1997 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate
Community Tasting Note
Mark1npt Likes this wine:
96 Points
Monday, April 3, 2023 - Pnp'd tableside for tonight's tasting......a bit balsamic to start but over the course of 3-4 hours this hits a sweet spot that really shows why it's one of the world's great wines. Guessed Bdx by many at the table. Leather and mushroom, orange rind, balanced acidity, resolved tannins, a touch of raisin to the fruit that moves into younger territory with more air time. Make no mistake.....if you drink this one early on, it tastes much older and scores much lower, maybe a 92? But if given 3-4 hours of air, it deepens......it gains layers of class, etc. Hence, my score. What a beautiful, classy Old Napa wine!
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3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (2,993 views)
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (2,993 views)
Comment posted by sfbikeguy:
5/2/2023 9:07:00 PM - Nice. I have 1 bottle left. Looking forward to enjoying at a brown bag. Will definitely give it some air time. Thanks for your note.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
5/2/2023 10:19:00 PM - Yes, for it to max out it does need the air! A good 3-4 hours....well, this bottle did anyway. One of the issues with bottles this old is you never know what you're gonna get. Some go downhill quickly and need to be consumed that first hour while bottles like this one need to be enjoyed s-l-o-w-l-y over time........
Comment posted by sastewart:
12/31/2023 12:09:00 PM - Mark, thanks for the note, especially the confirmation to give it some air. I have one left and may open it NYE.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
12/31/2023 12:24:00 PM - Good luck with it, sas!