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All tasting notes
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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 48 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Acove on 1/31/2024 & rated 91 points: Downgrading a bit from my last review. Definitely new world in style with ripe tropical fruits and new french oak. The palate was medium bodied and the acid was much less than I remembered, some malo character on the palate as well. Good length and decent complexity at this stage. Not quite the departure from cali chardonnay I had thought it was, but not overdone. Still a bit overpriced. (1035 views) | | | Tasted by brouigu1 on 1/26/2024 & rated 90 points: Enjoyed another bottle and this is a go-to Chardonnay. Nice acids make it food friendly while being balanced. Fresh tropical fruits with some mineral and vanilla on the finish. This will be the middle ground crowd pleaser for those who love oak and for those who don’t. Paired with Sea Bass and a lemon caper sauce, very good! (949 views) | | | Tasted by denniswdern@gmail.com on 11/23/2023 & rated 94 points: I really liked this Chardonnay. Light, crisp, with only a slight hint of oaky/buttery notes. More on the lean side, which I prefer.
Since I was drinking this after Thanksgiving, I don't have critical tasting notes. (1385 views) | | | Tasted by DevenStephens on 11/6/2023 & rated 94 points: Blind tasting! Chardonnay of the world. 4 Chards from 4 different countries. Argentina, USA, France and New Zealand. All tasted blind. The order that they were drank in was: Argentina White Bones, USA Montelena, France William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros and New Zealand Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard.
Here are the notes for the Montelena:
A tad more golden than the other wines here. Candied pineapple on the nose, vanilla, funky tropical notes. Probably has the best nose here. Palate was warm and again with a lot of tropical notes but the palate died down in the glass after an hour. I had pretty much made my mind that this was the lowest quality wine of the tasting but then I refilled my glass and wow, everything from the nose was also in the palate now and i pushed it up to second place behind #4. Really good Chardonnay with a rich history.
Winner of the evening was #4, then #2 and then a tie between 1 and 3. (1652 views) | | | Tasted by CHINACAT on 10/24/2023 & rated 91 points: Ripe lemon and orchard fruit, a silky texture, but minerally and lively. Very good for this level. (1400 views) | | | Tasted by Turtlerider on 10/8/2023: No notes taken. Had with family Thanksgiving 2023... (Canadian Thanksgiving). Everyone enjoyed (1072 views) | | | Tasted by Baron Slick on 6/27/2023 & rated 93 points: Inviting tropical notes of pineapple, limes, lemon oil, and a wisp of vanilla. Shows tremendous energy and freshness, with pinpoint focus, and a sappy but crisp, palate cleansing acidity that gives the wine lift and crunchiness. Mouthwatering finish. Delicious. (606 views) | | | Tasted by thesternowl on 5/24/2023 & rated 91 points: Judgement of Paris Tasting and Dinner (V. Mertz - Omaha, NE): I suppose there is no better place to start than with a fresh example of the wine that changed the game forever. This remains a very classic example of Napa Chardonnay in the most complimentary of ways. Ample fruit that lean on the more tropical (pineapple) side but falls short of being squishy. Lemon and lime citrus too. The oak is prominent for sure but it’s not a buttery mess. There’s good acid that gives plenty of lift and it finishes long. A very balanced wine that will probably benefit from 5+ years in the cellar. (2057 views) | | | Tasted by Acove on 4/19/2023 & rated 93 points: Was a bit discouraged reading the notes but was impressed nonetheless. Complex nose of lemon-lime tart, underripe banana, vanilla cream. Palate was appropriately concentrated, with great length and most importantly a laser beam of acidity that persists through the midpalate into the finish giving the palate life. A really classy new world chard and I do believe it lives up to its legend and can compete with a lot of white burg above its price range. Some of my favorite cali chard and would easily buy at 50-60 dollars. This will last 5 more years easy. Well done. (1665 views) | | | Tasted by rikipedia on 3/23/2023 & rated 92 points: Practice Blind Papers with MW Students - Paper 1: (tasted blind): A light yellow hue and lively bubbles. The nose carries notes of oak and crayon, toast, baked apple and pineapple creating a lovely complexity. It carries a little more oak than fruit pushing it to California as its place of origin. The palate is relatively ripe with good intensity and a lovely flow in the mid-palate. The finish is clear and crystal with gentle spices and a forceful, linear acidity that gives the wine a higher contrast/saturation and brightness. The overall impression is of an oakier style of wine with a baked apple and pineapple note and toasty edges. This is a smart, old-school wine with an oatmeal finish. (843 views) | | | Tasted by LaughingTurtle on 3/11/2023 & rated 92 points: A nice, balanced chardonnay, classic Californian-style nicely oaked. Aromatic floral bouquet that jumps out of the glass. Bright and crisp on the palate, with pear, peach, and a bit of butterscotch (?). Very easy to drink. (1574 views) | | | Tasted by cshouston on 2/18/2023 & rated 90 points: This bottle showed better than the last. It wasn’t as disjointed, but still had a bit more oak influence than I felt was necessary, and not enough acidity. For me, this vintage was a miss. We’ll have to see what the 2020 bottling is like once I finish these off. (1755 views) | | | Tasted by jsebiri on 1/24/2023: Excellent , all that it should be at this point in life. (1719 views) | | | Tasted by Dad300 on 1/20/2023 & rated 92 points: apple and peach, maybe a little pineapple on the nose the palate was .bright and fresh.. old school Napa chard.. some butter and oak but not over the top.. Chabli-ish with a touch of warmth. this should be a staple in my cellar.. (1495 views) | | | Tasted by cristalmania0813 on 1/17/2023 & rated 90 points: 노즈는 버터리 기름진데 팔렛은 그린애플 청포도
향과 맛이 기가 막힌다.
향만 맡으면 느끼할까 걱정이 되는데 입안에선 상쾌함이 터진다.
이름값 제대로
천천히 마시면 더 좋음 (1227 views) | | | Tasted by Tahlequahdave1972 on 1/17/2023 & rated 91 points: Drank over two days with little change. A more reserved style with lemon, honeysuckle and green apple flavors supported by sublime oak. Balanced and crisp with a soft, elegant finish. So enjoyable. (1319 views) | | | Tasted by LordVoldemort on 1/10/2023 & rated 90 points: color: bright golden hay, fading around the rims. tears seem quite sticky, indicating a high alcohol
nose: buttery entry, some crisp citrus. notes of brioche, cheese, melon. also alcohol stands out a bit at the end.
palette: bold and complex, smooth mouthfeel. high acidity. less dominated by oak compared to the nose. some minerality and stone fruit, more tropical fruit is also present.
Overall, solid and interesting but I sadly felt that it doesn't meet its fame, or at least not my style of chardonnay. (976 views) | | | Tasted by yurcek on 12/9/2022 & rated 90 points: Pear, full flavored. Solid chardonnay (951 views) | | | Tasted by SWHighlander on 11/29/2022 & rated 96 points: Loved this wine. Won of my all-time favorites from the New World. Most are too oaky and buttery for me. I would have picked this for a ripe Burgundy.
Served at a Montelena wine dinner in Destin, Florida. Paired with a jumbo blue crab cake, charred blue corn salsa and vanilla bean purée. (790 views) | | | Tasted by PamMc on 11/11/2022: We like this wine and shared it with Tommy, Trina and Jessica. Really good (1137 views) | | | Tasted by whudock on 11/6/2022 & rated 92 points: lots of pear and some apple fruit, a bit of almond and macadamia nut (1149 views) | | | Tasted by Irish_Wine on 11/1/2022 & rated 91 points: A Chardonnay that doesn't go through malolactic fermentation. Aged for 10 months in French oak but low % new.
Pale gold colour.
Medium intensity on the nose with melon, pear, apricot, lemon and some toast.
Medium intensity on the palate. Medium plus acidity, medium body, long finish.
Great balance, persistent length, great intensity and complexity.
Very enjoyable wine in an elegant and precise style. (527 views) | | | Tasted by whudock on 10/23/2022 & rated 92 points: strong pear and apple fruit, good acidity, a touch of oak and butter to round it out with a hint of hazelnut to make it nuanced. quite temperature sensitive (drink at cellar temperature or a bit higher) (1226 views) | | | Tasted by cshouston on 10/19/2022 & rated 89 points: Nice, but doesn't hold a candle to my favorite recent vintage: 2014. The wine has plenty of citrus, but too much oak for my taste. It's pleasantly acidic, but very round and soft instead of crisp; that crispness being my favorite aspect of the 2014. It seems to be lacking a little joie de vivre. (1250 views) | | | Tasted by Andrew Vaughan on 10/18/2022 & rated 90 points: Larger oak presence than I prefer and not as much fruit or other enjoyable character. (1016 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Decanter
(Chateau Montelena, Chardonnay, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California, USA, White) Subscribe to see review text. | Decanter
(Chateau Montelena, Chardonnay, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California, USA, White) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter. (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
2019 Chateau Montelena ChardonnayNotes from the Winemaker, Matt Crafton
INTRODUCTION
I remember standing at the press as the first squeeze from our first lot of Chardonnay in 2019 began to trickle into the pan . . . and thinking WOW. Even at 6am and at that stage—cold juice scarcely 2 hours removed from the vine —it was clear that the potential for an effusive, rich, complex wine was there. The excitement lasted scarcely 10 seconds before it was time to get to work; time to envision, time to make (irreversible) decisions, and time to act. Seeing the potential, the mosaic in our minds, is one thing. Being naturally curious and receptive to new, creative ideas is another. But it’s in the translation, the execution, and the eventual realization of what’s finally in the glass that’s the greatest challenge yet ultimately the most gratifying.
VINTAGE WEATHER
Plentiful winter rains coupled with cool temperatures pushed budbreak slightly behind normal. However, the vines took full advantage of the abundant soil moisture and responded with bountiful growth as the weather warmed into June. Mild summer days with temperatures dipping into the 50s at night made for ideal ripening conditions as harvest approached on time. A shot of heat in early September pushed the early blocks over the finish line, although cool temperatures mid-month drew the Chardonnay harvest out over 18 days.
Nose
Bright gold in color and incredibly aromatic, the ripeness of the vintage is most pronounced initially; melon, perfume, and orange blossom slowly give way to fresh peach, honeysuckle and apricot. There’s very little overt oak influence on the nose, although it comes across subtly in the background as pie crust and toast.
Palate
It’s the suppleness and silky mouthfeel that strike first, although there’s abundant mango and citrus with Meyer lemon here as well. The minerality is chalky and distinct, a beautiful contrast that layers in with the acid adding both complexity and depth.
Finish
There’s slightly more wood on the transition to the finish, surfacing as baking spice and crème brûlée. However, they’re handily overwhelmed by notes of Asian pear, mango and pineapple—absolutely delicious. In time, expect hazelnut and almond to appear.
Harvest date September 2-20 2019
Barrel age 10 months
bottling date july/aug 2020
Alcohol 14.1%
Wine Maker Matt Crafton
Chardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeUSAAmerican 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)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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