For over four decades, the Barrett family has been making wine at Chateau Montelena, praised for wines that combine intensity and power with a lush, rich texture—wines that express the unique characteristics of the land from which they originate. They prefer to speak of Terroir wines here, as they shun cellar techniques that use a chemistry set to compensate for an unremarkable terroir or fruit. The Chateau and the estate's vineyards were originally established in the 1880s at the foot of Mount St. Helena in Calistoga, on the northern side of Napa Valley, and the winery was in operation until 1949. The rise of Chateau Montelena came primarily after Steven Spurrier organized a blind wine tasting in 1976. The best French whites from Burgundy and the best reds from Bordeaux were compared to the best the US had to offer at the time in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. And as it turned out: the Napa Valley houses from the USA won in both categories. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars for red, and for white… Montelena. The wine world was shaken to its foundations, as you can imagine, and American (read: Napa Valley) winemakers were truly put on the map for the first time. This is also known as the Judgment of Paris. The most entertaining way to learn the whole story – if you haven't already – is to watch the film Bottle Shock (starring the brilliant and tragically late Alan Rickman as Steven Spurrier). Read more about this famous winery under the tab: Winery. Owner/founder Jim Barrett bought the historic site in 1972 and restored the winery and vineyards with the goal of producing a Cabernet Sauvignon of the highest quality—and he certainly succeeded—but nowadays they are also known for their unique Chardonnays, which are characterized by great acidity that also ensures the wines age fantastically. The Montelena Chardonnay Napa Valley has a beautiful golden straw-yellow color in the glass. On the nose, the wine opens with cinnamon and ripe peach, enhanced by aromas of melon, pear, honeysuckle, and spices, with lovely fruitiness, acidity of green apple, and vanilla from the oak aging. On the palate, the wine is very elegant and, in style, more like a fine Burgundy than very full-bodied Californian wines. We taste some citrus and orange, and there is good tension between the fruit, the lovely acidity, and a refined alcohol level, with a fine texture and minerality beautifully contrasted by freshly baked bread due to the 10 months of aging in new oak. FUN FACT: In the Attachment tab, you will find the official factsheet for this fine wine. We will automatically send it to you upon ordering this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and you will also receive a nice discount if you come to pick it up. We are located almost next to the highway with ample parking. Click here for the address