries (2289 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By David Lawrason
WineAlign (10/13/2010)
(Chateau Montelena Estate Zinafandel, Calistoga, Napa Valley, The Montelena Estate red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Szabo, MS
WineAlign (10/6/2010)
(Chateau Montelena Estate Zinafandel, Calistoga, Napa Valley, The Montelena Estate red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2009, IWC Issue #144
(Chateau Montelena Zinfandel The Montelena Estate Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/28/2012)
(Chateau Montelena Zinfandel The Montelena Estate) A little reticent, roasted berry, light mint nose; tight yet, tart roasted berry, tart black fruit palate; needs 1 year; medium-plus finish 89 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of WineAlign and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Chateau Montelena Producer website
Very DETAILED history of the property
From winery:
What’s not to like about the weather in 2018? The late spring rains in March and April were very productive and the vines responded with plentiful growth into summer. Unusually low nighttime temperatures coupled with warm to hot days magnified the acidity in the fruit, creating elegant structure for extending aging, rather than overtly jammy flavor. Harvest was slow and methodical as subtle variations in soil and sun exposure magnified the typically nuanced differences in ripening and maturation.
NOSE PALATE FINISH
Fresh and lively, the wine opens effusively with raspberry, mint and plum sauce. The baking spices soon follow, leaning clove initially but with plenty of cedar and vanilla. Still subtle, the ripe fruit elements, mostly cassis and fig at this stage, lurk beneath the surface along with beautiful hints of graphite and toasted sage, awaiting additional time in glass.
HARVEST DATES
September 20 – October 25
ALCOHOL
14.2%
BLEND
98% Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5% Petit Verdot 0.5% Cabernet Franc
Still very tightly wound, it’s the texture and mouthfeel that drive the palate initially. The tannins in particular are somewhat coarse but not so angular to overshadow the abundant dark fruit. The dynamic tension on the midpalate serves to focus and magnify the layers of black cherry, cocoa powder, and black pepper, before turning slightly earthy and dusty. The structure is pronounced, but still harmonious and well defined.
Technical Information
BARREL AGING
22 months in 100% French oak, 40% new
BOTTLING DATE
August 2020
It’s in the transition to the finish that the acidity materializes in almost candy-like fashion, a beautiful contrast to the supple tannins. Here the wine’s density shines elegantly, well balanced between smoky, espresso bean and delicate, dried blackberry. It’s the latter that defines the finish at this moment, persistent in length and depth.
WINEMAKER
Matt Crafton
Zinfandel ZAP: Zinfandel Advocates & Producers | Varietal character (Appellation America) | Wikipedia-ZinfandelUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)CalistogaDiamond mountain |
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