Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

A deep ruby red in colour with massive extraction and great density. The bouquet opens with huge intensity, great depth, and lots of layers. Big fruit aromas of black cherry, vibrant red berries, and plums all lead into the barrel notes of toasty oak, vanilla, and smoky undertones. The palate entry opens smoothly and builds predictably with big, firm (but not coarse) tannin, good acidity with lots of structure and balance. There is a great progression from ripe, sweet cherry and plum fruit up-front to rich, dried black fruit and spice on the finish - with the vanilla and spice from the barrel layering in seamlessly.

Chateau Montelena’s rich history began on a chilly fall morning when Alfred L. Tubbs spaded over and inspected the soil where he thought of planting estate vineyards. He had heard the Napa Valley was the best place to grow grapes in California. A deal was struck, and in January of 1882 the San Francisco entrepreneur owned 254 acres of rugged land just two miles north of Calistoga at the base of Mount Saint Helena. The soils are well drained, stony and loose – perfect for the vines he would plant. It took less than a decade to turn his dream into reality. First Tubbs planted his vineyards, then he built his Chateau, and in 1886 he imported a French-born winemaker. By 1896 his winery, christened Chateau Montelena (a contracted form of Mount Saint Helena), was the seventh largest in the Napa Valley. Winemaking at the Chateau came to an end with Prohibition. After Prohibition was repealed, the Tubbs family continued to harvest the vineyard, making some wines and selling grapes to other wineries and home winemakers. The Tubbs family sold the winery in 1958, at which time the Chateau and its overgrown grounds passed into the hands of Yort and Jeanie Frank, who were looking for a peaceful spot to retire. Decades later, this celebrated family-owned winery continues to thrive with Jim Barrett at the helm.