2021 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
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Tasting notes
94.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.9% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Coolish vintage. Aged for 22 months in French oak, 45% new. Bottled July 2023. Very dark crimson. Sumptuously spicy on the nose. Frank attack and sweet, youthful fruit. Very sweet start with crème de cassis and then a bone-dry finish. Long and sappy. So obviously too young. But it’s seriously promising and full of life! Distinctive! (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson MW
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Winemaker Matt Crafton showed me a sample of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (Montelena didn't pick any red grapes in 2020) that he said represented, "kind of what I think the Cabernet Sauvignon portion will look like." It reveals engaging floral nuances, intense red fruit notes and hints of cedar and vanilla. As yet, it's not quite as opulent as the 2019 but maybe a touch more elegant yet concentrated and boldly flavored.
About the producer
Chateau Montelena is a historic Napa Valley estate that rose to global fame after its 1973 Chardonnay won the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Renowned for both its Chardonnay and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery continues to produce elegant, age-worthy wines with a legacy of excellence.