Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa Valley 2021
Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay
Region: Napa Valley, California, USA
Vintage: 2021
Bottle size: 75cl
Grape: Chardonnay
ABV: 13.5%
The aromatic diversity here is breathtaking. The wine cleanly and discreetly checks off all of the boxes. Orange blossom? Yes. Green apple? Plentiful. White peach? Absolutely. The floral notes of chamomile and honeysuckle moderate the grandeur of the fruit but also slowly subside to unveil lemon balm, cinnamon and mint. The parade of bright, zesty fruit continues on the palate, but it’s just the beginning. The wine’s texture and energy are on full display, brimming with minerality, lemon curd and crème brûlée. The delicate balance between the spine of acidity and the breadth of flavor is both dynamic and fluid. The ripe melon notes are particularly captivating, lending freshness and richness. The finish initially leans exotic and tropical, first as banana and then as starfruit before slowly yielding to D’Anjou pear and baking spice. Again, the texture here is beautifully integrated but still developing.
Chateau Montelena shot to fame in 1976 at the iconic Judgement of Paris which shook the wine world to its core when their 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay won first place against an enviable line-up of top French Burgundies. The result was a shock to the wine trade Chateau Montelena shot to fame in 1976 at the iconic Judgement of Paris which shook the wine world to its core when their 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay won first place against an enviable line-up of top French Burgundies. The result was a shock to the wine trade all over the world and it changed the history of Californian wine and Chateau Montelena forever. They have been making top class wine for over 40 years and have firmly established themselves as an iconic Napa Valley estate. Interestingly the Barretts, owners and chief winemakers here for two generations, have always seen red winemaking as their true calling, but the legend of the 1973 Chardonnay will live on forever.
https://montelena.com