Opening day dinner at the club. Double decanted a couple of hours before dinner. Plum and cherry with a bit of cedar and leather as well. In a really nice spot. 92-93 pts.
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A delightful wine at its peak. After opening, with a little time, the nose had candied red fruit with a bit of menthol and earth. Balanced red/black fruit flavors on the palate. I don’t think it will get much better, but it sure is delicious right now!
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Beautiful nose: red currant, cherries, well integrated wood. Structured and long palate. Positive surprise and in a really nice drinking window at the moment
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Doesn't have the class of their estate bottles but very decent old world approach to blending. Not a fruit bomb or overloaded with vanilla. Well integrated now, good flavors, medium finish, does not need a decant. Very yummy but for $75~ I think they have lots of competition at that price point.
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This was actually better than I was expecting after reading other reviews over the past several years. The cork didn't come out as clean as i expected but had a similar experience with a 2005 Chappellet a couple months back. Surprising it still needs aeration for almost 12 years old. I have learned to appreciate these Napa cabs but still not convince they are worth the price point as there are a lot of good one out there for less money. I guess that is just the value investor in me. It has a lot of life left in it. 13.7% alcohol. It was a very nice Christmas gift from a friend.
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This is the second bottle of 4 that I've opened, which I've been cellaring for years and they both had the same characteristics. When you uncork the bottle, both had a nice color and great nose, typical California Cab. Tried from the bottle and also decanting for 60 minutes. Once you pour into a glass and drink this wine it's very "flat" for a lack of a better word. With such a nice nose, it's a real let down when you take your first sip and expect this wine that would be bursting with flavor and tannins, but you don't get that. You get this flat taste and say to yourself......Oh that's OK.
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It's got a nice nose of toasted walnuts and dark berries but on the tongue it's pretty fruity. It mellows as it passes the middle tongue. Flavors of bright cherry, raspberry, chocolate cassis. It's nice but not amazing.
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Decanted 3-4 hours before tasting. Medium, translucent garnet with a brick edge. At a sweet spot or perhaps slightly past peak. Nose has an herbal character with lavender along with black plum, tobacco and grilled meat. Palate focuses in on plum, cherry, cedar, graphite with distinct cigar tobacco on the finish. Given the light bodied year, this has aged much better than I would have expected. Time to drink it up however....if it has been well cellared.
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2005 Chateau Montelena Napa Cab (not the estate) visually was a scarlet to garnet red in color with medium viscosity. After 4 hours of decanting, the nose provided notes of lavender, red fruits, tobacco and a hint of cedar. The mouth feel was smooth and medium with fairly light tannins; a 2 on a scale of 1-5. There was some acidity. The flavors were very nice. This was a tasty wine, which provided flavors of cherry, tobacco, red fruits, and a hint of pencil lead. The 2005 Chateau Montelena is a solid QPR. It is ready to drink now and over the next 2-3 years. Score 91
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Inky currant color. Plum, boysenberry, hint of cherry & licorice on the nose. Rich cranberry, sage/herbal flavors, cinnamon, & cherry. Finish has hints of the tannins. Decanted 2 hrs.
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While a very good bottle we were all a bit disappointed expecting a bit more. Deep color with currant, fig, deep cherry and currants. Beginning to mature but with many years left.
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Deep garnet, refusing to show its age. The bouquet reveals aromas of black currants, cherries, black raspberries, and notes of marzipan, leather, and underbrush. This is full bodied, well integrated, with a supple texture, attractive maturity, and a lovely sense of place. A warm spice component laces the dark fruit finish. Outstanding.
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If Tanzer was right about his 87 point rating when he wrote it, he's definitely wrong now. This non estate cab is very good right now. Full bodied and balanced but not overly softened. No decanting required, just pop the cork and enjoy. I'm definitely looking forward to opening one of my estate cabs from this vintage. Boy will I be disappointed if it doesn't rate 95 or better!
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Dark garnet color with nice viscosity. Earthy dark fruit aroma with black raspberry and mineral flavors. Good acidity and mellow tannin. Lengthy finish. Lots of sediment on the cork.
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- Garnet color and aromas of black currant, prune and dusty and has flavours of black currant and walnut - Rapid aerated 3-4 times and sat for 1 hour, opened up very nice; not too fruit/jammy yet more like a Bordeaux complexity. Cork was extremely tartaric and had fair amount of sediment. Fun bottle to enjoy.
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South Charlotte Wine Lovers - Pre and Post Millennium Tasting (Tom and Sue's Casa): I love being able to taste wines together for comparison. This is another wine though that I think would have scored higher if I were drinking stand alone. But just did not have the stuffing or character that the '94 did that we had alongside. This fruit was a bit brighter with nice currant, a little anise with a medium finish. Very nice wine with 10+ years to go.
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Agreed that the fruit is in the background now. Still a good wine, very well balanced. I would say the bouquet is better than the initial frontal palette.
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Assez discret au nez, en bouche, c'est bien et le vin n'est pas over the top. Le tout semble bien integre, malgre le fait que l'on goute encore le cote vanille. On n'y retrouve en bouche du menthol/eucalyptus, tabac et cedre. Il manque un certaine complexite afin de dire qu'il s'agit d'un tres bon vin.
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Drank this several months ago. remember being impressed with the overall quality. Didn't blow you away with fruit, but was a classic, rich Napa Cab with all components in balance.
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This was lovely, a bit short of the 2008 Freemark Abbey Cab we had alongside, but only just slightly - Dark, full bodied with a nose of blackfruit, plum, cherry, cedar, mocha, green leaf tobacco and vanilla, well structured, balanced and complex, sweet on the palate with tannins fading and a long finish, nice! (91 Points).
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Bought this from a local grocer in 2008. This is at its prime drinking window. Don't see this getting any better. P & P, plum and currants on the nose. Nice rounded on palate with plum, cassis and cherries on the medium finish. Not much for secondary flavors. Good QPR for the $40 tariff. So, drink up and enjoy, as this will be on the decline within a year to 18 months.
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Bought this wine in 2008 at the winery and I remember it being an absolute fruit bomb and telling myself, hold off on this one for a few years, at least. Well, now it's drinking much more reasonably, though not too much depth. But it is a well rounded wine and is worth the price at $40. Still very jammy wine and should last a few more years.
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The wine did not have much over complexity. Drink now. Mocha and spices on nose, firm tannins and blackberry and mocha through mid-palate and finish. Paired well with coffee marinated steak.
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Very, very nice. Rich nose & color. On the palate, dark fruits, actually a bit jammy but no hint of sweetness. Excellent structured tannins, nice balancing acidity. Unique flavor profile, but also distinctly Cabernet. A pleasure to drink! Finish long & satisfying.
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Enjoyed with friends at Ruth's Chris. Decanted about an hour before we ate and it was delicious. Dark, silky, and bold wine living up to expectations. Wonderful on the nose as we could smell it from the end of the table.
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Clear dark ruby red in colour. Clean med nose of black currant, some cedar, and spice. Dry, med acidity, med body, black currant, dark chocolate, spice on mid palate, and some cedar on the end. Nice finish. A nice classy wine. Drinking well right now.
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This is one of those wines that I enjoy so much stand alone, I worry if food might detract from the experience. (Especially since I don't always pair wine and food as well as I would like to) Decanted and strained due to sediment. Nicely concentrated cocoa dark cherry and berries, with some spices on the end accompanying lighter than expected tannins. Paired well with steaks and creamed spinach. Looking forward to more bottles in the future.
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A vibrant youthful wine with a dark core and a vibrant purple rim, great dense viscosity shinning through on the glass and an intense bouquet of aromas. The nose has depth and weight, notes of sour cherries, raspberries, dark earth, sweet tobacco, new leather, eucalyptus, and a touch of graphite on the end. On the palate the attack is dominated by dark fruits and berries, following nicely into a tame mid-palate with tart red fruits, and bitter coffee notes. The finish exhibits dark chocolate shavings with a touch of creamy vanilla and nice polished and chewy tannins. A nose with depth, a mid-bodied wine with good structure, smooth textures, pure flavors, balanced all throughout but missing a bit more on the end.
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A very nice cabernet. Dark fruits, spice and oak/cedar flavors dominate. Good concentration, nicely balanced, good structure, very well integrated. As others have noted it is not overdone, but with enough richness, concentration and complexity to make it very enjoyable.
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needed more time to develop flavor.. would leave in the cellar for another few years if I could undrink this bottle I would! needed more time to breathe as well. decanted for one hour... could have used 6 or 8 hours !
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Cedar on the nose. As a big Montelena fan, I was a little disappointed. I thought the wine to be unripe and lacking balance. Had a Flemings Steakhouse in Omaha.
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A delightful cabernet...I had high expectations and they were exceeded. After a generous hour+ of decanting, this wine presented with a wonderfully balanced, soft, full mouthfeel and amazing flavors of blackberry and a hint of tobacco. As the meal (ribeyes) progressed, cherrycinnamon, and chocolate emerged, notably prominent on the finish. Very well integrated, pleasant tannins. I am very glad we have a few more bottles to enjoy. I expect this will age well for another couple of years.
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Perhaps I'm a Cretan but these "05 "non estate" Montelana's are right in my wheel-house. Was preferred by 4 people to "04 Ch. Lascombes. Terrific nose and wonderful layers of deep black fruits.
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Decanted about two hours. Garnet color with notes of cassis, blackberry and tobacco; cinnamon, spice and chocolate nuances develop with time. Fine tannins, with flavors of black cherry, chocolate and spice.
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Wonderful, but soft nose. Great color and mouthfeel. Typical cali cab scents and flavors. Very well balanced and doing well. $50 was a steep price, but a very good wine.
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This is very, very good. Not over oaked or over extracted. Old school, quality Cali Cab. In fact this bottle is like a glimpse into the estate bottlings without having to wait so long for them to come around. It is like Rosso Di Montalcino is to Brunello Di Montalcino.
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Pleasing dark fruit not overwhelmed by black currant. Cinnamon roll with vanilla icing - med acidity, silky tannins, med length. Well integrated. Very nice right from the get go. Not overally rich and syrupy - cab done the way I like it. I could cocktail with this wine.
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Ce vin est déjà très bien en ce moment mais n'exprime pas encore toute la complexité à laquelle on pourrait s'attendre de ce domaine et je crois qu'il ne demande que quelques années de cave avant de nous montrer tout son potentiel. À revoir dans quelques années.
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I liked this wine. I have a hard time understanding the fruit forward notes I've seen. This bottle had a nice cedar nose with a bit of fruit coming through. On the palate, the wine showed nice acidity a bit of olive (very nice), fruit and a touch of smoke that lingered a bit. A very nice wine that shows it's roots and isn't trying to impress Parker.
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Loved it! Deep, black ruby color. Richly aromatic, with underlying concentration of fruit. Wonderful smooth mouthfeel, full-bodied and well-balanced. Cheers!
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Cedar and cherry with very light tannins. Did not need any decanting. Decent finish. Paired well with a light steak dinner. Seems like drinking at its prime now, and would drink within next 3 years. Good bottle for price.
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Montelena and Duckhorns: Calm wine with herbs and cool cedar atop black cherries and some round plums. Some earth and dirt. This is very classical and quite palatable . Suppose this should pair with food quite well.
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A very pleasant surprise. Full flavored, balanced and surprisingly complex, with dark fruit, spice and leather flavors dominating. Medium to full bodied with an almost elegant mouthfeel - similar in style to a left bank bordeaux, but with cabernet flavors.
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This is a fantastic bottle of wine. Nice bold ruby color; great aromas of leather, blackberries and tobacco; in the palate somewhat lively, well balanced with good proportions of fruit mixed with tobacco and earth; short finish; overall at least deserving of a 90 score.
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Won't score, as it has been a while since we drank this (forgot to reflect it on CT). Don't remember exact nuiances, but both my wife and I were very happy with this display of Napa Cab. A lot of oak, if I remember right, but in a way we enjoyed. Would absolutely drink this again.
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First bottle was very fruit-forward with black and blueberry taste. Low tannins and so I would rate it around 92-93. But the second bottle was much more tannic and tough on the palate. My guess is that this will be excellent by 2011 or 2012.
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Tour - Napa / Sonoma 2009; 8/25/2009-8/29/2009 (Napa / Sonoma, CA): This is one of the best wines we tasted on this trip! Bouquet complex, licorice, cedar, among others. Taste complex, full bodied and balanced, with spice notes, nice acid balance and smooth finish with pleasant pepper notes. 86% Cab. Very good, and moderately priced at $45. Tasted at Chateau Montelena Winery on Napa trip. $20 for tastings. (See Tasting Story notes about this famous winery.)
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Had one more, and drank it with some bbq today. Same note as last time. way too acidic for my liking. not much structure or finish. Nose was decent, so upgrade it by 1 pt from last time. disappointing for a estate with so much history. not good for the price..
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Popped and poured. Beautiful nose of dark fruits, tobacco, leather and menthol. A bit astringent at first, but the tannins softened and it opened up over the course of a few hours. Medium bodied. Needed decanting and or a few more years of bottle age.
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We had this alongside a 1997 and 2000 Miner Cab and a 2000 Italian Bdx blend. This showed more chocolate and smoke than the others. There is less aciity on this than on the Miners, but this is still a very nice bottle of wine that likely will become more intergrated and seamless with some age.
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One-dimensional fruit forward nose--lots of blackberry. Very silky but at the expense of structure. Tasted vanilla, anise, green pepper and some mixed herbs, but still just too much fruit here. Short finish. For price....much better stuff out there.
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Consumed at The Chop House (Chicago, IL). Dark ruby color. Fruit forward nose with ripened plum. Medium-bodied. Soft silky tannins. Well-balanced. Not overly complex; simple flavor components. Medium length finish.
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This is Montelena? disappointing. Possibly too young, but definitely tannic and somewhat disjointed with fruit forward acidity. nose of earth, creme de cassis and spices. not much finish to speak of. Felt like a let down given the history. Maybe i need to try an estate bottle..
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One of the best reasonably priced Napa Cabs I've had. nice fruity nose, well balanced, medium bodied, good structure... Guests raved about it... Might of had something to do with the fact we drank it during a viewing of Bottle Shock!!! Good stuff
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First Montelena (non estate) I have had in a while. Perhaps it is not popular to like Montelena wines any longer--instead people tend to focus on micro wineries in the US and '05 Bordeaux-but I must say that I missed this wine. Wonderful nose. Terrific fruit with a bit of graphite and minerals. Nice balance and good finish.
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On the nose it has a medicinal note red fruit but a little clumsy. The tannins are not integrated yet need time. Red fruit on the palate but it is wound tightly.
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Blackberry, cassis, and cedar tones, and the body is very much the same. Streamlined and somewhat understated, rustic and earthy, with a solid tannic core. Food-friendly and old school. It compares to the Ridge Monte Bello, as far as flavor profile, and general style. Fans of loud California cabernets are sure to find this somewhat lacking, but I find fans of loud California cabernet lacking in ways that they cannot understand.
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Ok but not a huge fan. The fruit is muted and the oak is a little weird at this point. Needs some time to integrate and even then I'm not sure it will be great. Tasted from 2 different bottles.
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I was conservative in scoring. This is young and will improve. Fruity, dark, intense. Had it with rib eyes before MNF. It is a great wine. Cassis, dark fruits and berries, cocoa, beautiful.
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Super young and I hated to open one this young, but we needed a wine for a BYOB here in Jersey, and this was a great option. Would defiitely hold another 5 years before drining. Lots of fruit when it opens up, but a tannic monster. Will buy mor, but will hold for a few years.
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Solid cab effort with very good QPR (these days) for Napa cab. Improved over 90 minutes decanted but not in great balance now and will likley benefit from more time in the bottle. Less chocholate and fruit than with many current cabs but a better food wine as a results. Pleasant enough but is not captivating
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Color: Blood red. Distinct clearing at the edge. Nose: Fruit and stinky blue cheese. Flavor: Huge flavor from top to bottom, start to finish. Spicy oak and very well balanced fruit. Good tannins grip the tongue at the finish, which lasts >60 seconds. Beautiful wine.
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On the medium-bodied side for cab, this wine featured red and dark fruits, along with some licorice and spice. Very youthful; needs time, but not much -- this isn't built for medium- or long-term cellaring.
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A Visit to Chateau Montelena: A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with 25% estate fruit and 75% purchased fruit. Very complex aromatically, even at this young stage. Aromas of black cherry, cedar, black currant, licorice and mint. Flavors of red fruit and raspberry, with sweet but dense tannins, and a nice long finish dominated by spice and red fruit. $45. 92-93+ points.
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Served at a tasting at the Wine Club in SF. Opened one hour. Quick notes: interesting nose of red fruit; extremely light on the palate with touches of orange citrus notes. Very approachable but also lightweight for a cabernet sauvignon. Needs food. Good.
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Generally pleasant dark berries on the nose, but a little too much sweet liquor (creme de cassis). Finish was too hot for me, and left me with an odd hangover the next day. I'm inclined to think this has more alcohol than the 13.7% reported on the bottle. I've enjoyed previous vintages of Montelena's 2nd wind, but not this one. At $40, I won't be buying any more of this wine.
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4/22/2023 - steinersing wrote: 91 Points
Obvious Napa with some maturity. Cherries, plums. A little too big still for my taste. But good overall.
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4/23/2022 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Opening day dinner at the club. Double decanted a couple of hours before dinner. Plum and cherry with a bit of cedar and leather as well. In a really nice spot. 92-93 pts.
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1/14/2022 - DickMull Likes this wine: 91 Points
A delightful wine at its peak. After opening, with a little time, the nose had candied red fruit with a bit of menthol and earth. Balanced red/black fruit flavors on the palate. I don’t think it will get much better, but it sure is delicious right now!
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7/22/2021 - Andreas T Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful nose: red currant, cherries, well integrated wood. Structured and long palate. Positive surprise and in a really nice drinking window at the moment
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5/24/2020 - Dosser14 Likes this wine:
Spicy, peppery, easy drinking, full bodied.
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1/20/2019 - Binkey wrote: 88 Points
Green peppers aromas, vanillas and soft tannins with short after taste.not something special ,especially for its price.drink it now.
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10/13/2018 - mpalestini Likes this wine: 90 Points
Doesn't have the class of their estate bottles but very decent old world approach to blending. Not a fruit bomb or overloaded with vanilla. Well integrated now, good flavors, medium finish, does not need a decant. Very yummy but for $75~ I think they have lots of competition at that price point.
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9/15/2017 - acristiani Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cherries and black currants. Well balanced with integrated tannins. Secondary flavors coming out as well. Awesome finish.
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6/11/2017 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Second Sunday Group: Chateau Montelena Cabernet (Non-Estate) Vertical, 2005-2012 (Our house): Opens with a nice herbal aroma and a touch of green pepper with currant and red fruit overtones. Medium tannins with flavors of dark berry fruit and herbs. Finishes with good length. Balanced. Definitely an old world sensibility here. 91-92 pts.
My #1, Domino's #1
Group #4, 44 pts
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6/3/2017 - Kfoley009 wrote: 94 Points
Decanter for 2.5 hours. Very good.
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2/25/2017 - cltean Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was actually better than I was expecting after reading other reviews over the past several years. The cork didn't come out as clean as i expected but had a similar experience with a 2005 Chappellet a couple months back. Surprising it still needs aeration for almost 12 years old. I have learned to appreciate these Napa cabs but still not convince they are worth the price point as there are a lot of good one out there for less money. I guess that is just the value investor in me. It has a lot of life left in it. 13.7% alcohol. It was a very nice Christmas gift from a friend.
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12/27/2016 - ffiori wrote: 90 Points
Opened a 3rd bottle tonight and let it decant for about 2 hours. It was amazing! Great nose, medium to full body. One more left to go, finger crossed
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12/25/2016 - ffiori wrote: 85 Points
This is the second bottle of 4 that I've opened, which I've been cellaring for years and they both had the same characteristics. When you uncork the bottle, both had a nice color and great nose, typical California Cab. Tried from the bottle and also decanting for 60 minutes. Once you pour into a glass and drink this wine it's very "flat" for a lack of a better word. With such a nice nose, it's a real let down when you take your first sip and expect this wine that would be bursting with flavor and tannins, but you don't get that. You get this flat taste and say to yourself......Oh that's OK.
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11/22/2016 - DouglasTyler Does not like this wine: 88 Points
It's got a nice nose of toasted walnuts and dark berries but on the tongue it's pretty fruity. It mellows as it passes the middle tongue. Flavors of bright cherry, raspberry, chocolate cassis. It's nice but not amazing.
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9/30/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 3-4 hours before tasting. Medium, translucent garnet with a brick edge. At a sweet spot or perhaps slightly past peak. Nose has an herbal character with lavender along with black plum, tobacco and grilled meat. Palate focuses in on plum, cherry, cedar, graphite with distinct cigar tobacco on the finish. Given the light bodied year, this has aged much better than I would have expected. Time to drink it up however....if it has been well cellared.
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9/30/2016 - wineman73 wrote: 91 Points
2005 Chateau Montelena Napa Cab (not the estate) visually was a scarlet to garnet red in color with medium viscosity. After 4 hours of decanting, the nose provided notes of lavender, red fruits, tobacco and a hint of cedar. The mouth feel was smooth and medium with fairly light tannins; a 2 on a scale of 1-5. There was some acidity. The flavors were very nice. This was a tasty wine, which provided flavors of cherry, tobacco, red fruits, and a hint of pencil lead. The 2005 Chateau Montelena is a solid QPR. It is ready to drink now and over the next 2-3 years. Score 91
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8/7/2016 - agirlandherglass Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose of Bing cherry candy, black raspberry, sage, red licorice, hint of smoked meats. Well integrated tannins
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7/15/2016 - wino121 wrote: 93 Points
Stunning, PNP'd smashing good from the start.
At or near peak drinking window.
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6/12/2016 - leachriscellar wrote: 91 Points
Inky currant color. Plum, boysenberry, hint of cherry & licorice on the nose. Rich cranberry, sage/herbal flavors, cinnamon, & cherry. Finish has hints of the tannins. Decanted 2 hrs.
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6/3/2016 - jnardone Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very nice right now. Good balance of tannins and fruit
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5/10/2016 - RonT Likes this wine: 88 Points
While a very good bottle we were all a bit disappointed expecting a bit more. Deep color with currant, fig, deep cherry and currants. Beginning to mature but with many years left.
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3/30/2016 - Tonythefish wrote: 88 Points
Great color. Lots of dark cherry and currants with softened tannins. Really nice bottle for the price
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9/26/2015 - Wombat_67 Likes this wine: 83 Points
Smooth, still inky but not as fruit forward. Smooth. Finish medium. Opened this with cheese and it drank well. But should probably drink up
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7/3/2015 - Baron Slick wrote: 91 Points
Deep garnet, refusing to show its age. The bouquet reveals aromas of black currants, cherries, black raspberries, and notes of marzipan, leather, and underbrush. This is full bodied, well integrated, with a supple texture, attractive maturity, and a lovely sense of place. A warm spice component laces the dark fruit finish. Outstanding.
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1/17/2015 - crushzone wrote: 92 Points
If Tanzer was right about his 87 point rating when he wrote it, he's definitely wrong now. This non estate cab is very good right now. Full bodied and balanced but not overly softened. No decanting required, just pop the cork and enjoy. I'm definitely looking forward to opening one of my estate cabs from this vintage. Boy will I be disappointed if it doesn't rate 95 or better!
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1/3/2015 - agirlandherglass wrote: 91 Points
Still showing good black fruits black cherry, and raspberries with some earth and mineral, hint of cedar, finely grained tannin.
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12/30/2014 - facchair Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Drank side by side with 2005 Sympa. No contest, Sympa far better now. Can't get my taste buds around the Montelena. I think is a mess! :(
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9/12/2014 - davidspieker wrote:
Dark garnet color with nice viscosity. Earthy dark fruit aroma with black raspberry and mineral flavors. Good acidity and mellow tannin.
Lengthy finish. Lots of sediment on the cork.
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2/20/2014 - domco wrote:
Better than our previous bottle, seems to be a in a sweet spot. Still some nice fruit and time has smoothed out any rough edges.
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1/17/2014 - Escher Cellars wrote: 93 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of black currant, prune and dusty and has flavours of black currant and walnut - Rapid aerated 3-4 times and sat for 1 hour, opened up very nice; not too fruit/jammy yet more like a Bordeaux complexity. Cork was extremely tartaric and had fair amount of sediment. Fun bottle to enjoy.
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12/28/2013 - scarce10 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted it for 2 hours. Very mellow, well balanced Napa cab. Drinking well now, don't think it will improve much from here on. Fruit is still there.
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10/19/2013 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 91 Points
South Charlotte Wine Lovers - Pre and Post Millennium Tasting (Tom and Sue's Casa): I love being able to taste wines together for comparison. This is another wine though that I think would have scored higher if I were drinking stand alone. But just did not have the stuffing or character that the '94 did that we had alongside. This fruit was a bit brighter with nice currant, a little anise with a medium finish. Very nice wine with 10+ years to go.
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6/6/2013 - rwgray Likes this wine: 90 Points
Interesting American Cab for a reasonable (?) price. Nice balance with some spicy notes. Drink in the next 4-5 years
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5/26/2013 - freeblue wrote: 89 Points
Agreed that the fruit is in the background now. Still a good wine, very well balanced. I would say the bouquet is better than the initial frontal palette.
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4/7/2013 - paul canet wrote: 88 Points
Assez discret au nez, en bouche, c'est bien et le vin n'est pas over the top. Le tout semble bien integre, malgre le fait que l'on goute encore le cote vanille. On n'y retrouve en bouche du menthol/eucalyptus, tabac et cedre. Il manque un certaine complexite afin de dire qu'il s'agit d'un tres bon vin.
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3/23/2013 - yipen wrote:
with 50% grilled wagyu strip steak, loved it very fruity
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2/3/2013 - redman77 wrote: 87 Points
agree with acordell...drink up sooner than later...bottle was stored in temp and moisture cellar
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2/2/2013 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank this several months ago. remember being impressed with the overall quality. Didn't blow you away with fruit, but was a classic, rich Napa Cab with all components in balance.
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1/12/2013 - acordell wrote: 87 Points
A bit past it's prime now as the fruit is fading into the background. Still a good wine but I wouldn't count on it lasting much longer at all.
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1/6/2013 - Jmaclenn wrote: 92 Points
Better than ever. Worth the wait.
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11/25/2012 - domco wrote:
No score. Wine is a bit off... A hint of bret. Still drinkable, even enjoyable, but the nose is off-putting.
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11/11/2012 - msilver wrote: 89 Points
good but expected more. Closed at first, but opened up after 2 hrs. decent but not great cabernet.
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10/20/2012 - Tarrant wrote: 91 Points
This was lovely, a bit short of the 2008 Freemark Abbey Cab we had alongside, but only just slightly - Dark, full bodied with a nose of blackfruit, plum, cherry, cedar, mocha, green leaf tobacco and vanilla, well structured, balanced and complex, sweet on the palate with tannins fading and a long finish, nice! (91 Points).
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9/13/2012 - bbakove wrote: 89 Points
A solid offering from CH. Montelana. Balanced, flavorful without being overoaked or fruit forward.
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8/21/2012 - NCWino1 wrote: 91 Points
Bought this from a local grocer in 2008. This is at its prime drinking window. Don't see this getting any better. P & P, plum and currants on the nose. Nice rounded on palate with plum, cassis and cherries on the medium finish. Not much for secondary flavors. Good QPR for the $40 tariff. So, drink up and enjoy, as this will be on the decline within a year to 18 months.
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8/2/2012 - scarce10 wrote: 91 Points
Bought this wine in 2008 at the winery and I remember it being an absolute fruit bomb and telling myself, hold off on this one for a few years, at least. Well, now it's drinking much more reasonably, though not too much depth. But it is a well rounded wine and is worth the price at $40. Still very jammy wine and should last a few more years.
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7/22/2012 - rb415 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine did not have much over complexity. Drink now. Mocha and spices on nose, firm tannins and blackberry and mocha through mid-palate and finish. Paired well with coffee marinated steak.
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7/14/2012 - Haggis wrote: 88 Points
Decent enough, with dark fruit and tannin. Better on day 2.
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7/7/2012 - rlleigh wrote: 89 Points
Good, but slightly disappointing.
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6/4/2012 - puppetclause Likes this wine: 89 Points
Closed on Day 1, Day 2 was a bit better. Never found the balance I was hoping for, it was a bit hot and spicy on the finish.
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5/18/2012 - xboomer wrote: 90 Points
Took to BA
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4/20/2012 - bin905 wrote: 91 Points
Elegant, smooth and balanced. Currant, cedar, spice and cherry flavors with fine tannins.
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4/13/2012 - TRock3000 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful garnet color. Big fruit on the nose. Plums and currants up front, leather on the second note. Medium finish.
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9/23/2011 - ilmvino wrote: 88 Points
Classic cabernet fruit, too hot on the end.
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8/27/2011 - MuseMaven wrote: 93 Points
Very, very nice. Rich nose & color. On the palate, dark fruits, actually a bit jammy but no hint of sweetness. Excellent structured tannins, nice balancing acidity. Unique flavor profile, but also distinctly Cabernet. A pleasure to drink! Finish long & satisfying.
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8/12/2011 - RedWineLover66 wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyed with friends at Ruth's Chris. Decanted about an hour before we ate and it was delicious. Dark, silky, and bold wine living up to expectations. Wonderful on the nose as we could smell it from the end of the table.
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8/2/2011 - rexmerlot wrote: 89 Points
Clear dark ruby red in colour. Clean med nose of black currant, some cedar, and spice. Dry, med acidity, med body, black currant, dark chocolate, spice on mid palate, and some cedar on the end. Nice finish. A nice classy wine. Drinking well right now.
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7/23/2011 - Aspenhawk wrote: 90 Points
great nose.. balanced fruit. Great Cab. have a little chocolate with this one for an excellent evening.
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7/10/2011 - scottmlew wrote: 90 Points
This is one of those wines that I enjoy so much stand alone, I worry if food might detract from the experience. (Especially since I don't always pair wine and food as well as I would like to)
Decanted and strained due to sediment. Nicely concentrated cocoa dark cherry and berries, with some spices on the end accompanying lighter than expected tannins. Paired well with steaks and creamed spinach. Looking forward to more bottles in the future.
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6/24/2011 - davetard wrote: 91 Points
Very good; used Vinturi to smooth out early.
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5/29/2011 - Haggis wrote: 88 Points
Rich dark fruit, cedar, spice, and muted tannins. Nicely done. Should hold well for another couple of years.
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4/23/2011 - fabiogr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Outstanding Cabernet. Balanced, intense, layered cassis & mocha flavors on the mouth. Tannins well tamed.
Great stuff.
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3/19/2011 - Gobi wrote: 90 Points
A vibrant youthful wine with a dark core and a vibrant purple rim, great dense viscosity shinning through on the glass and an intense bouquet of aromas. The nose has depth and weight, notes of sour cherries, raspberries, dark earth, sweet tobacco, new leather, eucalyptus, and a touch of graphite on the end. On the palate the attack is dominated by dark fruits and berries, following nicely into a tame mid-palate with tart red fruits, and bitter coffee notes. The finish exhibits dark chocolate shavings with a touch of creamy vanilla and nice polished and chewy tannins. A nose with depth, a mid-bodied wine with good structure, smooth textures, pure flavors, balanced all throughout but missing a bit more on the end.
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12/31/2010 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
A very nice cabernet. Dark fruits, spice and oak/cedar flavors dominate. Good concentration, nicely balanced, good structure, very well integrated. As others have noted it is not overdone, but with enough richness, concentration and complexity to make it very enjoyable.
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12/24/2010 - foggy111 wrote: 89 Points
needed more time to develop flavor.. would leave in the cellar for another few years if I could undrink this bottle I would! needed more time to breathe as well. decanted for one hour... could have used 6 or 8 hours !
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12/15/2010 - KSWinegeek wrote: 87 Points
Cedar on the nose. As a big Montelena fan, I was a little disappointed. I thought the wine to be unripe and lacking balance. Had a Flemings Steakhouse in Omaha.
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11/26/2010 - Steve Jones wrote: 92 Points
Thanksgiving 2010; 11/24/2010-11/26/2010 (Home and Leombruni's): Beautiful. Not over done yet not over simplified. Deep and dark, intense flavors, dark black fruits. So nice.
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10/18/2010 - Kirky wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for an hour.. Started out great, Berries and tantic. An hour later very gamey losing a lot after the second hour.. Drink now!
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10/9/2010 - scottmlew wrote: 93 Points
A delightful cabernet...I had high expectations and they were exceeded. After a generous hour+ of decanting, this wine presented with a wonderfully balanced, soft, full mouthfeel and amazing flavors of blackberry and a hint of tobacco. As the meal (ribeyes) progressed, cherrycinnamon, and chocolate emerged, notably prominent on the finish. Very well integrated, pleasant tannins. I am very glad we have a few more bottles to enjoy. I expect this will age well for another couple of years.
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10/2/2010 - sqn19 wrote: 88 Points
Nice roundness and up-front fruit, but a little hot on the finish. Should have decanted - threw off a lot of sediment.
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8/13/2010 - Brsed wrote: 93 Points
Perhaps I'm a Cretan but these "05 "non estate" Montelana's are right in my wheel-house. Was preferred by 4 people to "04 Ch. Lascombes. Terrific nose and wonderful layers of deep black fruits.
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6/28/2010 - Myusi21 wrote: 92 Points
Was given to us for our wedding by Andrew Boland and Amy Grillo. We had grilled rib eye an lobster tails.
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5/8/2010 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Decanted about two hours. Garnet color with notes of cassis, blackberry and tobacco; cinnamon, spice and chocolate nuances develop with time. Fine tannins, with flavors of black cherry, chocolate and spice.
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4/10/2010 - TheWinedown wrote: 91 Points
Wonderful, but soft nose. Great color and mouthfeel. Typical cali cab scents and flavors. Very well balanced and doing well. $50 was a steep price, but a very good wine.
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3/26/2010 - bwillia wrote: 93 Points
This is very, very good. Not over oaked or over extracted. Old school, quality Cali Cab. In fact this bottle is like a glimpse into the estate bottlings without having to wait so long for them to come around. It is like Rosso Di Montalcino is to Brunello Di Montalcino.
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2/23/2010 - Macki wrote:
Pleasing dark fruit not overwhelmed by black currant. Cinnamon roll with vanilla icing - med acidity, silky tannins, med length. Well integrated. Very nice right from the get go. Not overally rich and syrupy - cab done the way I like it. I could cocktail with this wine.
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1/31/2010 - Pedro the Lion wrote: 90 Points
Ce vin est déjà très bien en ce moment mais n'exprime pas encore toute la complexité à laquelle on pourrait s'attendre de ce domaine et je crois qu'il ne demande que quelques années de cave avant de nous montrer tout son potentiel. À revoir dans quelques années.
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1/24/2010 - winewag wrote: 89 Points
I liked this wine. I have a hard time understanding the fruit forward notes I've seen. This bottle had a nice cedar nose with a bit of fruit coming through. On the palate, the wine showed nice acidity a bit of olive (very nice), fruit and a touch of smoke that lingered a bit. A very nice wine that shows it's roots and isn't trying to impress Parker.
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1/24/2010 - Patton wrote: 90 Points
Loved it! Deep, black ruby color. Richly aromatic, with underlying concentration of fruit. Wonderful smooth mouthfeel, full-bodied and well-balanced. Cheers!
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12/30/2009 - prez wrote: 91 Points
Cedar and cherry with very light tannins. Did not need any decanting. Decent finish. Paired well with a light steak dinner. Seems like drinking at its prime now, and would drink within next 3 years. Good bottle for price.
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12/24/2009 - Lazy JH wrote: 89 Points
The wine had a light, musty smell when we first opened it. We tasted black cherries and a hint of pepper.
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12/15/2009 - Alex H wrote: 83 Points
Montelena and Duckhorns: Calm wine with herbs and cool cedar atop black cherries and some round plums. Some earth and dirt. This is very classical and quite palatable . Suppose this should pair with food quite well.
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11/6/2009 - rickspicks wrote: 90 Points
A very pleasant surprise. Full flavored, balanced and surprisingly complex, with dark fruit, spice and leather flavors dominating. Medium to full bodied with an almost elegant mouthfeel - similar in style to a left bank bordeaux, but with cabernet flavors.
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9/25/2009 - jleg wrote:
No tasting notes, just really enjoyed this wine. Great acidity and medium body.
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9/9/2009 - 907grapenut wrote: 90 Points
I liked it a lot. Balanced and mouth-watering acidity. Slight tinge of harshness on transition to mid, but this mellowed as it breathed
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9/7/2009 - Ombibulous wrote: 85 Points
Delish! Wonderful with seared tuna at Rose's Restaurant on Reeds Lake with family. Complex and flavourful. Ripe for drinking. (85.5).
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9/4/2009 - royalscam wrote: 90 Points
This is a fantastic bottle of wine. Nice bold ruby color; great aromas of leather, blackberries and tobacco; in the palate somewhat lively, well balanced with good proportions of fruit mixed with tobacco and earth; short finish; overall at least deserving of a 90 score.
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9/1/2009 - OTTnMIA wrote:
Won't score, as it has been a while since we drank this (forgot to reflect it on CT). Don't remember exact nuiances, but both my wife and I were very happy with this display of Napa Cab. A lot of oak, if I remember right, but in a way we enjoyed. Would absolutely drink this again.
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8/29/2009 - mklasing wrote: 91 Points
First bottle was very fruit-forward with black and blueberry taste. Low tannins and so I would rate it around 92-93. But the second bottle was much more tannic and tough on the palate. My guess is that this will be excellent by 2011 or 2012.
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8/28/2009 - Wine Gent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tour - Napa / Sonoma 2009; 8/25/2009-8/29/2009 (Napa / Sonoma, CA): This is one of the best wines we tasted on this trip! Bouquet complex, licorice, cedar, among others. Taste complex, full bodied and balanced, with spice notes, nice acid balance and smooth finish with pleasant pepper notes. 86% Cab. Very good, and moderately priced at $45. Tasted at Chateau Montelena Winery on Napa trip. $20 for tastings. (See Tasting Story notes about this famous winery.)
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8/20/2009 - omars wrote: 89 Points
Light
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7/19/2009 - mye wrote: 88 Points
Had one more, and drank it with some bbq today. Same note as last time. way too acidic for my liking. not much structure or finish. Nose was decent, so upgrade it by 1 pt from last time. disappointing for a estate with so much history. not good for the price..
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6/29/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: 88 Points
Medium bodied, a touch tannic. Dark fruits & cassis. Was hoping for more concentration, but maybe just needs more time?
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6/17/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. Beautiful nose of dark fruits, tobacco, leather and menthol. A bit astringent at first, but the tannins softened and it opened up over the course of a few hours. Medium bodied. Needed decanting and or a few more years of bottle age.
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6/13/2009 - Colima74 wrote: 90 Points
We had this alongside a 1997 and 2000 Miner Cab and a 2000 Italian Bdx blend. This showed more chocolate and smoke than the others. There is less aciity on this than on the Miners, but this is still a very nice bottle of wine that likely will become more intergrated and seamless with some age.
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6/1/2009 - auditd0rk wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic bouquet of dark fruit and oak. Smooth tannins and plum dance in the mouth. Fantastic Napa Valley cab.
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5/31/2009 - timdrex wrote: 89 Points
Ordered with dinner at a steakhouse. Bright, somewhat acidic, but a great wine to cut through a hearty steak.
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5/31/2009 - Bradford wrote: 86 Points
One-dimensional fruit forward nose--lots of blackberry. Very silky but at the expense of structure. Tasted vanilla, anise, green pepper and some mixed herbs, but still just too much fruit here. Short finish. For price....much better stuff out there.
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5/20/2009 - Edward A wrote: 90 Points
Consumed at The Chop House (Chicago, IL). Dark ruby color. Fruit forward nose with ripened plum. Medium-bodied. Soft silky tannins. Well-balanced. Not overly complex; simple flavor components. Medium length finish.
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3/27/2009 - mye wrote: 87 Points
This is Montelena? disappointing. Possibly too young, but definitely tannic and somewhat disjointed with fruit forward acidity.
nose of earth, creme de cassis and spices. not much finish to speak of. Felt like a let down given the history. Maybe i need to try an estate bottle..
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3/22/2009 - ebrumby wrote: 88 Points
Disappointing given the heritage and the price.
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2/28/2009 - mattiej wrote: 91 Points
One of the best reasonably priced Napa Cabs I've had. nice fruity nose, well balanced, medium bodied, good structure... Guests raved about it... Might of had something to do with the fact we drank it during a viewing of Bottle Shock!!! Good stuff
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2/21/2009 - Brsed wrote: 92 Points
First Montelena (non estate) I have had in a while. Perhaps it is not popular to like Montelena wines any longer--instead people tend to focus on micro wineries in the US and '05 Bordeaux-but I must say that I missed this wine. Wonderful nose. Terrific fruit with a bit of graphite and minerals. Nice balance and good finish.
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2/18/2009 - ToniJ wrote:
On the nose it has a medicinal note red fruit but a little clumsy. The tannins are not integrated yet need time. Red fruit on the palate but it is wound tightly.
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1/17/2009 - mmurry wrote: 89 Points
Bargains and Big Boys (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had earth, licorice, blackberry, and spice. The palate had blackberry, earth, and spice.
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12/22/2008 - FieldingYost wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry, cassis, and cedar tones, and the body is very much the same. Streamlined and somewhat understated, rustic and earthy, with a solid tannic core. Food-friendly and old school. It compares to the Ridge Monte Bello, as far as flavor profile, and general style. Fans of loud California cabernets are sure to find this somewhat lacking, but I find fans of loud California cabernet lacking in ways that they cannot understand.
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11/28/2008 - Happybob wrote: 90 Points
big, full, bright fruit, pretty well structured, a bit too jammy for me but I suspect this will settle out in a year or 2.
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11/27/2008 - brl75 wrote: 92 Points
Served this one at thankgiving...delicious with hints of floral on the nose.
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11/25/2008 - Double-A Likes this wine: 88 Points
Cherry, currant, mineral and violets on the nose. Medium-full bodied, fresh and elegant palate; long, balanced finish.
3.5/5
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11/16/2008 - billa126 wrote: 88 Points
Needs some more time to rest before this one is ready to go.
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11/15/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 87 Points
Dark red in color. Rustic nose. Served blind and I guessed BDX. Thin on the palate with a earthy taste. Enjoyable but not special.
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11/6/2008 - Jack wrote: 86 Points
Ok but not a huge fan. The fruit is muted and the oak is a little weird at this point. Needs some time to integrate and even then I'm not sure it will be great. Tasted from 2 different bottles.
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10/13/2008 - Steve Jones wrote: 92 Points
I was conservative in scoring. This is young and will improve. Fruity, dark, intense. Had it with rib eyes before MNF. It is a great wine. Cassis, dark fruits and berries, cocoa, beautiful.
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9/23/2008 - ews3 wrote: 86 Points
young -- needed air to open up
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9/20/2008 - markjahnke wrote: 90 Points
Super young and I hated to open one this young, but we needed a wine for a BYOB here in Jersey, and this was a great option. Would defiitely hold another 5 years before drining. Lots of fruit when it opens up, but a tannic monster. Will buy mor, but will hold for a few years.
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8/30/2008 - kennyg wrote: 88 Points
Solid cab effort with very good QPR (these days) for Napa cab. Improved over 90 minutes decanted but not in great balance now and will likley benefit from more time in the bottle. Less chocholate and fruit than with many current cabs but a better food wine as a results. Pleasant enough but is not captivating
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8/16/2008 - TEDL wrote: 89 Points
Went well with a greek/lamb dish. The spices in the wine offset the meal well.
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8/2/2008 - TEDL wrote: 89 Points
More of this please!
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6/19/2008 - jtabor wrote: 94 Points
Color: Blood red. Distinct clearing at the edge. Nose: Fruit and stinky blue cheese. Flavor: Huge flavor from top to bottom, start to finish. Spicy oak and very well balanced fruit. Good tannins grip the tongue at the finish, which lasts >60 seconds. Beautiful wine.
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5/20/2008 - ckcorrea wrote:
reasonable, not inspired
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5/20/2008 - Li6 wrote: 89 Points
On the medium-bodied side for cab, this wine featured red and dark fruits, along with some licorice and spice. Very youthful; needs time, but not much -- this isn't built for medium- or long-term cellaring.
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4/29/2008 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
A Visit to Chateau Montelena: A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with 25% estate fruit and 75% purchased fruit. Very complex aromatically, even at this young stage. Aromas of black cherry, cedar, black currant, licorice and mint. Flavors of red fruit and raspberry, with sweet but dense tannins, and a nice long finish dominated by spice and red fruit. $45. 92-93+ points.
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3/8/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Served at a tasting at the Wine Club in SF. Opened one hour. Quick notes: interesting nose of red fruit; extremely light on the palate with touches of orange citrus notes. Very approachable but also lightweight for a cabernet sauvignon. Needs food. Good.
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3/1/2008 - RedFaced wrote: 87 Points
Generally pleasant dark berries on the nose, but a little too much sweet liquor (creme de cassis). Finish was too hot for me, and left me with an odd hangover the next day. I'm inclined to think this has more alcohol than the 13.7% reported on the bottle. I've enjoyed previous vintages of Montelena's 2nd wind, but not this one. At $40, I won't be buying any more of this wine.
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