1981 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 96 points

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  10/5/2019 - winenut919 Likes this wine: 96 Points

  I had many bottles of this wine up through age 20...at which point I felt it had at least another 10 years (or more) of life and development. But last year I was able to get a couple of well-stored Magnums (from Wally's). And recently I opened the first one...and was literally amazed at the condition. Deep, bright, vivid gold (from a 38 year old Chardonnay). Not a bit of decay, but deep oppulent bouquet and flavors. Mostly orchard fruits. Very concentrated. I did not decant, as I intended to stretch it out over at least 5 days (which I did). So each glass required a bit of swirling. All too often old wines don't tolerate aeration well. This one did, and absolutely required it. But the depth and concentration absolutely amazed me. Wow. Finish lasted for several minutes. And over the 5 days it only improved and only got better and better...right to the end. You don't need to like Old Chardonnays to love this wine. Because it doesn't taste old. Served to me blind I would have guessed (without knowing the producer) that was perhaps 10 years old...which for a Chardonnay capable of long aging is still fairly young. At least for me. The 2006 version is now 13 years old, and still too young (to waste). Even the 1998 is just now reaching a good point. It will live and develop (at least some) over the next 5 years (and perhaps more).
  
  Their Chardonnays from 2000 thru 2005 were not the quality of 1999 and before. That's because they had to switch to a new (and much younger) vineyard source (with some going into the 1999). But starting in 2006 their Chardonnays have progressively improved and are now approaching the quality and depth of wines of the 80s and 90s...with 1981 being my all-time favorite (even before this Magnum). I never have tasted the 1973 (or 1974), but have tasted (and usually bought) every one of their Chardonnays from 1975 onward...including the brief forray into an Alexander Valley Chardonnay in the early 80's.

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